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July 19, 2011

smartQ – Visualize Your Workspace

Project management apps seem like a dime a dozen these days, which is why it’s important for new systems to find a way to stand out from the crowd. SmartQ does just that. The visually-focused project management and workflow application is the perfect solution for teams and small businesses that frequently use whiteboards, markers, and Post-It notes to plan and manage their most important projects.

SmartQ breaks down the online workplace into a series of columns with individual “tickets” that can be assigned to team members. Get started with the app by visiting your company’s virtual board. From the “Board View” page – similar to a dashboard – you can see all the tasks that have been submitted, assigned, started, completed, and approved. Individual tasks are referred to as tickets in smartQ, and each ticket can be tagged, starred, commented on, and filtered in a number of ways. As work on a particular ticket progresses, the ticket moves across the page until it reaches the “Approved” column on the right hand side. The comments that teammates leave on tickets can be marked as public or private, which helps cut down on unnecessary emails between staff members. All completed tickets are archived, so you don’t have to worry about losing important conversations and notes after a ticket has reached completion.

Almost every aspect of smartQ is customizable. Column sizes can be adjusted and user roles can be defined in a way that prevents anyone except project managers and upper level executives from moving tickets from one column to the next. And as with most of the best project management applications, smartQ is cloud-based. The information, notes, and files that are saved on a board can be accessed from any computer, anywhere in the world.

Practical Uses:

  • Visually see how far along any task is at a given time
  • Increase productivity at your office
  • Collaborate on projects with remote workers
  • Communicate with colleagues in real time, without sending dozens of emails

Insider Tips:

  • Individual tickets can be dragged from one column to another
  • The email assistant automatically notifies people of looming deadlines
  • Companies that use 5pm can import their data into smartQ
  • Graphing and reporting tools help companies see how much work their employees are getting done each week

What we liked:

  • Reporting tools can help managers figure out where bottlenecks are occurring
  • Defined user roles can limit what each person is able to view in a workflow
  • Companies can customize how their tickets should be designed
  • Tickets can quickly be searched by tag or keywords

What we didn’t like:

  • People who are already satisfied with their current workflow systems are unlikely to go through the process of switching to smartQ

Alternatives:

Company Info:

  • Launched: December 2010
  • Privately Held
  • Headquarters: Fairfield, Ohio
  • Founded by: Disarea LLC
  • Web site: http://www.getsmartq.com

Costs:

  • Paid plan is $8 per user, per month

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