From Chaos to Clarity:
5 common growing pains solved with Asana

“At GovNet, Angela spearheaded a complete overhaul of our project and operational workflows using Asana. What started as a solution to manage Data and IT projects rapidly evolved into a company-wide system that spanned central functions like Design, IT, CRM, Finance, HR, and beyond. This wasn’t a cookie-cutter setup—it was a meticulously designed ecosystem.”
— Ron Doobay - CTO GovNet

Has your business grown faster than your systems?

Before

That was the situation at GovNet — a company delivering major events, operating across multiple brands, but struggling with visibility, alignment, and capacity. This is the story of how we fixed it.

Here’s how OptimEdge used Asana (and a small, powerful suite of connected tools incl. HubSpot) to tackle five core operational problems. Each section below links to a deeper dive into that specific theme.

After

OptimEdge gave GovNet a complete operational reset.

✔️ Visibility across all departments

✔️ Capacity planning that took into account a person’s full range of responsibilities and workload

✔️ Meetings focused on strategy, not chasing

✔️ Cross-brand work delivered on time

Now read more about the 5 issues

“What’s everyone working on?
Who’s at capacity?
Are we even tracking this?”
— Many managers. Everywhere.

Lost Visibility in a Fast-Growing Business

Pain Point What This Looked Like at GovNet Solution
No visibility of incoming requests Requests were made ad hoc via email, chat, and in meetings. If someone was off or forgot to pass it on, the work simply disappeared. Centralised intake using Asana Forms routed to shared intake projects. Forms enforced structured submissions and allowed automation based on responses.
Work scattered across emails and chats Some teams used spreadsheets, others relied on inboxes or mental notes. There was no shared tool — or expectation to use one. Integrated Slack and email with Asana to turn messages into tasks. Everyone had access to a shared system instead of fragmented communications.
Tasks stalled when someone was off Only the person assigned remembered the work existed. When people were on leave or changed roles, tasks were lost or delayed. Used Asana assignees, collaborators, and rules to ensure work continued even if someone was out. No task left stranded in inboxes or chats.
BAU vs project work unclear It was impossible to see what was business-as-usual and what was part of a larger project. People were overwhelmed without clarity on priorities. Organised BAU and project work into distinct boards. Used Asana Portfolios to visualise workloads and plan across time periods effectively.
Central/back-office lacked visibility Support teams were blind to what was happening across brands. Workloads spiked unexpectedly due to poor planning and no cross-team visibility. Built multi-view dashboards to allow teams to monitor BAU, emergencies, and change initiatives side by side — all in one system.
“Are we all pulling in the same direction?
How does my work connect to company goals?”
— Most people in a Business

No Alignment or Shared Direction

Pain Point What This Looked Like at GovNet Solution
No structured goal-setting or alignment Company goals existed in slide decks, but teams couldn’t see how their work contributed. Goals felt disconnected from the day-to-day. Used Asana Goals to create clear links between company, team, and individual objectives — all visible and trackable in real time.
No shared KPIs or deliverables Each team had its own version of what “done” looked like. Performance couldn’t be measured consistently or compared across brands. Introduced templated projects and deliverables with clear milestones, due dates, and assigned owners.
Siloed front-office teams Teams worked in isolation. Information wasn’t shared, and planning was done without coordination, creating duplication and delays. Standardised processes, shared templates, and cross-functional visibility helped teams work toward shared outcomes.
1:1s and team meetings not grounded in real data Managers had to rely on verbal updates or spreadsheets — wasting time in meetings just gathering status, rather than planning or unblocking. Used live Asana data to run better 1:1s, linked to goals and real progress. Meetings focused on priorities and support, not status chasing.
Values weren’t embedded into workflows While the company had strong stated values, they weren’t reflected in everyday processes — and therefore, often ignored. Mapped key values into project templates and goal structures so behaviours and priorities reflected the company’s ethos.
“Everyone’s doing things differently. Tools don’t connect. Information gets lost.”
— Frustrated Leadership Team

