The Birth of an Idea
The idea for Asana was born out of the founders' frustration with the inefficient work methods prevalent in many organisations. They observed that teams of immensely talented individuals were getting bogged down, not by the work that mattered, but by the tedious "work about work". The duo found that teams were spending more than half their time in meetings, responding to emails, and searching for information. As a result, the actual work took a backseat, lost amidst the distracting clutter of coordination and communication.
The Asana Prototype
While still at Facebook, Moskovitz and Rosenstein collaborated to address this problem by developing an internal task management tool called "Tasks". This tool, in many ways, was the prototype for Asana. The tool was initially designed to address a few specific concerns within the engineering teams but soon found adoption across different teams in Facebook, being used for a variety of tasks that the founders hadn't anticipated.
The Turning Point
The turning point came when Moskovitz and Rosenstein realised that they could not keep up with the growing demand and the diverse ways in which teams wanted to use the tool. The duo then decided that the tool deserved more attention and a dedicated team backing it, rather than being treated as a side project. The decision to focus on the tool full-time led to the birth of Asana as we know it today.
Choosing the Platform
The founders recognised that most knowledge workers spend a significant part of their day at their desks or with a laptop. Consequently, they decided to focus on making the Asana web experience seamless and robust, on par with sophisticated desktop applications. While they also developed apps for iOS and Android, they are currently investing more in improving the mobile experience, acknowledging the increasing importance of mobile devices in the work lives of many professionals.
Overcoming Challenges
One of the major challenges that the Asana team faced was the inertia people had with their existing tools and processes. Changing behaviours, especially in a group setting, requires a high level of motivation. The Asana team worked relentlessly to ensure the success of their initial users, believing that stories of their success would inspire other potential users. They also focused on creating and sharing content that highlighted the best ways for teams and individuals to use Asana, further driving user adoption.
The Launch
The launch of Asana was an ecstatic moment for the founders. It marked the first significant milestone in their journey to realise their mission – to help humanity thrive by enabling all teams to work together effortlessly. The positive response and the appreciation from users was heartening and continues to be a source of motivation for the team.
Handling User Feedback
The Asana team actively seeks feedback from its users, many of who use the product every day. This feedback is gathered through various channels, including direct conversations, blog comments, and Twitter. The feedback is then classified and ranked to help the team understand what to focus on.
Balancing Development Efforts
Asana strives to maintain a balance between developing new features and managing existing ones. To ensure that they capture all user needs, they organise a "Polish Week" three times a year, where they focus on making small improvements to the app.
Advice for Aspiring Developers
The founders advise those interested in similar projects to find something that they deeply care about and are passionate about making a positive impact on the world. They also suggest joining an existing team that is already doing great things and could benefit from your skills and expertise.
The Asana Culture
Asana is more than just a business; it's a belief in the power of teams. The company's mission, culture, and commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive workplace allow it to build a product that people love while staying true to its core values. Asana has offices in several locations worldwide, including San Francisco, Chicago, Dublin, London, Munich, New York, Paris, Reykjavik, Sydney, Tokyo, Vancouver, and Singapore.
The Asana Name
The name "Asana" is a Sanskrit word that refers to the place and pose in which a yogi sits. It symbolises the product's aim to bring ease, focus, and flow to you, your team, and your work.
In conclusion, Asana's story is one of vision, innovation, and a relentless commitment to making work more efficient and productive. It's a testament to what can be achieved when we dare to imagine a better way of doing things and have the courage to bring that vision to life.