Collaboration is the fuel on which successful organizations run on the road of productivity. The secret to collaborate effectively is simple — working together in complete unison. To make the process more seamless, technology is offering an abundance of options in the form of team management applications and online collaboration software sprucing up in the market at an exponential rate.
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If collaboration is the oil, we have to have a source that produces that oil. That source is online collaboration software. Some call them team management application while others team project management tools. As businesses and organizations are aware of the importance of team collaboration, collaboration software are on the rise these days.
Before we move ahead, how about we refresh our basics and define what exactly is a collaboration software?
What is a collaboration software?
The term collaboration software has a variety of meanings because it’s not just a single product but rather a broad category of applications and software. According to Wikipedia, “Collaborative software is an application software designed to help people involved in a common task to achieve their goals.”
Collaboration software enables the sharing, processing, and management of files, documents, and other data types among several users. This type of software allows two or more remote users to jointly work on a task or project.
The features you should look for in a collaboration software
Now, as we know the exact definition of team project management tools, let’s focus on how to choose one for your business. As the nature of every business is different, the process of zeroing the right tool will also vary. Below are some essential features every collaboration tool must possess. Let’s see what these features are:
Project management
Teams — small or large — have to manage a large number of complex projects. The most essential prerequisite while choosing a team management application is that it must possess comprehensive project management features. Everything your team members do from creating to managing tasks should be shareable and trackable. Make sure the chosen project management software gives you better control over projects and team communications, makes team members more accountable, and helps you achieve better work satisfaction.
Online document storage
There was a time when you would have to go to a filing cabinet to get the documents for your project. Now that everything going digital, online collaboration software acts as a central place to store, organize, and share your important files and documents seamlessly so that you collaborate with them as needed.
Team communication
It’s impossible to collaborate if you can’t communicate. There has to be a way to which team members, clients, and other key decision-makers can communicate with each other. That’s why you need a project management software where your team members can reach out to each other and be accessible at the need of the hour.
These are some of the essential features you should look for in a team management tool. Try for a software that is an overall package and meet most of your requirements, if not all so that team members can communicate and collaborate effectively.
To make the search easier for you, we have compiled a list of popular team project management tools that can help you collaborate in real-time and get work done. Let’s take a look at them.
Top 20 Collaboration Software 2018 - ProofHub
All-in-one project management software
ProofHub
ProofHub is an all-in-one easy to use project management software being used by more than 85,000 teams and businesses to collaborate and meet their business needs. It acts as a central place for your projects, team, and project documents. The versatile task management software makes it easy to create plans, collaborate with teams and clients, and deliver projects on time. There are Online discussions and Group chat features for easy collaboration amongst team members. It comes with a fairly long list of features such as Gantt charts, Online proofing, Reports, Notes and more. And, the super-handy mobile app for Android and iOS comes as a breath of fresh air.
Online document storage
Google Drive
Collaboration is one of the most killer features of Google Drive, so it’s not surprising that several teams have integrated Google Drive into their services. Launched in 2012, since then, it has been one of the most widely used software to store, edit, and share documents. This approach makes it simple to provide immediate access to collaborators. Any changes made in them are automatically saved in them. You can store documents, spreadsheets, presentations, audios, and images etc. It is quite effective in promoting transparency as team members can see each other’s drafts and create new opportunities for communication and collaboration.
Dropbox
Dropbox is another famous file-sharing and cloud storage service used for sharing files, photos and backup files. All folders in Dropbox are private by default, but you can share them with others to collaborate or to take an opinion from team members. It is particularly helpful for sharing large files and backups. Trusted by 300,000 businesses, Dropbox gives teams what they need to push work forward and stay ahead of the curve. It allows you to access your files from your desktop, Mac, Android, and iOS. Moreover, it doesn’t restrict the number of files you share or the people you share those files with.
Team communication
Skype
Owned by Microsoft, Skype is a web-based communication tool that is mainly used for video chat, international calls, and texting. Skype is a free software with which you can reach out to millions of people and collaborate in real-time. You can add up to 25 people on group audio calls and up to 10 people on audio calls. Skype plays an important role in giving out the message to never underestimate the significance of real-time voice and video communication to foster strong ties and grow your business. While the basic version is free but you can upgrade to a paid version with an additional cost.
Zoom
Zoom is a real powerhouse video and web conferencing tool enabling a large number of people to participate in the video meeting. Zoom covers all the features of a classic webinar that contributes to boosting collaboration among team members by offering quality video, audio, and screen-sharing experiences. What makes Zoom stands out from other video conferencing tools is that only one person has to download it and others just need to click on the meeting link to join the video conversation from their phone, tablet, or desktop. You can accommodate as much as 500 participants to your virtual meeting and collaborate in real-time.
Thanks to technology one doesn’t need to take the next flight for a meeting with a client. You just need to include these team management and collaboration tools to your team business and collaborate with just a tap on your smartphone. These tools have made a way for collaboration and team management in many ways.
These were the most popular tools trusted by multiple teams and businesses. We would love to know which project management tools or techniques you use to boost your collaboration. You can leave a comment below in the comments section.
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A beginner’s guide to choosing the best collaboration software was originally published in ProofHub Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
