What Is a Hammock Task in Project Management?

  • What Is a Hammock Task?
  • Why Use a Hammock Task?
  • Tips for Using Hammock Tasks
  • Project Widgets’ Hammock Task Widget
  • Conclusion

What Is a Hammock Task?

A hammock task is a type of to-do list item that can be accomplished in a short period of time. This type of task is often low priority and used to break up larger projects into smaller, more manageable chunks.

Hammock tasks are a great way to get things done quickly and efficiently. By “chunking” a project, you can better focus on each individual step and avoid getting overwhelmed. Additionally, completing the smaller tasks can give you a sense of accomplishment and keep you motivated to finish the rest of the project. It’s also a great way to keep projects on track — both in terms of time and budget.

Some confuse the difference between a hammock task and an ongoing task? The latter is something you have to do on a regular basis; real-life examples include paying the bills, taking out the trash, cleaning house, etc. Hammocks, on the other hand, are short-term activities that you need to accomplish in order to reach your long-term goals; examples might be studying for an exam, learning a new language, writing a report, etc.

Why Use a Hammock Task?

In any project, it’s important to have a clear sense of all the tasks that need to be completed. This can be difficult to achieve when using traditional project management tools like the default Microsoft Project. Therefore, the hammock task view is a great way to manage the various components of your goals and objectives.

One of its best features is that it gives you a clear overview of all the tasks in your project, allowing you to see what needs to be done and when it needs to be done by. Having this information can help you better plan your project and ensure that it is completed on time.

Furthermore, it helps you spot potential problems early on. The mere process of creating hammock tasks forces you to identify a clear path to your goals and any obstacles in your way. By recognizing these issues early on, you can avoid them before they cause major problems.

Hammock tasks also reveal what other tasks are dependent on each other. This enables you to properly plan your project and guarantee that all of the tasks are completed in the correct order, which will save you time in the long run and help you avoid mistakes.

Tips for Using Hammock Tasks

When creating a new project, add a hammock as the very first task. This will help you better define the scope of your project and ensure that all subsequent tasks are properly aligned. Additionally, use the “Notes” field to add helpful details, allowing you to capture things like a list of potential clients, a description of the deliverables, or anything else that might be important but difficult to fit into the other fields. The “Priority” field, moreover, is used to indicate whether a task is a high priority or not. A priority of “1” indicates that this task will be completed very soon and should receive the highest level of attention.

 

Use hammocks to group together related tasks; it will often make it easier to track progress and identify any potential risks or issues. By grouping together related tasks, you can more easily see which ones are dependent on each other and establish a clearer workflow. Additionally, this can help you spot potential risks or issues that might impact the completion of your project.

 

Don’t ignore the description field! It is here that you should enter a detailed illustration of the task. Remember to provide as much detail as possible, including what needs to be done, who will do it, when it will take place, and any other pertinent information.

 

Use extra hammocks as needed. If you find that your project is getting too complex, adding an additional hammock task can help simplify things. You can also use this to break down a large task into multiple workable parts.

 

Hammocks are the main component of your project, and they are where all of your tasks will be organized. Each hammock is broken down into several smaller tasks, or “threads”. Threads are the smallest unit of a task. They are used to break down tasks into manageable pieces and to show how the tasks relate to each other. Threads should not be created unless there is a clear beginning and end for the work being described. A good rule of thumb is to use threads only if the task takes longer than one day. For tasks that take less time, use subtasks

Project Widgets' Hammock Task Widget

In Microsoft Project, there is no straightforward way to get a hammock task’s duration to automatically adjust as the phase or project’s duration changes … until now.

With a single click, Project Widgets’ Hammock Task Widget automatically calculates a hammock task’s start date, finish date, and duration for you!

Every time you click our Calculate Hammock Tasks button, the duration for each hammock task in your project is automatically calculated and each hammock task in your project will be displayed with a green Gantt bar.

Project Widgets is constantly pushing the limits of Microsoft Project, making your life easier!

Request your FREE download here: Project Widgets Hammock Task Widget.

Conclusion

Creating a hammock task in Microsoft Project is a simple process that can be completed in just a few steps. By following the instructions in this article, you can easily create a hammock task that will help you complete your project on time and within budget.