#Japan #Fukuoka #Nulab #Backlog #Media Research

Streamlining Event Management with Backlog

In a notable development in the realm of event management, Media Research, a leading company in Japan, has successfully integrated Backlog, a product of Nulab, into its operations. With approximately 70 events managed annually targeting university and technical college students, the transition to Backlog was driven by the need to address inefficiencies and enhance team collaboration across multiple departments.

Background of the Backlog Implementation

Historically, Media Research faced significant challenges in managing event preparations. Each event comes with its complexities, characterized by varying content and schedules, which were previously managed using Excel and chat applications. This resulted in a lack of clarity regarding task ownership and progress, causing bottlenecks that jeopardized the quality of event execution. As a solution, the organization recognized the necessity for a more collaborative approach, emphasizing "teamwork management," and chose to adopt Backlog to centralize information sharing, visualize tasks, and clarify roles.

Benefits of Utilizing Backlog

The introduction of Backlog has proven transformative for Media Research, yielding several key benefits:

1. Elimination of Task Overlaps: With Backlog, clarity was achieved around "who does what by when," drastically reducing task omissions and delays. During the complex preparations for a large event aimed at technical college students in March 2025, the effective use of Gantt charts and task lists ensured a seamless progression without chaos.

2. Creation of a Valuable Asset from Historical Data: The accumulated tasks and comment histories related to each event have become invaluable for future planning. This not only enhances reproducibility but also maintains quality standardization even when team members change. Moreover, decisions made in the past can be referenced to improve the quality of current decision-making, further alleviating dependency on individual team members.

3. On-the-Ground Access to Information: On event days, all information is collected in a Backlog Wiki, allowing on-site staff to access the latest updates via smartphones. This is significantly more flexible than relying on printed materials and facilitates more efficient responses to changes in real-time. The clearer organization of tasks has also improved the quality of information sharing.

Insights from Management

According to Tetsuya Katsume, Head of the Planning and Production Department at Media Research, the implementation of Backlog has noticeably reduced the frequency of inquiries about task status among team members. The visibility of workflows has increased team cohesion, contributing positively to the prevention of task dependency. Roles such as "Backlog Sweeper" have begun to establish themselves, further refining the quality of information sharing.

As Backlog is being progressively introduced into administrative departments, including managing flyer content checks and new employee onboarding, the collaborative approach across departments is becoming increasingly smoother. The results affirm that improving team task management will lead to overall project success and when Backlog becomes a standard in operations, it is anticipated that the quality of event management will escalate even higher.

Future Outlook

As Japan's workforce continues to shrink, team composition dynamics will undergo substantial changes. Nulab acknowledges that the transition to diverse team structures necessitates robust "teamwork management" strategies aimed at efficiently aligning different roles to achieve shared objectives. Nulab plans to continue enhancing Backlog and other services to meet the evolving needs of various teams across industries.

Overview of Backlog

Backlog is a project and task management tool designed with three core strengths:

• - User-friendly design accessible across all industries
• - An all-in-one solution featuring Wiki, Git, Gantt charts, and more
• - Unlimited member invitations without budgetary constraints

Since its launch in 2005, Backlog has facilitated collaboration for countless teams, currently serving over 1.45 million users globally across both cloud and on-premise versions. For more insights, visit Backlog’s service page.

About Nulab

Nulab is dedicated to developing and providing innovative tools such as Backlog, visual collaboration tool Cacoo, and the security governance tool Nulab Pass, aimed at enhancing teamwork and efficiency. The company's primary office is located in Fukuoka City, Japan.