Your remote team is struggling to stay connected. What are the best collaboration tools to use?

Meetings are over-rated, do not engage in a remote meeting before there's a clear agenda defined for the meeting. Too many meetings are worthless. I believe Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. are good enough for remote meetings. Along with that project management tools such as Notion, Trello, Asana, and Monday.com are worth a try, especially depending on the requirements and convenience. Moreover, communication should help to encourage clarity among the stakeholders, not confusion. So, project leaders should know why, what, and when the call or meeting is important, and when it should be avoided, only text or email could do the job.

What do you have available? Go where your team is, whether it is Teams, Slack, Zoom, etc. Don't assume everyone "knows how" to use it. Run an onboarding session, use a buddy system, give people the space to learn and experiment, and even take some time out of a meeting to explore a "cool new feature" that has come out in that tool. The time to learn and explore is critical, providing people with a safe space to try and make mistakes helps build confidence for them to use the tool more and in new ways. Find additional ways to engage your staff and encourage connection, do a quiz, or play a game (there are many tools out there to support this: Kahoot, Mentimeter, explore free online games, or do a daily crossword as a team). Find what works

Tools are only as good as the users wielding them. In my realm, I navigate three types of team meetings. The first, Teamwise, is all about work and projects. The second, individual meetings, can veer into work or dive into personal matters – entirely optional, of course. The third is the Weekend Stress Buster, a chance for the team to kick back and open up. Microsoft Teams is the current go-to tool, no frills, just efficiency.

I think the responsibility for taking charge of communication in teams cannot be limited to deciding whether to use Meet or Teams. Either is a good choice. The key, and the weakness in companies, is not setting the rules of communication within the team. Practical rules, such as the use of email for non-urgent matters and the inclusion of specific, well thought out and written agendas in meeting requests so that each interaction does not become an interruption, but adds value to the collective work.

Em um contexto de trabalho remoto, a sele??o de ferramentas é crucial, mas igualmente importante é promover a comunica??o. Além das escolhas tecnológicas, destaco a necessidade de práticas culturais que cultivem a confian?a e proximidade entre a equipe. Ferramentas como Slack, JIRA, Zoom e Google Workspace s?o essenciais, mas a valoriza??o da comunica??o assíncrona e uma cultura que promova seguran?a e proximidade s?o fundamentais para o sucesso de equipes remotas.

A project management tool is essential for remote teams to collaborate efficiently. It provides a centralized hub where tasks, deadlines, and progress can be easily tracked and managed. With features like shared calendars, task lists, and file storage, team members can stay organized and on the same page despite geographical distances. Real-time communication tools within these platforms facilitate instant messaging and video conferencing, fostering seamless collaboration.

Every project management tool is useless, if you do not know the most important three things for every project. 1. To-do list (based on high, medium, and low priority) 2. 100% done list (which is already on LIVE and confirmed) 3. Additional list (questions, doubts, creds, etc via using labels) Other than that any list you create on these tools is most probably not going to be used or not so important.

You can consider integrating a combination of communication, collaborative document editing and project management tools. For example you can use Microsoft Teams and slack for instant messaging to get quick thoughts or provide updates. To facilitate a formal video conferencing you can try to use Google Meet, Teams, and Zoom to establish personal connection. For project management and task tracking, tools like Jira, ADO, and Teams planner can help streamline project related tasks and would give you a holistic picture of the projects at any time. Integrating filesharing solutions like Microsoft Sharepoint/Teams, Google Drive, Micrsoft365, Dropbox can ease collaboration on the documents and help share updates seamlessly.

We have a lot of project management tools that are available to track the tasks and monitor the performance. In my past experience, we have had a little tough time to get everyone in the team to start using the tool but it worked out well & helped to reduce the productive spent on followups with the peers and all the parties involved for each & every tasks related update. Besides using the project management tools, superiors will need to trust their peers to do their work and give somewhat free hand which will also perform better in a remote based environment.

