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There is absolutely no doubt that good collaboration is critical for any team or business that aims for high efficiency. Conversely, however, just like so many other aspects of business, an abundance of collaboration does not automatically mean that collaboration is efficient.
Collaboration efficiency depends on many factors, from using the right tools and platforms, to working well with a remote team. The choice of best tools always depends on the type of work they will be used for, but also on individual preferences and results that they bring.
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Of course, as with anything else, there are also all star tools that have been tweaked to almost perfection and have a very large user base. Here are some of the best collaboration apps and their features so you have an easier time choosing the most appropriate apps for your business.
1. Slack for Great Team Communication
Slack is by far one of the most popular communication apps for business – and with good reason. While business owners may frown upon slacking at work, the truth is, teams function best when they engage in a blend of both business and personal communication.
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Not only does Slack offer powerful search features that can help you find any information you might need across a multitude of channels, but it also allows you to create both public and private channels, add polls or attach documents.
You can create any number of channels you want: one to discuss ongoing projects, another to loop in other departments or even one to make arrangements to meet with a few colleagues for a happy hour after work.
2. Asana for Assignments
The best project management for any team is going to depend largely on how the team or project manager operates best. Some teams and project managers are linear thinkers that prefer to work through projects step-by-step.
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If you can’t make it through a single day without your trusty to-do list to help you along, then Asana might be just the app for you. Far heartier than your average to-do list, Asana can keep you and your entire team all working in lock-step with each other. Another great feature of Asana is that they have a free version for small teams or businesses looking to try before they buy.
3. Trello for Project Management
If you are more of a big-picture type of person and need to have a better overview of an entire project or several projects happening at once, then Trello might be just right for you. A great feature of Trello is that it is compatible with any number of other great project management and communication apps like Slack, OneDrive and Evernote. Most teams rely on a variety of different apps to keep them functioning and flowing smoothly. Trello can work seamlessly with them all.
4. OneDrive for File Sharing and Work
While there are many file sharing apps, the beauty of OneDrive is that it is already a part of one of the most popular office suites in use today. OneDrive does so much more than just create a convenient place to store all your files. With OneDrive you can make sure that everyone in the office – and outside of it – is working with the most up-to-date information, forms, SOP’s and other commonly used documents. With OneDrive, teams can make notes, changes and corrections to the same document to create the most comprehensive end-product and they can access it from anywhere. Start your presentation on your desktop before you leave the office, check the notes your team made on your phone before you get on your flight and then put the finishing touches on it from your tablet once you arrive at your hotel.
5. Evernote
Evernote is often thought of as being more of a personal planning app than a team app, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, Evernote is great for creative or design teams that often need to collaborate or work together on a project that draws inspiration from a specific range of works.
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Whether you are a team of architects trying to design a building that hearkens back to turn-of-the-century architecture or a team of fashion designers working on a collection inspired by the 70’s, Evernote is a great way to share inspirational ideas and keep everyone on the same page.
6. Go To Meeting
There is no doubt that face-to-face meetings are important, but they are also becoming increasingly difficult to pull off. There is also a reason they are called “face-to-face” and not simply “in-person” meetings. Faces are actually far more critical to good communication than words are. Words can be ambiguous, and we actually rely far more on facial expression to interpret words than we might be aware of.
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Video conferencing can provide many of the same critical elements of a face-to-face meeting even among people that are separated by a great distance. Go To Meeting is a video conferencing service that can help your long-distance meetings be just as effective as your in-person ones.
Many project management apps offer roughly the same features, but each one functions in a slightly different way. While there may be many tools you can use to do the same job, even the most minor feature adjustments can make one tool far more effective than another. The point is not to just get one that will work, the point is to get exactly the right tool for exactly the kind of job you need to accomplish.
