Reducing New Employee Training Costs from 35 to 7 Hours with Prokumo's Use of Backlog

Achieving Efficiency with Backlog

In an era where remote work is rapidly becoming the norm, establishing effective communication and collaboration systems is crucial for organizations. Nulab, a company based in Fukuoka, Japan, offers a project and task management tool called "Backlog," which has been instrumental in helping Prokumo, located in Shibuya, Tokyo, reduce its employee training costs significantly, transforming an initial 35 hours to just 7 hours a month.

Background of Backlog's Implementation

Prokumo aims to create moments that change lives through its mission in web marketing and production. However, as a fully remote organization, it faced a common challenge: visibility into colleagues’ workloads and progress was limited. This lack of information sharing often led to inefficiencies and potential drops in quality.

Recognizing the need for a centralized method of managing tasks, Prokumo introduced Backlog. This decision not only streamlined client work but also enhanced operations across various departments, including management and hiring.

The Impact of Using Backlog

1. Standardization of Requests
Backlog allows Prokumo to specify standard formats for task assignments, including necessary fields like objectives and backgrounds. This minimizes ambiguity, ensuring consistent quality in task submissions and reducing unnecessary revisions.

2. Broad Application Across Departments
The uses of Backlog extend beyond client work to management, hiring processes, and onboarding new employees. The centralized management of work information prevents task overlaps and helps drive efficiency organization-wide.

3. Dramatic Reduction in Training Costs
By refining production workflows and utilizing wiki features, Prokumo minimized new employee training hours dramatically—from 35 hours each month to about 7. This not only enhances efficiency but allows new hires to experience success early on, fostering their quick transition into productive team members.

Comments from Prokumo Management

Misaki Maruno, an Executive Officer and Creative Team Manager at Prokumo, shared insights on the benefits of Backlog. She commented that the tool has enabled her team to visualize work stagnation and collaboratively develop solutions, maintaining high standards even within a remote work setting. This structure has produced significant results, reducing training costs and boosting team members' autonomy.

Looking forward, Misaki mentioned plans to expand the use of Backlog to areas such as meeting minutes management, further embedding its utility within the organization.

Nulab's Future Vision

As the workforce continues to diversify and evolve, Nulab believes that the formation of teams composed of diverse roles and employment types will become increasingly prevalent. The company envisions a future where efficient teamwork management is essential for successfully navigating these changes. Nulab plans to enhance its Backlog services to meet the varying needs of all types of teams in diverse fields and sizes.

Services Offered by Nulab

Nulab promotes "teamwork management" that encourages collaboration across different departments and roles, enhancing overall productivity. Their project management tool, Backlog, is reaching its 20th anniversary in June 2025, with a special site celebrating its journey and future aspirations available online.

For more information on Nulab and its services, visit:

Nulab is headquartered at:
Fukuoka, Chuo Ward, Daimyo 1-8-6, HCC BLD. 2, 6, 7F
Tokyo Office:
Minato Ward, Shiba Daimon 2-1-16, +SHIFT SHIBADAIMON B1F
Kyoto Office:
Kyoto, Shimogyo Ward, Totsuki 2-360
CEO: Masanori Hashimoto
Website | Careers