Beginner Guide to Project Management in Notion: Animation Personal Project

Igor Demenko -

Here’s a beginner-friendly guide to project management in Notion, specifically tailored for an animation project. This setup will help you stay organized, track progress, and simplify your workflow!

Step 1: Create Your Project Dashboard

Start by creating a new page in Notion and name it something like “Animation Project: [Your Project Name].” This will be your main workspace for organizing and tracking all elements of your animation project.

Dashboard Components:

  1. Project Overview: Add a simple text section for your project summary, concept, and goals.
  2. Progress Tracker: Use Notion’s Table or Kanban board to track each animation phase (Storyboarding, Design, Animation, Editing).
  3. Calendar: Add a Calendar View for tracking important dates like deadlines, reviews, and milestones.

This basic dashboard will keep you focused on each step and ensure you’re always clear about your progress.

Step 2: Setting Up Project Phases

Every animation project can be broken down into phases. Here’s how to organize them in Notion:

Concept and Planning Phase

Create a section for brainstorming ideas and planning the project outline. In Notion:

  • Add a checklist for each step (e.g., idea development, moodboarding, gathering references).
  • Use individual pages to expand on each idea or concept.

Storyboarding

Add a database or table for each storyboard shot:

  • Include columns for Shot Number, Description, Status (To-do, In Progress, Complete), and links to storyboard images or files.
  • Keep track of feedback and adjustments here to streamline communication if you’re working with a team.

Animation Production

Create a Kanban board or Table for your production tasks. Each “card” on your board can represent a scene or shot with sub-tasks for:

  • Sketching: rough animation passes
  • Line Art: final animation lines
  • Coloring and Effects

As you complete each task, mark it as “Done” to track your progress visually.

Step 3: Adding Tasks and Setting Deadlines

To avoid getting overwhelmed, create a simple task list for each stage of production:

  1. Add a due date to each task to prioritize and manage your workload.
  2. Categorize tasks by type (e.g., Storyboarding, Animation, Editing) and use tags or labels to keep them organized.

Notion makes it easy to filter tasks by tag or priority, helping you stay on top of what’s due and what’s next.

Step 4: Use Views to Track Project Status

Visualizing your workflow can be a game-changer, and Notion’s flexible views make it easy:

  • Kanban Board: Great for organizing shots and tasks into stages (To-do, In Progress, Done).
  • Timeline View: Ideal for seeing all tasks in sequence. This is particularly helpful for tracking production over time.
  • Calendar View: For tracking deadlines, milestones, and review sessions at a glance.

Step 5: Embedding References and Resources

Using external resources? Notion allows you to embed references, such as images or links to assets, right in your project workspace:

  • Drag and drop images directly into your project page for visual inspiration.
  • Link to cloud storage for quick access to files or folders related to your project.

Final Tips

  1. Keep It Simple: Focus on the basics first. Once you’re comfortable, you can start adding more custom elements to your project pages.
  2. Use Notion Mobile: Stay on top of tasks on the go. Notion’s mobile app is perfect for quick updates and checking your task list.
  3. Review Your Progress Weekly: Take a few minutes each week to review your project’s status. Move completed tasks to “Done” and set new goals for the next week.

With this setup, you’re ready to jump into animation with a clear roadmap, organized workflow, and efficient project management tool! Good luck with your animation journey!