When I first heard about the Hive workspace, I just kept thinking, “Does the world need another digital project management platform?” Sure, others I have used in the past have proved to be lacking. But system updates, new phases and rollouts have helped to squash some of the user issues from years ago. In my mind, project management systems are a straightforward means to an end and aren’t necessarily supposed to be overtly user-friendly.
But I was so, so wrong.
What Makes Hive Different?
Flexible project views are the bread and butter of this incredibly user-friendly concept. Instead of being relegated to viewing the workflow in a simple Excel spreadsheet – or in a Gantt chart, if that’s what your boss is into – each worker can toggle between six different ways to view or experience their work. Where someone may have experienced heightened stress by trying to analyze a particular kind of chart when their brain doesn’t exactly work that way, this app brings ease and comfort into the working consciousness.
Hive boasts over 1,000 app integrations across various needs. The technology centralizes team communication and encourages collaboration. Through collaboration, skills such as communication, self-management, time management, leadership, and high-level thinking are improved.
Another benefit of this particular platform is the ease with which you can look at minutiae in a project, and then immediately zoom out to view everything at a higher level. Having this information readily available across teams helps to improve company transparency, which can build trust among coworkers.
Who Uses Hive?
It is reported that major companies like Google, Comcast, Toyota and Starbucks use Hive to set efficiency in their day-to-day and keep tasks rolling at a manageable clip. Many of these teams moved to remote or hybrid work during the pandemic, so having a system setup like this helps everyone to keep tabs on taskwork, deadlines, and processes.
In fact, the concept design studio at Starbucks moved over to Hive when their existing system didn’t prove to be scalable. Excel, Dropbox, Outlook, chats, emails, etc. We have all been there. Their assets and ideas were spread out across varying systems and existed within different naming conventions and proved to be more difficult to handle than capable of streamlining anything.
And that’s how it should be at the beginning. Clunky enough to shift to new ways of working and learn from your mistakes. But with a company as big as Starbucks? Speed and attention to detail are highly necessary for expansion and sustainable distribution. Plus, a widely-acclaimed design team that is known for its beautiful work wants to keep their work gathered in a beautiful space. For them to have latched onto the Hive workspace and created a newfound cross-team efficiency with it is a testament to its expanded functionality.
Why Do I Love Hive?
I never got into reddit. The concept is endlessly endearing. A community that presents compelling information to and for each other, shares experiences and hinges on social curation? Count me in! But have you seen the design? It hurts my eyes a bit, even with all of the updates to make it as clean and user-friendly as possible. So, my brain all but rejects the site for the most part.
But not Hive. She is beautiful. The team has done what they can to keep the design simplified, the app free of clutter and customizable in an array of ways that make it feel more like a safe haven than an onslaught.
1. I can keep track of messy ideas.
Ideators, rejoice! Whether you just had a juicy brainstorming session with a client, or you are charged with all of the creative ideation, you can keep to-do lists and notes within the platform. If you are working with a team, you can choose to share your notes or keep them to yourself. Either way, you can then go back and refer to them for a said client, or build upon them for another upcoming project.
As someone who is otherwise guilty of scattering sticky notes across every viable surface in my home, this capability has been a godsend. Even if you are more on the forgetful side or worry that you might not have it all together, Hive is here for you.
2. I manage my freelance work with it.
As a freelancer, there are so many benefits to having a task management system. Yes, I was using an Excel spreadsheet myself to track all of the publications I write for, assignments, due dates, and various pitches I had to send down the pipeline. Now, I can keep all of that information in one place, along with my Dropbox folder with assets, client and potential client calls and notes, and other information. It has been my favorite solo-use platform so far, and I have been trying to work on organizational solutions for over a decade.
3. I plan my social life, too.
I have always been a planner. I keep a paper planner with daily views and 2-page calendar views, so I can ensure I never miss a beat. But I actually now have a calendar set up within my Hive workspace as well, completely dedicated to my personal life. Saturday errand lists that I can work through to feel accomplished. At-home DIY projects are outlined in bite-sized chunks. Vet visits, passport renewals, and watering schedules.
Some of my personal items happen to become networking events or chats, and the information gleaned from those experiences is recorded in my personal items. I can then transfer it seamlessly to a future project or open task flow.
Just as you can plan a work event with your team in Hive, you can work collaboratively (or on your own) to prepare for that upcoming family birthday party, your friend’s bachelorette, or any other fun event that is on the horizon. In my humble opinion (IMHO), it is invigorating to pop into personal projects for a few moments a day on a platform that is so heavily made up of work, work, work. It makes the space feel more inviting and stress-free.