This document provides an overview and instructions for using Asana, a collaboration and project management tool. It describes how Asana allows users to track tasks, projects, and have conversations to accomplish goals. Key aspects covered include creating and assigning tasks, adding them to projects, using conversations to discuss work, and etiquette for effective collaboration on the platform.

1. Kicking off Asana

2. Meet Asana
Asana makes it easy for us to collaborate and accomplish our goals.

3. Asana is how we track
who is doing
what by
when

4. You won’t have to spend
SOURCE: MCKINSEY GLOBAL INSTITUTE, “THE SOCIAL ECONOMY”
12 hours of
your week
answering Email
8 hours of
your week
hunting down internal
information
6 hours of
your week
communicating back and
forth with stakeholders

5. It’s powerful and intuitive

6. Tasks
A task is a piece of work that we need
to do. When it’s done we simply mark
it complete. With tasks, you can:
• Add an assignee
• Set a due date
• Provide a description
• Upload attachments
• Loop in followers

7. Projects
Projects are flexible collections of
tasks that let us build workflows and
track our progress across tasks.

8. 192
Conversations
Conversations are threads of
communication between all team or
project members.
Let’s brainstorm video ideas

9. How we use Asana

10. When to use Asana
Instead of an email, create a
task when you:
• Have a question
• Have a request
• Need a piece of work done
• Have information to store for
future reference
Instead of a meeting, create a
conversation when you:
• Have an announcement to make
• Need to have a discussion with all
project members
• Need to have a discussion with all
team members

11. Start your day in My Tasks
My Tasks shows you all the tasks you’ve been assigned.
• Mark new tasks for Today, Upcoming, or Later.
• Take a look at the tasks in your Today section and
manage expectations on what you will complete today
and what you’ll have to put off for later.
• Start marking tasks off!

12. V
Etiquette and
conventions
CREATING TASKS
Provide context in the
description, check the
assignee’s My Tasks, and set
reasonable due dates.
CREATING PROJECTS
Provide context & workflow
instructions in description,
use sections, set a project
owner and due date.
TEMPLATES
Tasks or Projects beginning
with “[TEMPLATE]” are to be
copied and not directly
edited.
POSTING CONVERSATIONS
Be mindful of noise and over
communication. @mention
any relevant projects, tasks
or people.
NO BLUE, NO RED
Keep your My Tasks list up
to date by triaging new tasks
and adjusting due dates on
overdue tasks.
SUBTASKS
Let the assignee know there
is a parent task in the
description and don’t go
deeper than two levels.

13. Learn more about Asana

14. Task me a question
If you have a question, assign me a
task for it and I’ll get you an answer.
Asana Guide Orientation Video
Learn best practices and how
to use key features.
http://asa.na/4l
Learn the basics of using Asana
in 30 minutes.
http://asa.na/4m
If you need help