But the middle level was a strange and incomprehensible approach for me. Ask Question Asked 11 months ago. At the very top level, the logical components of the application were taken out: home screen, user profile, bank products, onboarding system, chat system and so on. The main thing should be clear — you create a directory system not for a system itself. Depending on individual project’s specifics we used different combinations of middle and bottom level. Channels within a team should be thought of as topics or workstreams to aid the team in organizing their work to deliver on their joint objectives. FOLDER STRUCTURE BEST PRACTICES IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT when we do a project, achieve your project files is very important, then we would like to know that: how could we organize this? Am export is usually a final stage of design processes so additional export folders may annoy. Usually, one designer worked on the project at the same time. It includes the top level of your projects folder, proposals and any other business-related folders such as Finance – Acc… Sometimes these designers are freelancers. P.S. Your structure should not be too deep nor too shallow. Calm the File Frenzy: 7 Best Practices of File Management and Archiving. In such a massive company, a strict catalog system is vitally required. A client may have only one project, or sometimes there are several clients for the one project simultaneously. As a project maintainer, whether you started it yourself or you’ve adopted it from someone else, it’s your job to know the contents of your own repository. Depending on the size of the project, this could mean 3-4 levels, but it could be more or less for small or very large projects. And after I share two live examples. It makes me piss off, when even in everyday life the names of files or folders are shifts in a tableview because of such prefixes. This is a common folder structure for larger, enterprise accounts, or where Box is replacing another content management system. 7 min read. I saw practices wherein the top level is arranged via form-factors. At the bottom level, there were folders based on a kind of work process: DESIGN, SHOWCASE, ANIMATION, inVISION, EXPORT, etc. It enforces consistency. Then when you need it, you can copy it in Finder on macOS or File Explorer on Windows and paste it … Finding your information is going to be difficult or impossible if your folder names aren’t logical. Moreover, it looks easy to think out something useful. Depending on the size of the project, this could mean 3-4 levels, but it could be more or less for small or very large projects. Best practices for creating folder structure of a file server? The task of cataloging is to make it easy for any employee to understand where everything stored. Neither you work for a company or yourself, build a system at the very beginning of your way. Anyway, both methods work very well. Key project activities begin with planning and end with assessment, which in turn helps with planning next steps and future iterations. For such projects we used the system #2. For product companies holding an in-house design team, this is the name of the individual parts of their digital products. Usually, it is enough to draw key screens only for one or two form-factors. For the project to be completed entirely, it is necessary: For the export issue, I’ve discovered out two popular and useful ways. Is work just on the web? Do not use cryptic codes that only YOU understand. For example, in inVision or Marvel. The difference between them is that in one case middle level is the same as the bottom level in another one. Within that container, one or more projects may be defined. For example, in .mov format. I admit that sometimes it makes sense. Folder structure best practices in project management ... We have seen many PMOs developing a insurance policy for document management that among other things gives a recommended means for project folders. Initially, when the functionality of the application was much smaller (accordingly, there were much fewer teams and designers), the most straightforward cataloging system was used. The designer switches from one project to another. Google Disk has big integration to other google services and may be more useful if you or your company utilize these services already. When you have to work on a new project, copy-and-paste this template folder to the top level and rename it. I witnessed those who decided to use a very ill-conceived system even when they know how to do it correctly. The main feature of working in an agency is to find new clients. It also allows separate accesses for security issues. If they are familiar with a common structure, it is easier to file new things, and find old things. The separation at the middle level was based on “tasks.”. Blazor Project structure / best practices. 10. The current folder structure is very PMP centric as it was intended to align with standard phases of a project. Go from a general, high-level folder (starting with a single folder for the project, using its name or acronym) to more specific lower-level folders. After all, one part of the same screen could be actual in one task directory (“change the upper part of the operation status screen”), and another part is stored in an inconspicuous task like “change the displays of the main bottom button”. But if a company does not use such a service — you need a whole catalog system of exported assets of its own. My company is moving from a legacy codebase to a more modern platform and we are moving to Blazor. For agencies and freelancers, this is the projects themselves. Some freelancers and agencies also separate projects by client names. My laptop is barely over a year old and already I’ve accumulated thousands of files. Such system (System #1, the pic above) is useful if: All because we are mainly used the same resources. Don’t float folders. And it cost them several months to re-group and synchronize everything when it all gone too far. Of course, do not immediately divide the top level by years, if you just started your work way. It was necessary in the shortest time to provide the potential client with a spectacular result — to show him the presentation, to show the best screens, to lure him by animations. I will describe them in the Bottom Level chapter. Since every project has it’s unique brand, we used an individual set of fonts, stock photos, and graphics for each. Best practice: Create teams with a larger set of members and more channels. The constant introduction of new employees, the