Collaboration in today’s dynamic environment isn’t just about sitting in meetings and brainstorming on whiteboards. Teams dispersed around the world still need to solve problems and make important decisions as if they’re in the same room. Providing organizations with the right blend tools to do their best is half the battle. After all, you wouldn’t give someone a steak knife to cut a tree, no matter how sharp that steak knife is.
You need the right mix of tools to collaborate, innovate, track projects and ensure everyone is on the same page. Let’s take a closer look at what modern collaboration tools can do for you and the different types of collaboration tools you should consider using.
What can collaboration tools do for you?
The right collaboration tech stack brings everyone together to work efficiently, whether they’re in Argentina or Zimbabwe. Understanding how various digital collaboration tools support team collaboration will help you assemble the right mix to keep employees happy and productive.
What is a collaboration tool?
A team collaboration tool is an online service or software that allows people to work together digitally via messaging, group chat, file sharing, project management tools, shared calendaring, workflow automation, voice and video calls, and more.
As the modern workplace extends beyond the four walls of an office building, these remote collaboration tools have become indispensable. Moreover, companies can manage these platforms centrally to streamline administrative tasks and archive conversation history for reference.
How do these digital tools support team collaboration?
Collaboration tools have transformed how teams communicate, share information and work together. They improve real-time communication through features like messaging, live chat and video conferencing while reducing the dependency on lengthy email threads, to enable faster decision-making.
These tools can also facilitate seamless document sharing and co-editing to foster teamwork and reduce errors by ensuring that everyone sees the most current information. Many tools also offer project management features for teams to organize tasks, set milestones and track progress right where they work.
Meanwhile, workflow automation streamlines repetitive tasks and reduces bottlenecks so team members can focus on strategic and creative aspects of their work. Cloud-based storage improves accessibility, enabling employees to view and edit documents from anywhere with an internet connection to enhance productivity.
Collaboration tools can also serve as centralized information hubs to promote transparency while keeping everyone on the same page. You can create an environment that fosters cross-functional innovation, breaks down silos and streamlines decision-making.
Tailor your collaboration tool stack to meet team needs
Your collaboration tool stack must include a thoughtful selection of software that aligns with each team’s objectives, workflows and communication preferences to help everyone perform at their best. Here are the most common types:
Web-based productivity tools for remote teams
These cloud-based collaboration tools are the bread and butter of the remote working era, allowing employees to work together in real time from anywhere. Instant chat and messaging keep everyone in the loop—re-creating an environment where you shout over your shoulder and someone will answer your question.
Most tools offer video-conferencing capabilities to facilitate virtual face-to-face meetings, presentations and discussions. Cloud-based file editing lets team members work on a document together while eliminating version control challenges. Meanwhile, centralized file storage and sharing with access control ensure data security and allow the right people to get the right information 24/7.
Visual, real-time collaboration tools
Imagine trying to describe a complex flow chart to someone over the phone; it just wouldn’t work. Cloud-based visual collaboration tools come to the rescue.
These tools aren’t just for designers. Project boards and cards help users visually manage tasks, assign team members and track progress. Meanwhile, virtual whiteboards support real-time visual collaboration, brainstorming and diagramming by allowing multiple users to contribute and edit visual content simultaneously.
Agile collaboration tools
These tools are designed to support the agile methodology and flexible workflows for managing tasks and sprints. Their customizable interfaces enable teams to respond quickly, prioritize tasks and allocate resources effectively. They also provide collaborative documentation and knowledge-sharing capabilities and support version-tracking features essential for an iterative approach.
Asynchronous collaboration tools
It’s hard to get anything done if every app pings and dings all day, requiring your immediate response. Asynchronous collaboration tools facilitate workflows and communication without real-time interactions, allowing employees to review and respond at their own pace. They’re best for collaborative documentation (e.g. wikis and knowledge bases), managing a shared to-do list and providing regular project updates.
Best collaboration tools of 2024
The best team collaboration tools must connect people, data and technology. Apps in your collaboration stack should work seamlessly together via robust integration features. Also, look for cutting-edge technologies like generative AI and automation capabilities to supercharge your team’s creativity and productivity. Here are our top picks for 2024 and beyond.
With over 30 million active users, Slack is where the magic happens. It supports synchronous and asynchronous communications with features like chat, click-and-drag file sharing, audio and video calls, screen-sharing, polls, status updates and notifications. The rich profile features make it feel like you’re in the same room with your colleagues by seeing if they’re offline, in a meeting or too knee-deep in another task to give you an immediate response.
You can create channels for specific teams, projects or other themes. The conversations are organized into threads so users can follow discussions most relevant to them. The platform also integrates with numerous over 2,600 popular collaboration and productivity tools, allowing you to connect the dots and access your favorite tools without having a gazillion tabs open and still get lost in a pile of chats, threads and emails.
So, how good is Slack? Our customer success metrics show that Slack increases employee engagement by 36%, while 89% of users say Slack has improved their communication.
Video calls are the staple of team collaboration. But if you feel they just “aren’t quite there,” you’re not alone. Around is a sleek and minimalistic video-conferencing app replicating the vibe of a dynamic workplace instead of a stiff conference table. As it says on its website, the app is “the ping-pong table, redefined.”
The AI-powered camera and unique interface enhance interactions while ensuring everything is at your fingertips. For example, you can switch among multiple apps without the awkward silence where you spend what seems like forever to find a tab. Moreover, the Slack integration allows you to start meetings with one click and automatically send meeting notes right from Slack.
Replace semi-legible whiteboard scribbles, unwieldy Excel sheets and coffee-stained sticky notes with this project management tool based on Kanban boards. You can get a bird’s-eye view of the status of projects, sub-projects and deliverables or move the digital prompt cards around to track progress and assign tasks.
The app allows you to create checklists and assign comments to cards to keep relevant dialogs in one place. You can also automate tasks to ensure that nothing falls through the cracks. Of course, Trello integrates with Slack, so anyone from your Slack workspace can join your Trello boards with one click.
Getting everyone onto the same page (and staying there) while working in different time zones and locations can be a major headache. How do you make all the protocols, workflows, standards, brand guidelines, etc., available, sharable and readily updatable? Enter Notion, the secure online wiki that helps you keep it all together.
Notion’s AI feature allows you to query all of your data and information to get answers and even autofill tables. Meanwhile, you can use the versatile interface to create galleries, establish timelines, manage workflows, build searchable databases and more. With our integration, you can update a Notion database with a Slack message.
There’s a lot more to collaboration than verbal content. Facial expressions and body language are essential for conveying the nuances of a message. Zoom is the go-to cloud-based video-conferencing platform for one-on-one conversations, meetings, conferences, webinars and town halls.
Use Zoom to chat with colleagues, share files and record meetings. With the Slack integration, you can start Zoom meetings from any Slack channel, private group or direct message. You can also share a Zoom Whiteboard with any Slack channel or direct message.
Building your dream collaboration stack is easier than ever
A collaboration stack is any remote team’s lifeline. You must choose the right tools to fit your communication needs, support your workflows and match your teams’ working style and preferences.
Slack provides the home base to keep it all together. You can automate virtually anything with your apps inside Slack. With our numerous integrations, you can connect the tools your team loves, getting more from them every time they use Slack. The proof is in the pudding: 1M+ apps are in active use each week and 700K+ users have built automated workflows in Slack. Try Slack for free to see what’s possible.
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