A Three-Line Project Status Update
Added 2026-10-30
Three lines — done, blocked, needed — instead of a running log.
My manager wants a three-line weekly status update. I will give what I did this week, current blockers, next week's plan, and coordination needs. Write three lines, each under 40 words: 1) line one: what got done with one verifiable result; 2) line two: where it is blocked — people, information or resources; 3) line three: what decision or support is needed, with options rather than an open question. No process or effort narrative. Then tell me the line people most often forget.
Site original
Chinese original
How to use
汇报的是决策所需信息，不是工作量。
Try tweaking it
- Ask for three columns: conclusion, owner, deadline — ready to paste into a table.
- Let it organise only your notes; do not add decisions that were never made.
What you should get
- Task list with owner, deadline and blocker
- Escalations that need a decision, listed separately
Common mistakes
- Feeding raw notes and letting it fill in decisions that were never made.
- Getting owners without deadlines, so no task can be created.
How to check the output
- Every item has an owner and a date — ready to become a task.
- It does not record decisions that were never made.
Where it works
- Good for: turning verbal discussion into owner, deadline and blocker.
- Watch out: let it organise only the notes you supply — never let it infer decisions that were not made.