Introduction to using Trello

Trello is a project management tool. They describe themselves as “a list of lists”, in which “you drag cards to other lists to show progression.”

How do we use it?

We use it to manage a number of areas of our business:

• Writer content calendars
• Content ideas and planning
• Our editorial schedule
• And publication schedule

How does it work?

There are four levels of organisation in Trello:

Organisations

We have two at the moment: ‘MyFrenchLife.org – Internal Content’ (for internal processes and planning, and where we post ideas or topics that are up for grabs) and ‘MyFrenchLife.org – Writing team’ (where our writers’ content calendars are stored and planned).

Boards

Within organisations, there are a number of boards. Think of these as different pinboards on one wall. (Another organisation is another wall or room of pinboards.)

Lists, then cards

Within a board, individual cards pertaining to one topic are separated into lists. So the list forms a category for the cards within. For example, we use lists to mark different sections of our editorial process: there’s one list for articles that have just been submitted, and once they’re sub-edited they’re moved to a different list. Eventually, they make it to the ‘published’ list!

Calendar function

Trello also has a function that allows you to view a board as a calendar. Turn this on in the sidebar to the right: click menu > power ups > Calendar > Enable. You should see a small ‘Calendar’ link appear in the top right corner. Use this to switch between list and calendar view.

Some other functions…

Trello also has a few other neat functions you should know about:

• Cards can be commented on – so we can chat about the angle, focus, keywords and links for each article on the same card.
• You can also attach files to cards – this is great for submitting drafts! You can link Trello to Dropbox, or just upload files from your computer.
• Due dates can also be set for cards – this is how we’ll set submission dates.
• If you’d like to notify a particular person about the discussion you’re having, or a new card you’ve just made, the ‘members’ function will allow you to add them to the card.

When will I use it?

If you’re going to be learning about our internal editorial processes, you’ll learn about how the ‘boards’ in the MyFrenchLife.org organisation are used when you start allocating and managing our editorial and publication schedule.

If you’re a Content Crafter or Editorial Superstar, you’ll be operating in a few main ‘boards’ (these are sub-sections of this organisation):

• Content ideas – here, we’ll list prospective content ideas and allocate these to writers.
• Your own project planning board – here, all your articles and projects will be inserted, talked about and given due dates. You can also pitch ideas by using the ‘Ideas/pitches’ list and tagging our internal editorial team to make them aware of this.
• We may also invite you to look at our ‘Editorial schedule’ or ‘Allocations’ boards if necessary.

This might seem complicated, but once you start using it you’ll find it makes more sense!

If you’d like to learn more about Trello and how it works, they have a number of great guides on their blog:

• The Trello tour will give you a nice overview of what it is and how it works – at a basic level.
• Up the anty with their ‘How to use Trello like a pro’ series, for shortcuts, secret functions and more!

Continue to ‘How to create and use a card in Trello’ >>