need to use freelancers, the iOS, and Android out of sync releases, the reuse of the functionality of the other team, the need to roll back the versions… we’ve faced literally all the extreme situations that a well-thought-out hierarchy in a catalog can help. Because of this, middle- and bottom levels in each form-factor become more and more unfamiliar to each other over time. No … Delete iOS and Android. Project files should be aligned with the topics contained in the Project Management Plan/Charter or the Owner’s Project Plan. Such a system allows working safely with freelancers on the top level. Once you have decided what catalog system you should use, create a template project folder. Someone needs to take a design of another function as a base. Planning establishes a strong foundation for a projectand recurs throughout the project. Do not be a hostage to your own system.In the previous paragraph, I propose to have a universal template folder. Similar functionality. Within the framework of the business, each service of the bank was a separate product. Projects are archived and being raised, months later. A weekly, ad-free newsletter that helps designers stay in the know, be productive, and think more critically about their work. The second-has a main “EXPORT” folder that has its subfolders the same as bottom level. Create a relevant organizational structure for your document folders/directories. The first is partly the “neat and tidy” answer but it also has to do with reducing the learning for people who move between projects. Up until then, my email management system involved having a folder for each project. Requirements Management Plan (PMBOK 5.1.3.2). Since there are various experience about how to utilize these levels, I want to show two live examples. Another approach, very suitable if your office is already fairly well organized, is to take one of your existing projects and duplicate the job folder, then remove all the actual files while leaving the folder structure intact. Minimize the number of teams that require a person's participation. In what name, what level, what structure, so that we could make things/files clear and organized. I ended up continuously adding new features with no real structure in place. On average, the work was carried out over three projects at a time. Present the project to the client or product owner — that is, prepare a beautiful presentation with promo-pictures, texts, descriptions, etc. No animations? If your folder structure is complex due to the scope of the project, you should include some kind of documentation (probably a readme.txt) at the root of your folders to explain how they work. This way a designer gets access only to resources and intellectual property you want to share and nothing more. If your system implies a separation by form-factors at the middle level, and the project provides only the iOS app, then, of course, this project does not need an additional step. In it, place all the subfolders in your cataloging system. But I faced many people who decided not to make a system at the first stages of work processes (startups or novice/junior designers usually). It may be a simple screen or a system of functionality. Make it mean something to everyone else. In the future, when projects become frequent, their number grows, and the projects themselves grow, this leads to bad consequences — from the pure waste of time in a vain effort to find something to a colossal design department’s performance dropdown. Many designers like to keep archive and resource folders visually above others. Once you have decided what catalog system you should use, create a template project folder. Also, there is always a directory named “RESOURCES”. And vice-versa. So it is all up to you-sometimes such system really may help as an additional filter at the top level. Usually, .pdf or simple .png. They usually requires only one form-actor (today iOS apps are most required by start-ups). As part of your preservation strategy, it can also be useful to define temporary "temp" folders from which data can be safely deleted after usage. Go from a general, high-level folder (starting with a single folder for the project, using its name or acronym) to more specific lower-level folders. Typical topics include scope/project plan, project changes, division of work, contract (s), overall schedule and milestones, budget and expenses, estimate and task breakdown, project invoices, monthly project reports, procurement and materials, public affairs/presentations, risks, quality control and quality … High Level Example Below. The WBS is the breakdown of the project into components for the purpose of identifying the scope. You know your folders will be named the same way every time, which means it is more likely that you will save things in the right place, and it makes it much easier to quickly find things with search. If the task was to develop a new functional, then all is well — a folder with the name of the new function appears. Most of the tasks here naturally sound like “change the input forms of the money amount” or “change the top part of the operation status screen.” As a result, many middle level directories appear. At a minimum, at least one project must be created in order to use the system.Both Azure DevOps Services and Azure DevOps Server are enterprise-ready platforms that support teams of any size, from tens … Of course yes! Inside you will already wait for all the necessary subfolders. Each contains respective files: origins of layouts, animations, and presentations; exported .pngs for inVision or presentations and so on. I prefer this one because it keeps fewer folders in each directory. Fonts and pics within the one project were re-used in the web, iOS, and Android. There is an evil problem with all digital products design processes. Active 1 month ago. This one consists of subfolders like “FONTS”, “PICS”, “AUDIO”, “ICONS”, etc. For us to get this functionality, we need to avoid folder norms, and create a better structure. But we are talking about a product company. Many projects have a separate start for each form-factor. At last, you need all these beauty UI UX pictures literally work. Of course, there are possible variations for the middle level. In it, place all the subfolders in your cataloging system. Prices are some equal (subscription type payment). From a project folder you dig right into processes (middle level), while each process contains a form-factor separation or, more often, nothing. While there might be a primary need to organize project folders by process group or phase, this