http://www.techradar.com/pro/linux March 2020 LXF260 69Project management TUTORIALS
ORG-MODE PROJECT MANAGEMENT COMMANDS
(^3) It will generate a report containing charts for both the
projects schedule (this is your Gantt chart) and your
resource allocation in a folder called Reports.
Note that TaskJuggler’s main functionality is in the
second step, meaning that it’s better suited to projects
where you’ll let it handle decisions like start and end
dates based on the effort estimates you provide. It can
even manage your team’s workload by including
information on your resource capacity (in Org-Mode
format, of course). To learn more about this, the Worg
site has a great tutorial on the subject, visit http://bit.
ly/LXF60worg.
If TaskJuggler doesn’t seem like it’ll fit your needs,
there are a couple of other ways you can plan in Org-
Mode and collaborate with others:
The org-gantt (https://github.com/swillner/org-
gantt) package is similar to TaskJuggler but standalone
in the sense it doesn’t require an external program.
Using org-trello (https://org-trello.github.io) will
enable you to fetch and update the Trello cards the rest
of your team uses.
For development activities, org-jira (https://github.
com/ahungry/org-jira) synchronises with the popular
Atlassian product.
The org-todoist package (https://github.com/
ttakamura/org-todoist) will likewise sync with this
popular online task management tool.
Advanced project management
In this article we’ve described how you can take your
project’s plan from a high level (e.g. just a collection of
major steps) to something detailed that you can
conquer one piece at a time. But how would you actually
use it in practice? Consider the following:
(^1) You’re leading an open source team implementing a
new feature. With your team, you decide to break it
down into several components, then discuss the steps
you’ll need to develop each one.
(^2) You start by creating a plan in Org-Mode outlining
these phases, their tasks and sub-tasks. You then also
add assignees.
(^3) Using TaskJuggler, you can export the project
schedule. Everyone can see the overall plan, and each
team member actually gets their own personalised one
in the Resource Allocation chart.
(^4) Periodically (perhaps every day, or every week) you
check in with the team and record the progress made
on their tasks.
(^5) You adjust the Org-Mode plan with this data, using
Column View to jump around easily and update fields.
(^6) Once you have all the updates, you re-publish the
project schedule and everyone gets back to work.
Hopefully, you’re not under the directive of corporate
overlords to use some proprietary, cloud-based system,
because Org-Mode is entirely capable of keeping you
(and a team, if you have one) on track to meet and
achieve your goals.
You can execute the commands in the below chart using either the ‘magic keystroke’ M-x and their name, or
using the shortcut provided. Remember, C- means Control plus, M- means Meta, or Alt, plus, and S- means
Shift plus. For shortcuts with multiple parts, they should be entered immediately after each other.
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The Resource Allocation graph serves as sort of a personalised schedule for each member of
your team.
Command Keyboard Shortcut Description
org-todo S-left / S-right / C-c C-t Cycle a task through its statuses
org-set-property M-return, P (and Properties drawer if needed)Creates a new property^
org-clock-in C-c C-x C-i Starts the clock for the current task
org-clock-out C-c C-x C-o Stops the clock for the current task and creates a Logbook entry
org-clock-report M-x org-clock-report Inserts a summary for the current task/dynamic block/ containing a^
org-dblock-update C-c C-c Updates the dynamic block when the cursor is inside
org-columns C-c C-x C-cSwitches the Org file to Column View (q to switch back)
org-schedule C-c C-s Sets the SCHEDULED special property for a task
org-deadline C-c C-d Sets the DEADLINE special property for a task
org-taskjuggler-export-
process-and-open
M-x org-taskjuggler-export-
process-and-open
Converts the Org file to TaskJuggler and
generates reports
666March 202 McTkin Tig“You March 2020 LXF260 69
Project management TUTORIALS
ORG-MODEPROJECTMANAGEMENTCOMMANDS
(^3) Itwillgenerateareportcontainingchartsforboththe
projectsschedule(thisisyourGanttchart)andyour
resourceallocationinafoldercalledReports.
