My team has begun using asana. We are using the Goals page for workstream leads to provide bi-weekly status updates for their respective stream.
Once they have updated the status of a goal, they can edit, but they cannot add extra text fields, or change the status from the drop-down list. To do so, they need to create an entirely new status update, creating a logjam of non-useful status updates.
Moreover, once a status update is created, only the person who created the update can edit. Despite there being multiple people with access to that Goal, with editing rights, we cannot edit one another’s status update.
Example: Teammate A creates a status update for workstream. Teammate B who is also responsible for this goal, wants to make an addition. They cannot edit the status update at all, instead, having to create their own status update.
This is a problem, and creates gross inefficiencies and should be rectified. Reporting should be customizable and easy, but the setup with the editing rights for the Asana Goals page makes it more difficult than it should be.
I believe the same applies for project status updates too!
Whilst I agree that fields should be editable after having posted, I don’t think that allowing others to edit your post is a good idea.
It would be the same as someone being able to edit your email after you have sent it. Doesn’t make sense to me. Curious to hear the reasons/ use cases.
Having all fields be editable after posting (at the very least for the poster) should be possible. Freezing certain fields seems like a pitfall - edits and revisions happen, we are all human and sometimes we make minor mistakes and need to make adjustments! The creator of the status update should be able to edit all information in the status update.
The rationale for allowing others to update the status update created by another team member are as follows.
Teammate A creates the status update.
Teammate B’s input is required to populate one of the text fields.
Teammate B cannot contribute directly, instead they have to go through Teammate A and suggest they make the edits.
There is of course some trade-off here…
By not allowing collaborative status updates, we are protecting the security of the update. It is frozen in time, and is true to the creator’s input. However, by not allowing collaborative status updates, we create extra steps in the updating process. Instead of Teammate B contributing directly in Asana, they write an email, send to Teammate A, Teammate A makes the edits in Asana. That is two extra steps, and time lost spent reporting.
In our current capacity, we are all about streamlining, and having a smooth user experience as we begin using the Asana platform. Small hiccups like the above, that create inefficiencies instead of solving them, create initial frustrations amongst team members as they learn the platform.
That is my perspective on allowing collaborative status updates, hope that clarifies the desire.
However, I believe that status updates in Asana were designed with accountability in mind; similarly to how there is one assignee per task, there is also one goal (or project) owner that is responsible for their status updates.
In your case, if there is more to add to a status update, by other people, I would definitely avoid using email and instead add a comment within the status update’s thread, @mentioning the person who posted, to edit their update according.
This is just friendly advice, as you ease into the platform, to have an open mind about embracing and adapting to how it is intended to be used rather than what you would like it to do, in an ideal world