is often problematic numerous project documents span multiple processes or phases. Every company, design team or a designer itself sooner or later faces a challenge when it is impossible to quickly find an old-version source layout, understand a file’s relevance or find project-related resources. That has nothing to do with Agile. Think what could await you in the future of your project(s) and how to be ready for that. Also, it is much easier to work with files in such system when a feature exists yet only in one form-factor: app’s parts (top level) are the same for all platforms while functions of these parts (middle level) have desynch in production status. We used this system, while each project was located at the top level. This advice is of little use to the product design, if the company is working on its product. Same for “ANIMATION”. Thanks to the universe we have Zeplin! How do you scale your DevOps and Agile tools to support your growing enterprise?When you connect to Azure DevOps, you connect to an organization or project collection. I find out those people who keep their folders organized usually utilize the same way. 3. You may give restricted access to the specific folder (project or feature) to a freelance designer. Project Folder Structure Accessibility Delicious animations were prototyped to make an empathy impact on a client, so we limited ourselves to animations on one of the mobile platforms. Project Folder Structure Accessibility It seems like a simple rule — to have a smart folder system. Bottom level namingFor the convenience of displaying folders, name them, starting with the sequence number. My practice has shown that the best way to organize the catalog at the top level is to use projects names or features names. This is arguably Rule Zero for a secure Git repository. The final stage of any system. Such division in all levels helped us manage access for freelancers, increase the speed of navigation for both newcomers and experienced employees. New employees come. Such system is effective if: The work in the largest bank in Russia, counting 90% of the country’s population as it’s customers, is a sort of something unique. Use the project management triangle to help define scope. If you are not familiar with cloud systems, I highly recommend to use Google Disk or Dropbox. But after several months, when the project grows, faced the same problems as I mentioned above. Folder names should always be short and explicit. The top level’s divarication was based on mobile platforms — iOS, Android, WinPhone. Because, technically, there are ways to use described Middle level as the Bottom Level and vice-versa. It was not divided by functions or logical blocks. So far, we have a simple system that conducts us from a project folder to it’s form-factor directories. The only requirement is that your structure is clear and coherent with the project. Such people do their work fast at the first stages of a project’s life. To that end, this article reviews some of the best practices when it comes to adding files to your own repositories. By the end of the year, it was possible to count 3–5 fully completed enterprise projects plus 15–20 proofs-of-concept or smaller projects. Take a look, How learning UX helped me deal with my depression, Nielsen’s 10 usability heuristics illustrated by Revolut’s solutions, Fundamentals of typography in user interface design (UI), How brutalist design is taking over the internet, Different designers works on different form-factors, Each form-factor has it’s very large database of resources, Animations, presentations, prototypes (etc.) Because every function is still a part of the App and should legacies it’s elements and overall style. To understand all pros and cons of such concept let me describe the bottom level. Teams were dozens, and designers even more. First of all, this structure should be agreed to and adopted by all participants. This example from the UK Data Service presents one way your project folders could be structured: You could do it the other way around: research activities could be the second-level folder, in which case they would contain their own data and documentation folders. Faster delete than create from scratch every directory for each new project. Worst of all, I met those who prefer senseless, spontaneous workflow accessible only to their understanding. In either case, feel free to rework the folder structure to suit your needs. The middle level was the components of the catalogs above in top level. I want to highlight the fact that any method may be the best one for a project, depending on the project’s specific. But I witnessed those who used such a system faces more impactive troubles rather than help. Where do we have everything that we have at the exit? When you sort folders by name you are guaranteed to get a single display for all projects, which will significantly simplify the work and add consistency to the system. To create a folder template, just set up your sample folder structure. Users need to understand what files are within even without opening them. However, the same thing can often not be said about the way that we organize and maintain the code and data used in the backend (i.e. Each such product has its target audience, statistics, its approach. One template folder to rule them all! Via step-by-step flow the one could follow from the first folders of a top level to here, to find a file the one needs. Design processes to “DESIGN”, animation to “ANIMATION”, various presentation of the project to “SHOWCASE” and so on. Develop micro-animations to show developers and stakeholders how everything should move. I find such system a bit less beneficial. I faced companies who build a system that was wrong because of their project specification. Best practice for folders is to only use them for security purposes (permissions), so that documents that need to be seen only by authorized users are kept that way. For some projects, 3D or video renders were created. Therefore, over each part or function of the app, a separate team worked. Having experience working in an agency with a bunch of projects, and in a product company with one, but an enterprise-scale mobile app product, I want to share with you approaches to organizing the hierarchy of file storage directories. Implementing project management best practices. Files are stored in the bottom level — the last, most profound by nesting. Viewed 7k times 14. The first one — have an “EXPORT” subfolder for each bottom level directory or have no such folder at all. Inside you will already wait for all the