Choosing the appropriate project management tool depends on understanding the nature of your business. For software development utilizing agile methodologies, Jira might be a suitable choice. In cases like network refresh, where a waterfall approach is more applicable, MS Project could suffice. The key is aligning the tool with the chosen methodology for effective project management.

Needless to say Security and Ease of Access, are non-negotiable must-haves. Here are my top tips for additional critical parameters while choosing effect document sharing tools- 1. Synchronization and Backup: - Real-time Sync for changes made by one team member to be instantly reflected for others - Automated Backup 2. Integration with Other Tools: - Compatibility with Productivity Suites like MS Office, Google Workspace for enhanced functionality. - Third-Party App Integration for connectivity with project management, communication tools. 3. Friendly UX UI - Intuitive Design: Easy to navigate interfaces enhance user adoption and productivity - Robust search functionality and effective file organization for efficient document management.

In my experience document sharing tools are a lot like email - in that not many people are actually "taught" how to use it properly. It is an assumed skill that once you know how to login the rest should be ok to "wing it". And once you are a bit further along in your career you probably have it down pat. The point is "don't assume" people know all about the document sharing tool. Yes, security and ease of access are critically important, but so is educating your staff on these matters. Not all teams have the same level of technical knowledge or understanding to use the tools effectively. They may have had a poor experience trying to get something to work properly and now don't use it. Provide the resources, time, and space to learn.

In my experience, document sharing tools share similarities with email—they're often used without formal training. Many assume that mastering the login suffices, and as one progresses in their career, proficiency grows. However, it's risky to presume everyone's familiarity. Despite the critical importance of security and accessibility, staff education on these tools is equally vital. Teams vary in technical knowledge, and some may avoid these tools due to past challenges. Offering resources, time, and support for learning becomes essential. Don't overlook the diverse levels of expertise within your team—ensure everyone has the opportunity and guidance to utilize document sharing tools effectively.

I do like the freeform structure of OneNote, or a Wiki page. Use what everyone else is already using and do not force others to use some other document sharing tool.

I mostly use Microsoft and Google Meet because of their security, easiness, compatibility and security. For project management my favourite tool is Microsoft Project if you ask me about any tool for anything In my view Microsoft has the best options

I am a firm believer in harnessing the power of gamification to enhance team dynamics. One game that has yielded remarkable success in my experience is a digital adaptation of Code Names, which I've played with my teams. I consistently strive to curate or devise remote games that directly address morale challenges within the team. For instance, when grappling with heightened uncertainty, I've found that engaging in short communication-focused games proves highly effective.

In my opinion, creativity is nothing but the imagination of a situation and scenario, or case , one should sketch it on rough paper with pros and cons. This will greatly contribute to the effective solutions and user friendly experiences. Pencil and paper should improve anyone's creativity

Creativity is the ability to generate new and original ideas, solutions, or products. To help with this, creativity tools are software applications that stimulate, enhance, and express your creativity with your team. When selecting a creativity tool, look for features such as inspiration and brainstorming to find sources of inspiration and organize ideas; design and prototyping to create designs and test prototypes; and presentation and storytelling to present ideas and tell a story. Popular creativity tools include Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma, and Prezi.

As tools are indeed very useful. I've used Canva, Mural, and others for brainstorming and online/offline collaboration. Lately, I've been using ChatGPT, Midjourney, and other AIs as well. Undoubtedly, these tools are essential for facilitating the creative process. However, the most crucial factor is having an organizational culture that fosters creativity. It's necessary to create spaces and time windows for creativity to flourish. Creative idleness and freedom of expression are vital. Engagement only happens when people feel part of the collective, free, and inspired.

Creativity tools for remote teams play a crucial role in fostering innovation and collaboration in distributed work environments. Platforms like Miro, Trello, and Slack offer features that facilitate brainstorming, idea sharing, and project management. Virtual whiteboards, collaborative spaces, and real-time communication channels enable team members to contribute ideas seamlessly. These tools not only enhance creativity but also address the challenges of distance and time zones, promoting a dynamic and efficient creative process for remote teams.

