In the modern work day, where many of us spend hours in front of a computer screen, technologies have adapted to share content faster, facilitate conversations, and improve collaboration. Here we outline Slack, Google Docs, WebEx and Trello; tech worth thinking about.
SLACK
Slack is a revolutionary tool for collaboration. We implemented Slack just over a year ago now, and it eliminates the need for- quite literally- hundreds of interoffice emails. Slack is where most of our organization’s conversations happen, and whether we are designing newsletters, updating websites, or discussing fundraising strategy it assures that everyone is in the loop.
Slack integrates with other systems (Dropbox and GoogleDocs most notably for us) which makes it a breeze to share content on their interface. This article goes more in-depth on slack’s integration.
Other quick-hitting benefits of slack:
You can create new channels for different conversations: this is tremendously helpful to keep conversations relevant and to sort different projects.
*In the same vein, there is a search bar in the top right, and all conversations and channels are archived: AKA you can search for any previous conversation, photo, or PDF version of an appeal at any time.
*With desktop and online platforms and mobile applications, Slack goes where you go; on your phone, on your work computer, on a remote laptop. This makes it very easy to keep up with specific projects while on the go.
GOOGLE DRIVE
This one should be a no-brainer. If you aren’t using Google Docs/Sheets, I’m going to need you to put whatever you are doing down, go to Gmail, and see what you’re missing. Blatant exaggeration aside, Google Drive is the best thing since (something better than sliced bread).
Google Drive allow multiple members of your team to collaborate on documents, edit articles and proofread grants simultaneously. No more “open a read-only version of this document” for you. By adding comments and suggestions you get that real-time conversation feel when you are working concurrently on the same project.
Our other fav thing about Google Drive? Access your documents anywhere you have internet. That’s a plus for organizations and individuals “on the go” who may be home and need to access that federal grant they’ve been chipping away at.
TRELLO
Say hello to Trello, especially if you love lists. Your projects can be organized on boards, which can be broken down into individual lists broken down into “cards” (tasks) made up of checklists. It’s great if you’re super type-A, but can be a lot to handle when paired with another interface (like Slack, for example). PC Mag suggests that Trello is more effective for quick rather than long-term, projects, because of its visual design but lack of other traditional project-management tools.
The great thing about Trello is you can check tasks off as you go, and it is collaborative- everyone in your office can be invited to each “Board,” and individual tasks can be assigned to each person. Tasks may also be issued a deadline. It’s a great way to keep track of what needs to get done, by when, and by whom.
WEBEX
Now, we know that there may be more advanced Web Meeting software, but Cisco WebEx software does great things and is cost effective. The free version allows you to meet with up to two others, but for $19-$25 a month you can host meetings for up to eight individuals and there are plans that allow for even more attendees.
The face-to-face meetings and screen-sharing capabilities that allow all participants to look at the same document in real time add a level of complexity that goes beyond a conference call. There is also a section for an agenda, and a “whiteboard” of sorts where you can take notes.
Keep up to date with our blog to find out how the newest technology can benefit your organization.