When it comes to web design and development staying on track with deliverables, time-lines, email, tasks, communication with the client, requested changes, etc (the list goes on and on...), can be extremely difficult and a little bit overwhelming at times. But all is not lost! Thank goodness there are many so many useful applications and tools that can be a very helpful solution to many of these problems.

Ok, so there are literary tons of applications and tools that you can get to help, some free and others not. But which ones are actually worth using? Which ones are actually going to save you time and  a whole lot of frustration? And which ones are just distractions and are only going to waste your time! Being a good web developer isn't always all about a kick-butt design, usability, etc. It is also about being efficient at all of the above.

Track tasks, deliverables, and stay organized

Flyspray is an uncomplicated, web-based bug tracking system written in PHP for assisting with software development.

Ok so it's not made for web design and development. BUT  it is very very easy to just add categories for your needs.

Flyspray helps out in many ways. We (Oncall) use it to keep track of tasks,  deliverables, communication, files from a customer (like logos, .psd's, etc.), etc. You can set tasks to specific people, they will receive email notifications on any updates to the task. Things like comments, and files, and it will tell you and other employees when the task has been completed.

Have a good skeleton

Having a good "skeleton" can really speed things up. If you find yourself using a certain CMS all the time.

Qualities of a good clean skeleton are quite simple. Make sure it's up to date (The CMS version), have all your pre-made/normal typography already installed and setup, and have all your modules/components installed and ready yo go.This will give a you clean start every time in just a few clicks!

Break it down, the easy way!

Doomi was designed from the ground up to stay out of your way and out of your browser. It has all the features you use, and none of the ones you don't. Create, edit, set reminders, and keep archives of your old tasks. 

I keep posting about this app don't I...

Sometimes the "Flyspray" tasks can become very daunting to look at, when there is a ton of them. But I find a really good solution to this is using Doomi. Just break down what tasks you plan on finishing for the day and check them off as you go. Checking them off is a good feeling, trust me.

Doomi will also help you to avoid multi tasking.

Keep a tidy workspace

This one is very important. If you have a cell phone and like texting, don't. Either turn off your phone or do not keep it on your desk(I was bad for this). Distractions can and will extend beyond your PC.

If you keep your desk/workspace clean and un-cluttered you will be much more efficient, and it will put you in a totally differnt mind frame. No clutter = not spending time or paying attention to something other than what you should be doing.

Distractions = FAIL

Distractions come in many different shapes and forms. Twitter, Google Reader, Windows Live Messenger, etc.

A good/simple way to beat some of these is to work offline. Only allow yourself to take a look at these after you have completed something, or just need a break.

Keep email organized

Keep email very organized. Assign each client a sub folder and keep all the emails you receive from them in it.

Being able to find a email with new changes or to-do's without having to dig around for an hour is a huge plus. Like be crazy about this, I learned the hard way. Life is so much easier when you do this.

Communication

And last but totally not least, communication.

Use mood boards, wire frames, and sketches to ensure everybody has the same understanding and is working towards the same goal.

By effectively communicating with clients and co-workers, you can potentially save days on each project that would have been wasted on design changes, layout/coding changes, etc.