Things OS X - screenshotOne of the most hotly contested areas of development these days is task management. Even though there are a myriad of web and desktop applications available there is no clear winner, especially with the proliferation of mobile computing. Just one moment of browsing the “productivity” category in the iTunes App Store will confirm such. So how do you decide which route to take?

First of all, what exactly is task management? For the sake of this article we will define task management as a means of managing current and future tasks through the use of a web or desktop application. Just like there is calendaring apps for managing your schedule, task management is for organizing specific jobs and/or projects which need to be completed.

Microsoft Outlook has had a “tasks” feature for years. Apple ostensibly refuses to add true task management in to OS X even though iCal does offer a “todo” list of sorts. Task management is one of the last remaining pieces of the Google puzzle I would love to see solved sometime soon.

With the choices available, and not necessarily of any specific product, what needs to be taken in to account prior to jumping in the deep end?

Web-based

One of the dilemmas I face with task management stems from the fact that at home I am an Apple user, at work I am tied to Windows and when I am mobile I use an iPhone. It is important to be able to access the task management software no matter the location, whether at home, at work or on the go.

Since the web is essentially ubiquitous the obvious choice would be with a web-based task management system. Unfortunately the answer is not necessarily black and white.

Although one of the best reasons for web-based task management is the pervasiveness of the internet, it may also be one of the largest hindrances. There area a few key things to keep in mind.

  • Not all corporate networks allow unfettered access to the web. The web-based application you find most appealing may not be accessible from where you need it to be.
  • Web-based task management is not as feature-rich as desktop software. If you require comprehensive project management capabilities then you might be sorely disappointed.
  • The lack of offline access may be problematic if there is a need to be able to manage tasks and/or projects when you are without internet access.

One of the best web-based task management applications I have used is Remember The Milk. If you are seriously considering the web-based route then give RTM a look. As a side bonus, RTM does have an iPhone app for mobile users.

Desktop-based

By and large, desktop-based task management software offers a far more fluid and comprehensive feature set. Although there are a number of simplistic applications, much of the quality software has complex project management capabilities. This allows for more than a mere TODO list, but the administration of multifaceted tasks with many intricate details. This is not something seen in most web-based applications.

One of the strengths of desktop applications is the fact that they are tied to a particular operating system and run as native applications, ultimately offering a more thorough experience overall. Generally speaking, the average person feels more comfortable in a native application than they do trying to manage tasks in a web-browser. The look, feel and usability of the controls are far greater in native apps.

The previously mentioned strength is also the greatest weakness. Being tied to the desktop for a native application means being tied to *A* single desktop. The vast majority of apps offer no web-based or mobile synchronization, so managing tasks while away from the primary computer may be problematic.

I have been toying with the idea of using Things to fulfill me task management needs. It is one of the premier task management applications on OS X and even has an iPhone application capable of synchronizing with the desktop. The problem for me is that at work I use Windows and am not allowed (by my own company-wide policy) to use portable electronic devices in my workspace.

Conclusion

To this day I continue to contemplate the various task management options and have yet to make a decisive determination. The amount of options available should be enough to match most people’s needs no matter which route taken. It really boils down to each user and their specific requirements.

Bottom line for the average user: if you are highly mobile, have complete and unfettered access to the internet and are not looking for anything complex then web-based may potentially be your best option. If you are essentially tied to a single computer and have no real need to access tasks from a variety of workstations, then desktop may be your best option.

For me, I am going to wait just a little while longer to see what the Google Gods have in store for the future. What I really would like to see is a halfway decent task management application integrated with Google Calendar and Gmail, offering API access so third-party developers can create innovative software for managing tasks. I envision one of those innovative ways would an iPhone app capable of syncing with Google Tasks and offering offline access.

Until that day arrives I will stick with my favorite old-fashioned task management system – soft cover Moleskin notebooks.