Siloed Systems, People & Processes

Pain Point What This Looked Like at GovNet Solution
Teams using different systems Each team used its own preferred tools — spreadsheets, inboxes, task lists, even memory. There was no consistent system across the business. Consolidated task and project management into Asana, creating one central place for visibility and coordination across brands.
Key-person dependency Knowledge and workflows lived in people’s heads. If someone was on leave or left the business, processes stalled or disappeared. Built team-owned projects and documentation standards to preserve knowledge and enable seamless handovers.
Work with external teams was isolated Collaboration with freelancers or agencies lived in email threads and couldn’t be tracked by the wider team. Used Asana guest access and shared boards to bring external contributors into the system — without losing oversight.
Data was fragmented and uncontrolled Multiple teams marketed to the same contacts with no visibility of each other’s plans. Clients received duplicate comms or conflicting messages. Implemented contact frequency limits and campaign governance via HubSpot to protect audience experience and brand credibility.
Cross-divisional movement was difficult Switching teams felt like joining another company. There was no shared structure, toolset, or onboarding. Standardised project formats and naming conventions to make internal mobility easier and reduce onboarding time.
“Secret” processes reduced transparency Some individuals had undocumented systems, making it difficult to scale, replicate, or audit their work. Encouraged process visibility through shared workflows and collaborative planning — replacing hidden tasks with shared accountability.
“Do we need more people — or just more clarity?”
— HR... the managers... senior leaders

Unclear Capacity and Resource Planning

Pain Point What This Looked Like at GovNet Solution
No visibility of workload across people or teams There was no central to-do list, so it was impossible to know how much work was being handled by each person or department. Used Asana Workload and Portfolios to give leaders real-time visibility into individual and team capacity across BAU and projects.
Under- and over-performance went unnoticed Without visibility, it wasn’t clear if someone was underperforming or quietly overperforming — meaning some were burned out, others overlooked. Made effort visible through task tracking and reporting, so performance and resourcing decisions could be based on real data.
Resource planning was reactive, not strategic Teams constantly found themselves overwhelmed or under-utilised, without warning. Planning was guesswork. Mapped timelines and event calendars in Asana, giving departments the foresight to plan ahead and flag conflicts early.
Design team in particular was overwhelmed The final 4 weeks before an event were intense. With overlapping exhibitions and no system to manage demand, Design was constantly overloaded. Once projects were visible in Asana, Design could proactively extend lead times, set expectations, and escalate when needed — with evidence.
Unclear if additional headcount was needed It was impossible to tell whether the problem was too much work or poor visibility — so teams didn’t know when to request support. Used capacity insights and project analytics from Asana to justify headcount requests or identify where work could be redistributed.
“You want to lead — not chase people all day.”
— Managers (hopefully)

Micromanagement vs. Leadership

Pain Point What This Looked Like at GovNet Solution
Managers spent time chasing updates Meetings were consumed by asking “where are we with this?” rather than resolving issues or planning ahead. Status lived in people’s heads or inboxes. Used Asana to centralise updates and task status, so meetings focused on progress, blockers, and future planning — not check-ins.
Leadership felt reactive, not strategic Without visibility, managers were constantly firefighting. They couldn’t support their teams or spot risks early enough to act. Real-time dashboards gave leaders oversight of everything in flight, so they could lead proactively instead of reactively.
1:1s and PDRs lacked substance Development conversations were vague, based on memory or gut feel. Progress wasn’t documented or tied to business goals. Grounded 1:1s and PDRs in actual work logged in Asana. Used Goals to link individual work to broader objectives and performance.
Micromanagement replaced trust Without visibility, managers felt the need to hover or chase. Team members felt pressured and disengaged. Asana created transparency and autonomy — everyone could see what was happening, and managers could support without interfering.
BAU and change initiatives clashed Teams were delivering exhibitions while also handling rebrands, new websites, and internal projects — with no way to balance priorities. Portfolios allowed managers to track all streams of work — BAU and change — in one place, supporting smarter planning and resourcing.