AtTask adds social tools to work management system

Software firm AtTask has updated its work management product with new features designed to meet the growing demand for social collaboration tools to improve worker productivity.

AtTask 15 has two new key elements, TeamHome and Stream, that allow workers to use social collaboration tools to communicate and plan schedules, the firm said.

TeamHome allows other employees, including managers, to see colleagues' workloads and assess whether tasks will be completed on time or need reassigning, and provides the ability to share information on the task's progress.

Trevor Ward, AtTask's general manager for Europe, told V3.co.uk that the improvements recognise that employee workloads are often affected by unexpected events or demands.

"There are often a lot of unstructured tasks that employees get alongside their more top-down implement tasks, so using the TeamHome tool they can add these tasks to their workflow and let others know what they are working on," he explained.

"We've been in beta testing with this function since October, and expect to see it become a very popular addition as the use of social collaboration tools becomes more prevalent."

The Stream function, meanwhile, gives employees a better understanding of the task's progress by showing the work already achieved as well as the project's members and other key details.

"With Stream we can add a lot more contextual information on the flow of a project so users can see the work that has been done in the past, and any issues that have arisen, as well as who is working on the overall project," Ward said.

AtTask 15 is offered on a software-as-a-service model, and is available as iPhone and BlackBerry apps. An Android version is one the way, the firm said.

The software can also be installed on-premise on certain occasions, most usually for government organisations where keeping data stored on location is often a requirement.

AtTask 15 will be officially launched on 8 February, and is a free upgrade for existing customers. Prices for new customers depend on the size of the organisation.