NotethatTaskJuggler’smainfunctionalityisinthe
secondstep,meaningthatit’sbettersuitedtoprojects
whereyou’llletithandledecisionslikestartandend
datesbasedontheeffortestimatesyouprovide.Itcan
evenmanageyourteam’sworkloadbyincluding
informationonyourresourcecapacity(inOrg-Mode
format,ofcourse).Tolearnmoreaboutthis,theWorg
sitehasagreattutorialonthesubject,visithttp://bit.
ly/LXF60worg.
IfTaskJugglerdoesn’tseemlikeit’llfityourneeds,
thereareacoupleofotherwaysyoucanplaninOrg-
Modeandcollaboratewithothers:
Theorg-gantt(https://github.com/swillner/org-
gantt)packageissimilartoTaskJugglerbutstandalone
inthesenseitdoesn’trequireanexternalprogram.
Usingorg-trello(https://org-trello.github.io)will
enableyoutofetchandupdatetheTrellocardstherest
ofyourteamuses.
Fordevelopmentactivities,org-jira(https://github.
com/ahungry/org-jira)synchroniseswiththepopular
Atlassianproduct.
Theorg-todoistpackage(https://github.com/
ttakamura/org-todoist)willlikewisesyncwiththis
popularonlinetaskmanagementtool.
Advancedprojectmanagement
Inthisarticlewe’vedescribedhowyoucantakeyour
project’splanfromahighlevel(e.g.justacollectionof
majorsteps)tosomethingdetailedthatyoucan
conqueronepieceatatime.Buthowwouldyouactually
useitinpractice?Considerthefollowing:
(^1) You’re leading an open source team implementing a
new feature. With your team, you decide to break it
downintoseveralcomponents,thendiscussthesteps
you’llneedtodevelopeachone.
(^2) You start by creating a plan in Org-Mode outlining
thesephases,theirtasksandsub-tasks.Youthenalso
addassignees.
(^3) Using TaskJuggler, you can export the project
schedule. Everyone can see the overall plan, and each
teammemberactuallygetstheirownpersonalisedone
intheResourceAllocationchart.
(^4) Periodically (perhaps every day, or every week) you
checkinwiththeteamandrecordtheprogressmade
ontheirtasks.
(^5) YouadjusttheOrg-Modeplanwiththisdata,using
ColumnViewtojumparoundeasilyandupdatefields.
(^6) Once you have all the updates, you re-publish the
project schedule and everyone gets back to work.
Hopefully, you’re not under the directive of corporate
overlords to use some proprietary, cloud-based system,
because Org-Mode is entirely capable of keeping you
(and a team, if you have one) on track to meet and
achieve your goals.
You can execute the commands in the below chart using either the ‘magic keystroke’ M-x and their name, or
using the shortcut provided. Remember, C- means Control plus, M- means Meta, or Alt, plus, and S- means
Shiftplus.Forshortcutswithmultipleparts,theyshouldbeenteredimmediatelyaftereachother.
PLAN TO GET US EACH MONTH... Subscribe now at http://bit.ly/LinuxFormat
The Resource Allocation graph serves as sort of a personalised schedule for each member of
your team.
Command Keyboard Shortcut Description
org-todo S-left / S-right / C-c C-t Cycle a task through its statuses
org-set-property M-return, P (and Properties drawer if needed)Creates a new property^
org-clock-in C-c C-x C-i Starts the clock for the current task
org-clock-out C-c C-x C-o Stops the clock for the current task and creates a Logbook entry
org-clock-report M-x org-clock-report Inserts a summary for the current task/dynamic block/ containing a^
org-dblock-update C-c C-c Updates the dynamic block when the cursor is inside
org-columns C-c C-x C-cSwitches the Org file to Column View (q to switch back)
org-schedule C-c C-s Sets the SCHEDULED special property for a task
org-deadline C-c C-d Sets the DEADLINE special property for a task
org-taskjuggler-export-
process-and-open
M-x org-taskjuggler-export-
process-and-open
Converts the Org file to TaskJuggler and
generates reports