A collaborative tool allows individuals to work together. The aim of a communication tool is to help a group of two or more people achieve a shared objective or goal. Collaboration methods may be either paper, flipcharts, post-it notes or whiteboards of a non-technological type. Computer tools and frameworks such as collaboration software can also be used in them.
Tools for online communication allow workers to work together on projects from anywhere in the world. Remote working conditions in todays workplace (or parts of them) have become commonplace. And it is more urgent than ever for companies to use the best online networking resources with this kind of transition and keep their teams on the same page at all times.
Fortunately, there is almost an infinite list available today of such online resources for remote team collaboration. We look at some of the tried and tested choices in this guide that can help improve the efficiency and remote onboarding experience of your team. Here are some of the collaboration tools that every employee need to know and use.
Communication tools
Communication is simpler than ever before in todays digital age. People can communicate with each other, share content online at the click of a button, and work together, regardless of distance, on projects. For individuals and organizations alike, electronic communication devices, such as smartphones and laptops, open up new opportunities. Communication tools can include smartphones, laptops, tablets, VOIP/Internet telephony, intranet, social networks, forums, messenger apps, chatbots, email, blogs and tracking software.
Project and task management tools
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Task management is more than a to-do list. It involves monitoring tasks from start to finish, delegating subtasks to colleagues, and setting deadlines to ensure that assignments are completed on time. Software for task management, such as Asana, empowers teams to work more effectively and productively. Tools like Performance Manager, Toggl plan, Heyspace, Meister task, EngageBay, Quire, asana, trello, clickup and many more can be utilized for the benefit of any organisation.
Time tracking tools
Time tracking software doesn’t have to be painful! Ive used my fair share of time monitoring tools as a project manager on a number of department teams, both for actually tracking time and also for tracking budgets and forecasting potential projects. Each team is different, so I have selected a few of the top time management tools I suggest, along with their features, pricing, and main pros and cons to help you choose the right time tracker for your projects. Tools like clockfy, Avaza, harvest, freecamp and many more can be meaningful when managing employee time.
Documentation tools
In simpler words and in terms of engineering, technical documentation refers to any form of documentation that explains the handling, functionality and architecture of a technical product or any other product under development or in use. A technical document does not need a PhD to understand. Some of the documentation tools are document360, visual studio code, github, confluence, Enterprise Process center and many more. These can help with packups, collaboration, storage, suggestions etc.
Design tools
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Designing tools are objects, media, or computer programs, which can be used to design. They may influence the process of production, expression and perception of design ideas. New ideas can come by way of experimenting with tools and methods. Some designers explore ideas using pencil and paper. Others use various mark-making tools and services as a way of encouraging creativity, from computers to sculpture. Things such as pencil, compass, ruler, drawing triangle have historically been called design instruments and used to define design and designers. One reason for the success of traditional design tools such as pencil and paper is that, without any special knowledge, these tools can be used and their use facilitates a continuous flow of ideas.
Software tools
These days, there are so many fantastic web design resources around. It is possible that someone has created a tool for it, whether its a standalone utility or a feature inside a larger app, no matter what issue youre trying to solve in your web design workflow. And while there has been a lot of change in the web design community since the early days, there is still a spirit of sharing your work, so many of these tools are great. Git, Visual Studio, Canva, Github, Trello, Onehub, adobeXd, sketch, and many more are great examples of these tools.
File sharing tools
Working online means that we always have files with teammates or clients that we want to share. Although sending email attachments is still a common option for sending files, there are file size restrictions. It is also not conducive to teamwork, as it does not allow many individuals to function at once on the same file.
We can make use of a number of file-sharing resources, all cloud-based, with many providing storage facilities to track your transfers instead of overflowing email inboxes with attachments. These tools also save you from running your own home server (VPN) setup, expense and maintenance, and make it easy to upload files to be shared with friends or coworkers, accessed remotely (on any device), or stored for later use. Dropbox, google drive, filezila, filehooper and apple icloud are among widely used file sharing tools.
Most modern tools have various modules that can be used in the above mentioned categories. This means you can use one platform for various purposes and in that sense there is communication between your processes.
Nyasha D Ziwewe is a Business Consultant and Systems developer at Industrial Psychology Consultants. Email: nyasha@ipcconsultants.com. Mobile 0783462251. LinkedIn: Nyasha D Ziwewe.