How to Build a Project Management Workflow That Actually Works

2. List all tasks that need to be done

Most managers start planning the workflows for a new project by listing the jobs to be done, putting them on a project timeline, and structuring the project into phases or milestones. 

They break complex tasks into smaller subtasks and identify task dependencies. This ensures that jobs that rely on the first task’s approval don’t start until it’s done.

It’s pretty easy to start listing the essential tasks that will soon make up your workflow, but this foundational step can quickly spiral out of control.  

For example, it can be difficult to define tasks with hard-to-measure endpoints or to plan for task dependencies before you have a clear idea of due dates. And, if your project involves different departments — for instance, if you’re carrying out the staff onboarding process, you’ll need input from recruitment and HR — the leaders in one team might struggle to identify all the jobs the other teams need to complete before each phase of the project can begin.

This is where workflow management software like Wrike keeps the task list from getting too long or cluttered. Instead of each team maintaining its own list, every task operates from a single shared workspace within the organization, where you can break work into subtasks, link dependencies, and see who’s doing what in different departments at a glance.

3. Gather and record your tools and resources

Your team will need access to two kinds of resources:

• Internal resources, such as software, meeting spaces, and office supplies
• External resources, such as hired equipment, client data, and freelance specialists or agencies

Project planners also need to have an overview of the personnel available to come on board, sometimes called “human capital.” 

Without accurate resource planning, it’s impossible to complete a project and remain on track. You need a clear picture of what you have and the gaps you need to fill along the way. Even small delays early on can throw off the entire schedule. If your marketing team is waiting on design assets from the graphics department, every task that depends on them slips as well.

This is where Wrike's resource management features can be useful. You can see everyone’s capacity and workload in one view, so you know exactly who’s available to take on work before you assign it. You can also quickly spot overloaded team members before it becomes a project bottleneck.

Consider your resources as puzzle pieces in a single, unified workflow. When you know exactly which tools and people you have, it’s easier to connect the dots and keep progress flowing.

4. Assign roles and responsibilities

Delegating tasks and ensuring everyone understands who’s accountable for the different areas of your project makes it easier to collaborate, communicate, and deliver the right results. To delegate effectively, project managers and team leaders need an accurate overview of their team’s skills and capacity before assigning tasks and milestones.  

However well you plan, changes within teams are inevitable during a large or lengthy project. When this happens, a good workflow must be able to adjust responsibilities — for example, transferring task ownership to another person. Along with automation, design, and reporting (more on how Wrike handles all these things later), this flexibility is an important part of effective workflow management. 

5. Map timelines and dependencies

Some tasks can run as parallel workflows, like writing a blog post while someone else designs the images. Others need to follow sequential workflows, where each task can start only after the previous one is complete. For example, you can’t publish the blog until it’s written, edited, approved, and uploaded to the content management system (CMS).

That’s where mapping out task dependencies becomes key. In Wrike, you can use a Gantt chart tool to visually connect tasks that depend on each other, and automation rules to make sure each task is nudged forward without human intervention.

For example, if Task B can’t start until Task A is done, you can link them. If Task A gets delayed, Wrike automatically updates Task B’s timeline and sends a notification to the project manager, so nothing falls through the cracks.

By organizing your workflow and automating handoffs, you reduce the risk of bottlenecks and make it easier for your team to stay in sync — especially when you’re juggling multiple projects at once.

Wrike’s tip: You don’t need to begin this process from scratch for every project. Check out practical workflow examples or use project management templates to give your task list a head start.

6. Visualize your project progress

You can’t manage a project effectively without an overview of the task sequence, your progress, and the overall project status. 

Some teams like to visualize their process maps as a Waterfall diagram or flowchart where completed tasks trigger new ones. Others prefer Kanban board methodology, where each task is represented by a card that moves through the process. 

And there’s always the option of a Gantt chart, a popular project management tool for tracking deadlines, dependencies, and simultaneous tasks.

However you visualize your workflow, you need a way to understand the progress that each team member, each team, and the project as a whole are making. Because people have diverse working styles, having customizable ways to view the same project data will help everyone to do their best work.

Designers might prefer a Board view, PMs might stick with the Gantt chart, and executives might just want a high-level dashboard showing project status.

7. Add workflow automation, monitor, and make adjustments

Manual task management, status updates, and reminders can quickly eat into your team’s time, especially across larger or more complex workflows. Look for areas where workflow automation can reduce repetitive work. For example:

• When a task is marked “Complete,” Wrike can automatically assign the next task in the sequence.
• If a task is overdue, it can trigger a notification to the assignee and the project manager.
• When projects involve recurring tasks, automation rules can create them automatically and keep everyone on the same page with notifications. 

Even the best workflows need regular check-ins. Projects shift, priorities change, and sometimes what looks good in planning doesn’t hold up in execution. 

Use dashboards and reports to monitor progress in real time and flag risks early. This kind of ongoing risk management helps you catch problems early, before they derail a project’s timeline.

Project management workflow templates

Starting with a blank slate can slow you down, especially when you’re managing multiple projects or coordinating across departments. That’s why project management workflow templates are so useful. They give your team a reliable starting point, based on proven structures that can be tailored to fit your exact needs.

With Wrike, there’s no need to create a project management workflow from scratch. Our automated workflows are completely customizable, so you can build a workflow that helps your unique team complete their tasks and activities in the way that works best for them.

Wrike Team, Business, Pinnacle, and Apex pricing plans include specially designed, ready-to-use templates to quickly set up new workspaces. Depending on the use case, each template includes projects, sample tasks, dashboards, reports, prebuilt request forms, and more. 

1. Sprint planning workflow template

Clearing your sprint backlog needs accountability, clearly defined priorities, and effortless time tracking. Wrike’s sprint planning template creates a new workflow map to monitor your progress and a folder dedicated to the sprint’s tasks.

As well as making it easy to prioritize and assign tasks during this highly focused project phase, Wrike makes sprints more effective by creating custom reports to use during a sprint retrospective. 

For example, you could quickly generate a report on the number of amendments requested or the number of people whose workloads exceeded their capacity, and use this data during the retrospective to review the project and optimize your approach. 

2. Creative asset production workflow template

Design teams might see requests for dozens of assets, in multiple formats, each with a different deadline and contact person. 

Wrike’s creative asset production template includes preset, color-coded task statuses to distinguish each asset as it moves through the workflow. It also includes a request form designed to clarify communication around design and production.

When you use this template as a starting point, you can:

• Create automated request forms to act as design briefs for your team
• Visualize multiple deadlines and content calendars in a Gantt chart
• Organize assets and track versions in folders
• Use Wrike’s proofing and approval functionality to finalize assets, including easy sharing and communication with external stakeholders

This template helps creative teams cut down on repetitive handoffs and manual approvals — it’s all streamlined in one place. From the first design brief to final sign-off, you maintain flow and avoid chasing random emails or Slack messages.

3. Product launch plan workflow template

Product launches have several moving parts that need multiple teams to align. Wrike’s product launch template is ideal for breaking these milestone moments into actionable tasks and planning the workflows for each phase in detail.