TaskMaster: Project Management Platform
Building a comprehensive project management solution for remote teams with kanban boards, gantt charts, time tracking, and real-time collaboration capabilities.
The Challenge
Optimistic UI Updates
Users expect immediate feedback when dragging tasks or making changes, but network latency can cause delays and inconsistencies.
Gantt Chart Performance
Rendering large projects (500+ tasks) in gantt chart view caused browser freezing and poor user experience.
Real-time Sync Conflicts
Multiple users editing the same task simultaneously could overwrite each other's changes.
Offline Functionality
Users needed to work on tasks even without internet connectivity and sync changes when back online.
Core Features
Multiple Project Views
Switch between kanban boards, list view, and gantt chart timeline. Each view is optimized for different workflows and team preferences.
Task Management
Create tasks with descriptions, assignments, due dates, priorities, labels, and custom fields. Support for subtasks and task dependencies.
Time Tracking
Built-in time tracking with start/stop timers, manual time entry, and detailed time reports. Track billable vs non-billable hours.
Real-time Collaboration
See who's viewing what in real-time. Instant updates when tasks are moved, edited, or commented on. Live presence indicators.
Advanced Filtering
Filter tasks by assignee, label, priority, status, and due date. Save custom filters for quick access. Full-text search across all tasks.
Team Workload View
Visualize team capacity and workload distribution. Identify overallocation and balance work across the team effectively.
Technical Architecture
Technology Stack
Implementation Process
System Architecture & Database Design
Designed the entire backend API architecture, created MongoDB schemas for projects, tasks, and users. Set up authentication and authorization flows.
Kanban Board Interface
Built drag-and-drop kanban board using React DnD. Implemented optimistic updates with React Query for instant feedback on user actions.
Real-time Features Integration
Integrated Socket.io for real-time updates. Implemented field-level change tracking to prevent conflicts when multiple users edit the same task.
Gantt Chart & Timeline View
Built custom gantt chart with virtualized rendering using react-window. Optimized for smooth 60fps scrolling even with 1000+ tasks.
PWA & Offline Support
Implemented comprehensive PWA with service worker caching. Built IndexedDB queuing system for offline changes with automatic sync on reconnection.
Results & Impact
Productivity Gains
Teams reported 30% faster task completion rates. Project visibility improved coordination and reduced time spent in status meetings by 40%.
User Adoption
Rolled out to entire organization (300+ users) within 2 months. Became the primary tool for all project management, replacing Jira and Asana.
Technical Success
99.8% uptime since launch. Handles 1000+ concurrent users without performance degradation. PWA works seamlessly offline with automatic sync.
User Feedback
"TaskMaster has become indispensable for our distributed team. The kanban boards are intuitive, and the real-time updates mean everyone stays in sync." - Michael Rodriguez, Engineering Manager