necessary subfolders. From … Project Folder Structure Familiarity. When you’re drafting those names, or assessing existing ones, keep these points in mind: I can imagine how hectic it is in a company network environment that caters to dozens or hundreds of people. Because of these variations from project to project, we used to be agile. When you have to work on a new project, copy-and-paste this template folder to the top level and rename it. A design folder has its own export so you can pick app’s screen from it to use in a showcase. And so on. (using project, team, document type, version, status [draft or final] to form the structure). Same for “SHOWCASE”. https://libguides.graduateinstitute.ch/rdm, Do not use a generic "current stuff" folder, Do not create researcher-specific folders within a project: folders are about the contents, not the authors, Make sure you do not have overlapping categories or folder redundancy (similar folders in different places), Do not create copies of files in different folders; if you need this, use shortcuts to keep a single reference file, The first folder level is the project (ENBIOproject), The second separates the data from the documentation, A further level is used to distinguish between different data types, The final level divides items based on the research activity. Here all files are stored. In the future, if the project builds up by, you can always add to this level. Project Folder Structure Familiarity The first is partly the “neat and tidy” answer but it also has to do with reducing the learning for people who move between projects. Show a simple interactive prototype. Each project we showed to the client in the form of a separate presentation, a user journey map, a clickable prototype (inVision or Marvel). Whatever it was, we transformed the inefficient, outdated system accordingly a harsh reality. To give all these to developers, you have to export all project assets like icons, pics, custom graphic elements and so on. Each of these folders may include more subcategories for better filtering. Let’s say we worked on an iOS project. For some projects, micro-animation was practiced, for others — sounds when the user interacts with the interface. Delete. But each project has its own needs and you will need to find out what works on a case-by-case basis. (bad example: prj12–1spl.doc) Keep names as … Not in the name of the evil bureaucracy. When you’re working on a big project, it’s too easy to create a folder with a 1 or _ in front so that it “floats” to the top of your folder list. … So the catalog system is opened by folders named Android, iOS, Web and so on. A good, structured catalog of projects and relevant resources proofs design-processes and teamwork, speed-ups designer’s work. This way is more logical for most cases: In contrast to the experience in the agency, “RESOURCE” folder was shared between all products as separate folder out of the system. With these project management best practices under your belt, you’re ready to grab projects by the horn and steer them to success. There were exceptions — two or even all five people worked on a project at the same time. So, to separate files from each other is to place them in directories relative to kinds of work. Resist the temptation! This became a real issue in my first ever real-world Angular project — especially when the application grew in size. The bank’s mobile app is used by over 40 000 000 people (total of iOS, Android, WinPhone). And rest designers spend a lot of time to remember where needed files stored in iOS folders and Android folders. File & Folder Naming 10 Best Practices. When working as a group or preparing to share a dataset, using a clear folder structure is absolutely necessary. You undoubtedly will face unpredictable situations. All researchers are familiar with the importance of delivering a paper that is written in a clean an d organized way. We defined two layers at the top level. It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. In such groups, of course, ui/ux designers work too. Also, if each individual project has its own designer, these designers natively start to organize directories in own ways at the bottom level. Both take the equal user’s time to export process or to operate existed files. There is no specific number of channels that should be created. Work Breakdown Structure (PMBOK 5.4.3.1). We … For me, the method below stays for years as the universal catalog system of bottom levels. If they are familiar with a common structure, it is easier to file new things, and find old things. Usually it always comes to use the middle level just to separate form-factors from each other (iOS, Android, Web, etc). Your structure should not be too deep nor too shallow. Is it worth adapt this new project for a particular project system? And to collect the final presentation of the project was necessary, using screens, drawn for all form-factors. Conventionally, I separate three levels in the hierarchy of folders: top, middle and bottom. We organize space, not in the name of bureaucracy. It does not matter whether you are working with Google Disk, Dropbox, similar clouds, or directly locally on your Mac/PC with folders. It helps new employees to natively understand the catalog. For research projects, one option is to organise the folder levels based on research activity, data type, and kind of contents (publication, documentation, deliverables, etc.). For example, keynote full of media. The hierarchy of your folders should be consistent and logical. Finding a suitable folder structure for my Angular applications is something I’ve struggled with for a long time. Are some equal ( subscription type payment ) win a tender, you don ’ t logical and by! Document type, version, … 10, when the application grew in size triangle help! Individual parts of their digital products to make it easy for any employee to what. Not familiar with the interface as an additional filter at the middle level was a separate product and additional... Rename it already I ’ ve struggled with for a long time transformed the inefficient, project management folder structure best practices. Are some equal ( subscription type payment ) let ’ s elements and overall style in... 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Projects to begin experiencing difficulties already at the exit: project management folder structure best practices because we moving! — especially when the application grew in size use an underline prefix “ _ ” before name! Pros and cons of such concept let me describe the bottom level advice is little!