Online collaboration tools refer to software, platforms and applications that enable teams and individuals to communicate, collaborate and share information remotely through the internet. These tools have become indispensable for organizations and teams that require collaboration across distributed teams and remote workers.
Some examples of popular online collaboration tools include:
The key benefit of these online tools is enabling collaboration to happen anytime, anywhere - improving teamwork, communication and productivity for remote teams and organizations.
Collaboration tools with chat, video conferencing, and screen sharing capabilities allow team members to communicate and interact in real time, no matter where they are located. This enables much faster communication compared to email and avoids the inevitable game of phone or email tag.
Instant messaging chat tools like Slack allow quick conversations, questions and answers between team members. The ability to create different channels for projects, departments or topics keeps things organized.
Video conferencing through tools like Zoom, GoToMeeting and Microsoft Teams enables remote team members to connect face-to-face through high quality video. This helps build stronger relationships and improves communication through the ability to pick up on visual cues.
Screen sharing allows presenters to share their screen with meeting attendees during a video call. This facilitates remote training, collaboration on documents, visually walking through processes, and more. Attendees can annotate and engage with the shared screen as well.
The combination of chat, video conferencing, and screen sharing gives teams a complete real-time communication solution and significantly improves productivity by enabling seamless collaboration. This is essential for teams that have remote workers or collaborate across locations.
Collaboration tools allow teams to centralize files, documents, and other assets in one place, eliminating version control issues and confusion over file locations. Rather than emailing files back and forth or saving them in disconnected drives and folders, teams can take advantage of built-in cloud storage and file sharing capabilities.
Key benefits of centralizing files and documents include:
Centralizing documents into dedicated collaboration platforms streamlines teamwork, improves visibility, and provides secure access to important files and assets. It's a best practice for boosting productivity.
Online collaboration tools like Asana, Trello, and Basecamp come with built-in project management features to help teams stay organized and aligned. Setting up systems for project management is one of the best practices for effectively using these tools.
Project management systems help create structure around workflows, assign tasks and deadlines, map out project plans, and track progress. Popular project management features include:
Kanban boards provide a visual overview of project workflow using columns like "To Do", "In Progress", and "Completed". They allow teams to map out the status of tasks and get a bird's-eye view of where things stand. Teams can create cards representing tasks and easily drag and drop them between columns as work is started or completed. This helps identify bottlenecks and keeps everyone on the same page.
Gantt charts are horizontal bar charts showing tasks, timelines, task dependencies, and resource allocation for projects. They provide a timeline view of projects from start to finish with milestones mapped out. Gantt charts make it easy to identify critical paths, task relationships, and delays. Integrated Gantt charts in collaboration tools update automatically as tasks are completed.
Simple task lists are an essential project management feature. They allow creating checklists of tasks with assignees, due dates, priorities, statuses, and other details. Task lists provide an organized way to capture everything that needs to get done for a project. Team members can check off tasks as they are completed to show progress.
Setting up boards, charts, lists, and other project management systems in online collaboration platforms allows teams to visualize workflows, track progress, and stay coordinated on project tasks. It's a best practice for keeping everyone aligned.
Online collaboration tools offer powerful ways to automate repetitive, routine tasks through AI assistants, bots, and macros. This frees up employees' time for more strategic, creative work.
For example, AI-powered assistants like Clara for Slack can handle frequently asked questions from teammates or customers. Clara can learn common queries and give quick answers without needing a human to respond each time.
Collaboration platforms like Zapier, IFTTT, and Microsoft Power Automate make it easy to set up automation workflows and macros. These automations connect your tools together to trigger actions across multiple apps.
For instance, you could set up an automation that tracks time entries in a spreadsheet, then automatically adds them to an invoice and sends it out for approval when completed. Or automatically save recordings of video conference calls to a cloud storage folder for later reference.
Bots integrated into collaboration tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams streamline other repetitive tasks too. Bots can schedule meetings, take notes, transcribe recordings, generate reports on team progress, and more.
Automating repetitive, low-value tasks allows your team to focus their time on more meaningful work that has real impact and advances your business goals.
Getting the most out of online collaboration tools often requires connecting them to other apps and systems your team uses. Integrations allow tools to share data and workflows, avoiding the need to constantly switch between different platforms.
Many collaboration platforms provide APIs (application programming interfaces) and pre-built integrations to connect with common programs like Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and more. For example, a project management app may link with a chat tool so that notifications and updates automatically post in team conversations.
Plugins and bridges are other ways to integrate tools. Plugins add new functionality within an existing program, like enabling Trello cards to be created from Gmail messages. Bridges sync data between separate platforms, such as connecting Microsoft Outlook calendars to Google Calendar for consolidated scheduling.
When evaluating collaboration tools, check what integrations are available out of the box. Useful integrations allow apps to hand off work and data between each other smoothly. Teams can configure the specific integrations they need to craft cohesive workflows using their favorite programs. With the right integrations in place, teams can adopt best-in-class point solutions while still maintaining continuity in their tech stack.
Mobile and web access are key features to look for when selecting online collaboration tools. The ability to access files, communicate, and collaborate from anywhere allows teams to work seamlessly together, even when employees are distributed or on the go.
Look for tools that offer:
Mobile and web access empower teams to collaborate anytime, from anywhere. This maximizes productivity by enabling employees to work flexibly and responsively. Whether an employee is at their desk, a client site, home office, or airport lounge, they can fully participate and move projects forward using the online tools.
Seamless mobile and web access should be a key consideration when evaluating collaboration platforms. The ability to enable anywhere access is essential for unlocking the full potential of any online tool.
Adopting new collaboration tools can increase productivity and efficiency, but only if employees actually use them. Without proper training and support, even the most powerful software will go underutilized. Here are some best practices for training employees on new collaboration tools:
Conduct multiple training sessions. Don't expect employees to learn a complex new tool in a single session. Break training down into multiple, short sessions focused on specific features and use cases. Allow time in between for employees to try using the tools and ask questions.
Offer incentives for completing training. Consider offering small rewards or recognition for employees who complete training. This could be gift cards, public praise, or just a certificate of completion. Incentives boost motivation and participation.
Get executive buy-in. Make sure managers and executives visibly endorse and participate in training. This signals the importance of adoption to employees.
Involve project teams. Train collaboration tools within the context of team projects. This allows immediate practice and relevance. Support teams as they learn together.
Provide ongoing support. Make yourself available to answer questions and assist with issues long after formal training ends. Consider assigning "superusers" who fellow employees can go to for help.
Solicit feedback. Survey employees on what parts of training were most helpful and where they still need support. Be prepared to modify training based on this input.
With a combination of thorough training and ongoing support, employees will gain the skills and enthusiasm to fully leverage your new collaboration tools. This adoption strategy enables organizations to maximize their return on investment in cutting-edge software.
Effective collaboration requires some basic guidelines and etiquette to enable productive communication and file organization. Here are some best practices:
Setting clear expectations upfront will enable your team to collaborate smoothly and productively. Adjust policies over time as needs evolve.
When deciding on which online collaboration tools to use, it's important to assess your organization's specific needs, team size, and budget. The right tools will be aligned with your workflows, foster collaboration, and maximize productivity. Here are some best practices:
By carefully assessing your needs, team, budget and options, you can determine the online collaboration solutions that will work best for your organization's success.