What are the best ways to prioritize tasks in CMS project management?

1 Define your project scope and goals

Before you start working on any tasks, you need to have a clear vision of what your CMS project is about, what it aims to achieve, and what are the expected deliverables and outcomes. This will help you set realistic and measurable goals, and align your tasks with your project objectives. You can use tools like SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) or OKR (Objectives and Key Results) to define your project scope and goals, and communicate them to your team and stakeholders.

2 Use a prioritization matrix

A prioritization matrix is a simple yet effective tool to rank your tasks based on two criteria: impact and effort. Impact refers to how much your task contributes to your project goals, and effort refers to how much time, resources, or difficulty your task requires. You can use a 2x2 grid to plot your tasks into four quadrants: high impact, low effort (quick wins); high impact, high effort (major projects); low impact, low effort (fill-ins); and low impact, high effort (time wasters). You should focus on the quick wins and major projects first, and delegate or eliminate the fill-ins and time wasters.

3 Apply the Eisenhower matrix

Another way to prioritize your tasks is to use the Eisenhower matrix, which categorizes your tasks based on two criteria: urgency and importance. Urgency refers to how soon your task needs to be done, and importance refers to how much your task matters to your project goals. You can use a 2x2 grid to plot your tasks into four quadrants: urgent and important (do first); important but not urgent (schedule later); urgent but not important (delegate or outsource); and neither urgent nor important (delete or ignore). You should focus on the do first and schedule later tasks, and avoid or minimize the delegate or outsource and delete or ignore tasks.

4 Break down your tasks into smaller chunks

Sometimes, your tasks can be too big or complex to handle at once, which can make you feel overwhelmed or procrastinate. To overcome this, you can break down your tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks, and assign them a sub-priority level. For example, if your task is to create a new landing page for your CMS project, you can split it into sub-tasks like: research best practices, design mockup, write copy, code layout, test functionality, etc. You can then prioritize these sub-tasks based on their impact, effort, urgency, and importance, and tackle them one by one.

5 Review and adjust your priorities regularly

Prioritizing your tasks is not a one-time activity, but a continuous process that requires regular review and adjustment. As your CMS project progresses, your tasks may change in scope, complexity, or relevance, and new tasks may emerge or old tasks may become obsolete. You need to monitor your project status, track your task progress, and evaluate your task performance, and update your priorities accordingly. You can use tools like Kanban boards, Gantt charts, or calendars to visualize and manage your task workflow, and tools like feedback forms, surveys, or analytics to measure and improve your task outcomes.