Ad hoc projects and tasks.

Adobe Experience Cloud Team

03-28-2025

A smiling man with glasses and a gray beard stands in a modern office holding a tablet, looking confident. Floating graphics next to him display project requests with progress bars for tasks like web refresh, promo campaign, and email campaign. A pop-up chat message from a coworker named Isaac Torres appears, asking to add another request to the project.

Ad hoc projects are characterized by their flexibility, adaptability, and lack of formal structure. Ad hoc projects can be beneficial in providing increased agility and improved problem-solving. However, they can also present challenges such as resource strain, disruption to regular workflows, and difficulty in tracking progress.

These unexpected challenges often come in the form of ad hoc projects and tasks. Project managers and team leaders often face unexpected challenges that throw standard operations into disarray. Ad hoc tasks are something almost every business will encounter, and they’re particularly common in more complex projects.

In this guide:

What does ad hoc mean?

The term “ad hoc” originates from Latin, meaning “for this.” In modern usage, it generally refers to something created or done for a specific purpose or need, typically unplanned or improvised.

For example, you might encounter phrases like:

While ‘ad hoc’ doesn’t have direct antonyms, contrasting terms like “planned” or “structured” help illustrate its core meaning. Some common synonyms include impromptu, improvised, and unplanned.

What are ad hoc projects?

Ad hoc projects are unique, one-time endeavors that emerge spontaneously to address specific situations or solve immediate problems. Unlike traditional projects that follow a predefined plan and schedule, ad hoc projects are characterized by their flexibility, adaptability, and lack of formal structure. They might be a side project your line manager asks you to run.

A flowchart illustrating the five phases of project management: Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing. Each phase includes key tasks, such as defining objectives, budgeting, resource allocation, progress monitoring, and stakeholder delivery.

Examples of ad hoc projects.

Ad hoc projects can arise in various industries and take many forms. Here are a few examples:

Advantages and disadvantages of ad hoc projects.

A table comparing the advantages and disadvantages of a process or project. Advantages listed include increased agility, improved problem-solving, and enhanced flexibility. Disadvantages listed include resource strain, workflow disruption, lack of clear processes, and difficulty in tracking progress.

Ad hoc projects offer several advantages:

However, ad hoc projects also present challenges:

Why track ad hoc projects?

Logging every last-minute request into your system might seem like more effort than it’s worth. However, failing to track them can lead to inefficiencies, misallocated resources, and missed opportunities for optimization. Shining a spotlight on ad hoc tasks provides valuable insights into your team’s workload, helping project managers make data-driven decisions. By integrating ad hoc projects into a comprehensive work management system, teams can:

Most project managers face challenges in clarifying, managing, and renegotiating their team’s workload. Without a clear understanding of what’s being deprioritized to make room for ad hoc projects, teams can quickly become overwhelmed, leading to frustration, burnout, and inefficiencies.

What happens when ad hoc requests are untracked?

Untracked ad hoc requests don’t just consume time — they make it nearly impossible to measure their impact. If you’re wondering why a portion of your team’s time or budget seems to disappear without explanation, unlogged ad hoc tasks could be the hidden culprit.

Failing to track these requests can lead to:

Tracking ad hoc projects ensures that last-minute requests don’t derail your strategic initiatives.

What’s the best way to track ad hoc projects?

The key to successful tracking isn’t just about selecting the right tool, it’s about having a structured approach that ensures visibility and accountability. A well-defined planning phase helps teams establish the scope of work, making it easier to determine what should be tracked and prioritized.

Many project management solutions help teams organize and execute complex projects, but few integrate structured project planning with the unpredictable nature of ad hoc work. Adobe Workfront allows teams to manage both long-term initiatives and last-minute tasks in a single, unified system.

Even if you don’t yet have a dedicated work management platform in place, following four core principles will improve efficiency and help your team stay on top of ad hoc requests.

1. Stop accepting “under-the-table” ad hoc requests.

Every task, no matter how small, should be documented and submitted through a formal project request process. Untracked ad hoc tasks may seem minor, but they add up quickly, impacting efficiency and resource allocation.

Ad hoc project managers often find themselves stepping in to solve problems that don’t fit into standard business workflows. When that happens, they should:

By implementing a structured intake process, teams can avoid being blindsided by unexpected work while ensuring that every task is accounted for.

2. Standardize your request management process.

Rather than letting requests come through email, chat messages, or casual conversations, streamline incoming ad hoc work with a standardized request process. A clear system prevents confusion and ensures both planned and unplanned projects are properly evaluated.

Key steps to improving ad hoc request management include:

A structured request intake process reduces chaos and helps teams assess whether they have the capacity to take on new work or if additional resources are needed.

3. Create ad hoc project blocks.

Rather than letting ad hoc requests interrupt planned work throughout the day, encourage team members to set aside dedicated time for handling these tasks. When last-minute requests are batched together, they become more manageable and don’t derail high-priority projects.

Managers can designate a rotating “ad hoc lead” to ensure one person captures, prioritizes, and completes urgent requests while the rest of the team focuses on strategic initiatives. This structured approach ensures that ad hoc work gets done without disrupting core business objectives.

4. Make every task visible.

Tracking only large projects may indicate to leadership that’s all your team is handling. This can lead to leadership failing to realize how much time and resource is being consumed by unplanned requests. Documenting ad hoc work gives a more accurate picture of workload distribution and team contributions.

To improve visibility:

Having full transparency into your team’s workload helps managers make informed decisions, allocate resources effectively, and justify hiring additional staff if needed.

Best practices for managing ad hoc projects.

To effectively manage ad hoc projects, consider these best practices:

Using smart ad hoc project collaboration.

Collaboration is essential for effectively managing ad hoc work. Team members need to be aware of shifting priorities, and project managers need streamlined processes for keeping work on track.

For on-site teams, a quick in-person huddle can help align on urgent tasks. But for remote or hybrid teams, the right collaboration software makes all the difference. Adobe Workfront enables teams to work seamlessly by:

By integrating structured project planning with the flexibility to handle ad hoc work, Workfront helps teams stay agile, productive, and aligned — no matter how unpredictable the workload may be.

Watch our quick Adobe Workfront overview to see it in action.