Managing projects with Matrix/Swimlanes & Multiple Views
Managing complex project with Board Columns, Swimlanes and Matrix Views
Project management tools have come a long way, helping teams visualize work status and stay organized.
Tools like Trello popularized managing projects by grouping tasks into columns: a simple yet effective way to track tasks through different stages.
This method, combined with labels, works well but can become limiting for more complex projects with a high more tasks, longer timelines and larger teams.
That’s where Multiple Views and Customizable Matrix View come into play.
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What Are Kanban Columns and Swimlanes?
Kanban boards typically consist of columns, each representing a stage in your workflow—like "To Do," "In Progress," and "Done." As tasks move through the process, they go from one column to the next.
Teams can also implement Work In Progress (WIP) limits, capping the number of tasks in certain stages to prioritize throughput.
But what happens when you need more structure or need to visualize work from a different perspective?
That’s where Swimlanes come in: horizontal divisions within your board, grouping tasks based on criteria like priority, assignee, or issue type.
The power of Matrix Views in Eigenfocus
If you take a step back, Swimlanes are just one way of organizing information within a two-dimensional grid — which is essentially a Matrix View.
With Eigenfocus - Pro Edition, instead of being locked into a single method of structuring your board, a matrix view lets you define what the columns and rows represent.
In a traditional Kanban board, you might have columns for task/issue statuses and Swimlanes for assignees or priorities.
But what if you could fully customize those dimensions? That’s exactly what a Matrix View allows you to do.
The Case for Multiple Views
With Eigenfocus - Pro Edition, you can create multiple views with pre-defined filters. These views can take different forms and fit any workflow.
Here are some examples:
Different Workflows per Issue Type
Not all issues follow the same workflow. With multiple views, you can one for each issue type:
- A bug-tracking view with columns like Reported / Analysis / Confirmed / Rejected.
- A task-focused view that organizes work into TODO / DOING / DONE.
Structure Your Issues
Create views to better organize/categorize your issues:
- A view dedicated to organizing ideas where columns represent categories like Marketing, Sales, Revenue and rows indicate priority (Low, Medium, High).
- A strategic planning view where you track big initiatives across quarters.
Sprint & Release Planning
Organize features by quarter x priority to see what’s scheduled and what needs attention.
Daily Workflows
Structure your board by status x priority to quickly spot blockers.
Team Management
Track team workload by status x team member to get a clear overview of responsibilities.
Eigenfocus PRO Edition - We fit your workflow
Instead of forcing you into a rigid system, Eigenfocus adapts to how you work.