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:
- “The mayor appointed an ad hoc committee to study the project.” (adjective)
- “We had to make some ad hoc changes to the plans.” (adjective)
- “The decisions were made ad hoc.” (adverb)
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.
Examples of ad hoc projects.
Ad hoc projects can arise in various industries and take many forms. Here are a few examples:
- Crisis management initiatives: Forming an emergency response team during a natural disaster
- Special client requests: Developing a customized marketing campaign for a niche market
- Event management: Organizing a product launch or a corporate celebration
- Technology implementation: Urgently upgrading systems or implementing new software
- Research and development projects: Responding to a sudden market shift with rapid product development
- Sudden regulatory compliance needs: Assembling a team to address new regulations
Advantages and disadvantages of ad hoc projects.
Ad hoc projects offer several advantages:
- Increased agility and responsiveness: They allow organizations to react quickly to unexpected events or opportunities.
- Improved problem-solving: They focus on finding solutions to specific problems, often leading to innovative approaches.
- Enhanced flexibility: They can adapt to changing circumstances and requirements more easily than traditional projects.
However, ad hoc projects also present challenges:
- Resource strain: They can divert resources from planned projects, potentially causing delays or disruptions.
- Disruption to regular workflows: Their unpredictable nature can disrupt established workflows and impact productivity.
- Lack of clear processes: The absence of predefined processes can lead to inconsistencies and inefficiencies.
- Difficulty in tracking progress: Without a structured plan, it can be challenging to monitor progress and measure success.
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:
- Gain visibility into workload distribution and accurately report how each team member spends their time.
- Optimize resource allocation by identifying where time is being spent and redistributing tasks as needed.
- Balance priorities by redirecting efforts toward strategic initiatives rather than being consumed by unplanned tasks.
- Justify staffing needs, whether advocating for additional hires or reassessing current workloads.
- Make informed decisions on task prioritization, confidently saying “not this week” to lower-priority requests with clear data to back it up.
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:
- Decreased productivity: Unplanned tasks quietly pull team members away from core priorities, affecting overall project timelines and deliverables.
- Inefficient staffing decisions: Without tracking, it’s difficult to assess whether ad hoc requests justify additional resources, specialized expertise, or workload adjustments.
- Poor resource management: A lack of visibility into how much time ad hoc tasks consume makes it harder for leadership to allocate resources effectively.
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:
- Gather the right people by consulting with departmental leads.
- Quickly identify and source the necessary expertise.
- Define the scope of the ad hoc project to prevent scope creep.
- Assign clear responsibilities and begin collaboration immediately.
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:
- Creating a centralized request hub to capture all incoming tasks.
- Prioritizing requests based on urgency and impact.
- Standardizing request formats using a creative brief or intake form.
- Defining project requirements early to manage stakeholder expectations.
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:
- Log all tasks, whether they are planned projects or last-minute requests.
- Use a work management system to centralize project tracking.
- Use dashboards or reporting tools to showcase ad hoc project impact.
- Implement Agile-inspired tracking methods, such as a burndown chart, to visualize task completion rates.
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:
- Prioritize and allocate resources: Determine the urgency and importance of the project and allocate resources accordingly.
- Communicate clearly and collaborate effectively: Ensure clear communication and collaboration among team members and stakeholders.
- Embrace flexibility and adaptability: Be prepared to adjust plans and priorities as needed.
- Document and track progress: Maintain clear documentation of the project’s goals, objectives, and progress.
- Apply a decision-making framework: Evaluate whether an ad hoc project warrants bypassing established processes.
- Develop improvisation skills: Cultivate improvisation as a crucial skill in ad hoc project management.
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.
