01 / Not started is a useful truth.
Use Not Started when the task is known but work has not begun. Resist moving it into progress because it appeared in a meeting. A honest starting point makes the workload visible and gives the team a more useful basis for prioritization.
02 / Scoping means defining the work.
Scoping is for questions about requirements, inputs, boundaries, and deliverables. The next action should reduce uncertainty: confirm the asset list, clarify the audience, or identify the approver. Scoping becomes a holding pattern when nobody owns those questions.
03 / In progress needs evidence.
In Progress should mean someone is actively producing the agreed output. Attach the working file where possible. When the work stalls, capture the blocker and the next decision; a status label alone cannot tell the whole story.
04 / Under review needs a reviewer.
Under Review means there is something ready for another person to assess. Name that person, link the version, and specify the question being reviewed. Is this a direction check, copy approval, or final quality review? Each requires a different kind of attention.
05 / Done needs a definition.
Agree what completion means for the task. A file may need approval, export, or delivery before it is done. Keep the completion evidence with the task so the next person does not have to reconstruct the conversation.
06 / Archived is not the same as finished.
Archive work that no longer belongs in the active view, including superseded or cancelled tasks. Record the reason when it matters. Keeping the history separate from active priorities makes the tracker easier to trust.
Choose one idea from this note and apply it to the next brief, update, or handover you prepare.
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