Providing time for employees to actively learn and experiment is critical to any learning (no need to focus on a particular 'learning tool'). We learn best when we are teaching others, allocate some time to share something someone in your team learnt that week. Others may already know it, but some might not, either way make it a safe environment to share and learn. it doesn't have to be an extensive training session it could be as simple as "I learnt this new shortcut this week". Regarding some of the tools previously mentioned, you can explore the help resources provided by the vendor, which usually have some great how-tos and video guides. Learning new ways of working can result in productivity and creativity gains for staff

Do it yourself and learn from your mistakes is the best learning tool. Learning from other can only help to a certain point, until you try and do it yourself. Also remember, you learn more from failing then from succeeding.

Learning involves acquiring new knowledge, skills, or abilities, and learning tools, such as Coursera, Udemy, Skillshare, and LinkedIn Learning, aid in this process. When choosing a learning tool, consider features like content quality, personalization, engagement, feedback, assessment, and collaboration. Quality content spans various formats, while personalization tailors learning to your goals. Engagement is maintained through gamification or quizzes, and feedback should be constructive and timely. Assessments, like tests or certificates, are crucial, and collaboration involves connecting with team members, mentors, or peers through forums or chats within a supportive learning community.

à medida que o mundo se torna cada vez mais tecnológico e interconectado, somos agraciados com uma variedade crescente de ferramentas e recursos que podem catalisar nosso processo de aprendizado. Temos à nossa disposi??o um vasto arsenal de recursos que podem potencializar nossa capacidade de imaginar, criar, inovar e aprender. Entretanto, para extrair todo o potencial dessas ferramentas, é crucial n?o se limitar à sua funcionalidade, mas sim estar disposto a explorar e experimentar. Vídeos no YouTube, por exemplo, s?o eficazes para elucidar novas tecnologias de forma prática. Ainda assim, é fundamental n?o negligenciar as técnicas de aprendizado tradicionais, como a leitura de livros e o estudo prático.

Learning is the process of acquiring new knowledge, skills, or abilities, and learning tools are software applications that can help you to do just that with your team. When choosing a learning tool, you should look for features such as content and quality, personalization and engagement, feedback and assessment, and collaboration and community.

Odoo, an open-source platform, unifies key remote work tools. Its communication module streamlines team chats, akin to Slack, perfect for global teams. Project management features offer visual task tracking, equivalent to Asana and Trello, enhancing productivity. Document management mirrors Google Drive's real-time collaboration and version control. While not directly replacing Miro or Figma, Odoo's website builder and eLearning modules support creative work and learning. Its eLearning feature encourages skill development, similar to Coursera. Odoo's integrated approach efficiently fosters a cohesive, well-connected remote team environment.

Egal, ob ihr Slack, Zoom oder was auch immer benutzt und ob wir über die ganze Welt verteilt sind – lasst uns nicht vergessen, einfach mal über Nicht-Job-Zeug zu quatschen. Kleine Siege feiern, Misserfolge teilen und immer ein offenes Ohr haben.

apart from all the above methods utilising the tools is good to have but I believe the best mode of communication between humans is still face-to-face as it gives authenticity of being present and inclusivity. Hence half-yearly or yearly off-sites are a great way to collaborate with your team.

Além das ferramentas, invista tempo em treinamentos de boas práticas que sirvam tanto para a boa comunica??o síncrona, quanto assíncrona. Quanto mais esta última característica tiver na forma de se comunicar no seu grupo mais apto este estará para um trabalho remoto de alta performance.

Here are collaboration tools for remote teams categorized based on pricing: Free or Freemium: 1. Slack: Offers a free version with basic features, and paid plans with advanced functionalities for larger teams. 2. Microsoft Teams: Part of Microsoft 365, it provides free access with limited features and premium plans with additional collaboration tools. Affordable Mid-Range Options: 4. Asana: Provides a free plan for small teams and affordable premium plans with advanced project management features. 5. Zoom: While known for video conferencing, Zoom offers a free plan for shorter meetings and affordable paid plans for longer and larger meetings.