ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Marty and Eric provide ideas and resources for your consideration is using project management software
Why move past email?
Email buries decisions/files in long threads.
Slack (real-time chat + threads) + a project manager (kanban/tasks/timelines) make work visible, searchable, and faster.
Slack is already common in higher ed for communication and collaborative learning; pairing it with a project manager levels up coordination.
30-minute starter kit
Create a Slack workspace; invite your class/research team with university emails.
Channels (starter set): #announcements, #general-questions, #project-alpha, #helpdesk, #random.
Norms (pin these in #announcements): use threads, tag with @, add short TL;DRs, react for quick status.
Project manager: Set up a board with lists/columns → Backlog → To Do → Doing → Review → Done.
Task template: Goal, owner, due date, checklist, attachments, link to reading/IRB doc.
Connect Slack ↔ project manager: enable the integration so task updates post to the right channel.
Teaching use cases
Team projects: each team gets a Slack channel + its own board; require weekly “Done” screenshots.
Office hours: scheduled Slack huddles; post a recap thread.
Peer feedback: students comment on tasks; instructor summarizes in Slack.
Late-work transparency: a Blocked list with reason + next step.
Research use cases
Protocol to practice: one task per milestone (IRB, recruitment, analysis, manuscript).
R&Rs: a “Review → Revise → Resubmit” lane with checklists for each reviewer note.
Data hygiene: Slack for coordination only; store data in approved drives; link rather than upload.
Accessibility & equity
Encourage asynchronous participation; clear headings, short paragraphs, alt text for images.
Prefer threads to reduce noise; summarize meetings in a single recap post.
Privacy, policy, ethics (esp. counseling/education)
No PHI/PII or client details in Slack or the project manager; share links to secured storage instead.
Align with FERPA and IRB guidance; pin a “What NOT to post” note.
Set channel/board permissions; remove access at term/project end; export/archive if required.
Adoption playbook (4 weeks)
Week 0: Announce tools + 5 rules (threads, TL;DRs, owners, due dates, recap posts).
Week 1: Move announcements to Slack; first sprint (one deliverable on the board).
Week 2: Turn on Slack↔PM automations; introduce the Blocked ritual.
Week 3–4: Gather feedback; prune channels/labels; codify norms.
Asana Asana.com
Free 10 members 3 projects
Monday Monday.com
OpenProject — https://www.openproject.org/
Pros: Full suite (Gantt, Agile boards, time tracking); mature docs; robust Community Edition. Cons: Heavier to administer; some advanced features gated to Enterprise.
Taiga — https://taiga.io/
Pros: Clean Scrum/Kanban workflow; easy start; open source. Cons: Best fit for agile use—fewer “classic PM” features than larger suites.
Redmine — https://www.redmine.org/
Pros: Very mature; flexible trackers/wiki; huge plugin ecosystem. Cons: Dated UI; Ruby stack setup can be fiddly.
Leantime — https://leantime.io/
Pros: Designed for “non-project managers” (inclusive UX); simple boards/roadmaps; self-host downloads. Cons: Smaller ecosystem than Redmine/OpenProject.
WeKan — https://wekan.fi/
Pros: Trello-style Kanban; easy install options (e.g., Snap); MIT-licensed. Cons: Kanban-only; limited built-in reporting.
Kanboard — https://kanboard.org/
Pros: Ultra-light, minimal Kanban; quick self-host; solid docs. Cons: Project is in “maintenance mode”; fewer advanced features.
Plane (Community Edition) — https://plane.so/
Pros: Modern UI; issues/sprints/roadmaps; AGPLv3 CE. Cons: Still evolving; smaller academic user base.
Nextcloud Deck — https://apps.nextcloud.com/apps/deck
Pros: Kanban tightly integrated with Nextcloud Files/Calendar; mobile apps available. Cons: Requires a Nextcloud instance; not a full PM suite.
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