We are not just a Brand. We are Molecule Group – a vibrant team of professionals who collaborate every day to execute plans, create and deliver beyond expectations. What truly sets us apart is our unwavering dedication to achieving results.
We don’t measure success by the number of hours worked, but rather by the quality and timeliness of the work delivered to our clients. Our success in handling multiple client projects simultaneously is a testament to our efficient work culture, which is largely driven by the right tools. And the cornerstone of our toolset is Basecamp, the virtual office of our team, spanning from sunny coasts of Portugal to not-so-sunny Warsaw.
In this article, we want to give you a glimpse into our unique work culture and show you how we leverage Basecamp, a leading project management platform, to enhance our productivity. So, come with us behind the scenes and discover what makes us tick!
The versatile check-in feature in Basecamp allows us to pose recurring questions to our team and collect their responses in one convenient location. By opting for check-ins instead of calls, we benefit from a written account of our progress, which can be easily referenced by team members at any time. This approach fosters cohesion and minimises misunderstandings.
Moreover, check-ins facilitate asynchronous communication, empowering team members to update their status or seek assistance at their convenience, without disrupting their colleagues’ workflows. We cherish our human-centric work approach, embracing creativity, fun, and a dash of quirkiness. Zoom calls are reserved for coaching and knowledge sharing, while meetings are a last resort. Basecamp’s emphasis on written messages and check-ins aligns perfectly with our values.
To-dos and Card Tables are indispensable tools that help Molecule Group keep its projects organised and on target. To-dos enable us to assign specific, time-sensitive tasks to individuals, ensuring clarity and preventing delays.
Card Tables, on the other hand, provide a visually engaging way to track progress. Team members can create cards for various tasks, which can be moved between columns to denote their status.
On the other hand, some projects are simple enough that a discussion in a thread under one of the messages is enough to make them happen.
How do we ensure ownership? Everyone who owns a project or process should conduct weekly reviews of both To-dos and Card Tables to ensure that everything is on track and to address any issues promptly. The truth is that with the right setup and well-defined deadlines, a delay in working on one process or another is immediately evident, to everyone involved in the project. We also prioritise maintaining clear and transparent project spaces by consolidating all relevant information in one location, such as a Basecamp project. We have learned on a number of projects that having conversations about a process in the right context and place is one of the most important factors. This approach promotes collaboration, communication, and ultimately, successful team dynamics.
In line with our commitment to transparency and open communication, we favour group discussion over direct messages. In Basecamp talk, that’s Campfire over Pings. Private conversations have a way of being difficult to share with the rest of the team. The advantage of Basecamp is that, if communication is carried out properly, i.e. in a transparent and meticulous manner, the addition of a new person is practically automatic without the need for detailed explanation. Everything can be read and traced back within the project space. Campfire enables real-time chat sessions for all team members who are in a project, making it ideal for quick discussions and swift decision-making. Pings, which are direct messages, are only used when the matter is personal.
Stay tuned for the next article in this series, which will delve deeper into our unique work culture and the innovative ways we utilise Basecamp to support our team’s well-being.