These days, it is critical to have online collaboration capabilities. Online collaboration tools enable you to reduce overhead by reducing or eliminating the need for physical collaboration. At the same time, these tools provide massive power and flexibility with a wide range of functionality.
Online collaboration tools are used in the workplace (and elsewhere) for sharing, organizing, and storing information. When multiple users create content (such as documents, images, video clips, etc.) to share with one another, they can use collaboration software or Web services to create a virtual workspace through which participants can communicate. Documents can be captured in an online repository (sometimes referred to as a “collaborative workspace”), and team members can share their expertise and knowledge by adding comments.
Positive engagement
Effective collaboration tools…
…motivate learners
There is value in bringing learners together in a digital space. Learners are more motivated when they can see others are going through the same experiences. Encouraging peer-interaction will help learners to feel less isolated.
Are inclusive of learner identity
Tools can be engaging when they allow learners to personalise the experience; for example, through creating customisable avatars or environments.
…build a positive learning atmosphere, with positive feedback, collaboration, and safe spaces for learning
In many ways, online collaboration will be more appealing to some learners – it can create a sense of independence. It is a semi-autonomous space in which to interact, without feeling anxious or scared about contributing publicly in class.
…give learners access to relevant, authentic and interesting topics
Teachers and learners can upload and share links to authentic content relevant to their learning, such as articles, blogs, videos, podcasts, etc.
Maximize creative efforts
Expand creative output and promote overall team input with the ability to share files. Online collaboration tools give team members the capability of sharing unique, digital files by reviewing a document together or sharing an online workspace. Use these resources to give your teams a chance to build off each other’s creativity. This type of climate not only pushes the limits of an organization’s creativity but enhances productivity and efficiency as well.
When a team is given opportunities to create in settings conducive to creativity, the resulting projects reflect it. It’s not enough to share feedback and ideas through email or other limited settings. Instead, teams need to be connected in real time to effectively boost each other’s potential for creative output.
Online collaboration tools such as Dropbox offer sharing and scheduling features. Dropbox is one of the most popular online collaboration tools due to the fact it meets a lot of the storage needs of modern organizations. Exploit the powerful collaboration possibilities that tools like Dropbox offers to empower teams and bolster creativity and performance.
Increased security
If you handle sensitive data as part of your job, you’ll know the severe consequences of a data breach.
Emails can accidentally be sent to the wrong person, leaving your organisation vulnerable.
An online collaboration tool gives you total control over who sees your data. You can set permissions, only allowing certain individuals or teams to view a document or a series of documents.
Leading vendors also put strict security measures in place to ensure that the software can’t be hacked.
Reduce the number of tools you use
You’ll no doubt have a long list of tools that you use on a daily basis.
You might use Excel to record holiday requests; a survey tool such as Survey Monkey to interview key stakeholders, a productivity app like Todoist to manage your tasks – the list goes on.
Wouldn’t it be better to have everything in one place? With a collaboration tool, you can then use just one login and access a wide range of tools and data at your fingertips. No need to remember a million different passwords either!
Increase productivity
You would hope so right? There is no point implementing a collaboration tool if it’s not going to increase productivity.
Luckily, they do. Research has found that these tools can improve team efficiency by 20%, which in turn leads to more effective collaboration in the workplace.
One key reason for this is that your stakeholders can access all of the information they need easily, in one place.
This can help cut down the time that they spend searching for documents.
Statistics suggest that employees spend 1.8 hours every day—9.3 hours per week, on average—searching and gathering information.
With this reduced, your colleagues can spend more time being productive and less time on boring, admin related tasks.
Document version control
With people sending multiple versions of a document, it’s almost impossible to know which one is definitive.
Online collaboration software gives you back this control, by clearly showing the latest version of a document. The added benefit is that all the comments related to the document are located in one place for easy access and analysis.
Capture ideas
How often have you discovered a great idea to improve your organisation, sent it to your boss and never got a response?
The main for this is that it got lost in the sea of emails they receive every day.
An online tool, allows you to capture all of your ideas in one location. Also, because these tools are easily searchable, you and your colleagues can easily track down an idea if required.
Utilize Reliable Collaboration Tools
There are hundreds of collaboration tools online, from simple messenger programs to comprehensive suites that facilitate project development. Some collaboration tools are free, some can be purchased and some require a monthly subscription. Most important of all, the web offers a few trustworthy, safe collaboration tools – and a very many unreliable, potentially dangerous ones.
Before you download any software online, you should do some research to verify that it not only provides the features you need but also that it is not compromised by malware. Reviews on different services should provide enough information about which ones aren’t quite trustworthy and which will satisfy your collaboration needs.
Employ Strong Security Software
A significant portion of your security policy should address the types of security software your organization will have in place. This software should be present on every device connected to the
network and any device that manages business-related data – which is to say any device connected through collaboration tools. Some of the most important security tools include:
- Identity management. Identity-level security is foundational for protecting access to sensitive information. An identity management tool controls shared credentials and controls admin privileges.
- Intrusion prevention. Like advanced antivirus, intrusion prevention systems look for threats while monitoring networks and devices in real time.
- Security analytics. Big Data is especially useful in understanding the effectiveness of an existing security plan. Analytics tools provide insight into organization’s security strategy and responses and offer improvements.
Improving employee satisfaction
Online collaboration tools make it easier to work remotely. Everything is stored in the cloud, so your team can access documents, join meetings, or discuss projects from anywhere.
And if you want happier, more productive employees, giving them the option of working remotely is one of the best things you can do.
Employees value remote work so much that 34 percent are prepared to take a pay cut in exchange. More to the point, a Stanford University study found that employees who worked remotely:
- Were 50 percent less likely to change job
- Took fewer sick days
- Were 24 percent more likely to say they’re happy at work
- Averaged a full extra day a week in terms of productivity
Aside from happier employees, remote working also lowers your overheads, which saves money.
For example, PGI found that remote working can help businesses save up to $10,000 per employee in rent, utilities, and other real estate costs. Each year.
Project Collaboration Solution Requirements
- Cloud-based technology. A decade ago, most software solutions stored data on hard drives. …
- Workflow management tools. A good project management solution is one that brings everyone together. …
- A visual representation of your workload.
- The ability to track multiple projects.
Types of Collaborative Working
- Team Collaboration. This is one of the most common types of business collaboration in the workplace. …
- Community Collaboration.
- Network Collaboration.
- Cloud Collaboration.
- Video Collaboration.
- Internal Collaboration.
- External Collaboration.
- Strategic Alliance.
Conclusion
We use our online collaboration tools to communicate with the different service teams. One of the core technologies we use is a bug tracking tool that helps us communicate issues and collaborate on their resolution. We also use a source code management system to share code across our multi-site development team. We even have a shared calendar that lets everyone know what other teams are doing, so we can better coordinate our efforts and avoid conflicts.