MURAL is a tool that, despite its growing user base, is still not as widely recognized in the broader market. It is an excellent digital workspace for visual collaboration, enabling teams to innovate and problem-solve together through diagrams, sketches, and more. This tool is particularly beneficial for our design and development teams who rely heavily on visual aids and brainstorming sessions. What makes MURAL indispensable is its focus on enhancing creative processes through a shared, digital whiteboard interface. It allows team members to contribute visually in real-time, which is perfect for sprint planning, retrospectives, and any session where visualizing the task at hand leads to better understanding and innovation. For a company like ours, where remote collaboration must bridge various creative and operational gaps, MURAL has been key to maintaining the flow of ideas and ensuring that all voices are heard and visualized.
Collaboration methods for teams based online need to be effective and streamlined. If you are working with teams from several different countries, you need a tool that can connect you all in real-time. This way you will be able to contact each other with no issues during the course of the working day. We found that using a tool like Bitrix will help in this regard. This connection tool helps us contact and connect with each other in real-time and ensures that we have updates regarding work-related information as it happens. We have a channel that is dedicated to our company, and within this channel, we are able to message employees directly and even have group channels that are specific to the different departments in our team. Other features include a feed where we can make company announcements and also a project management tool to see how dedicated projects work out. It also allows us to synchronize with external applications and have everything that we need in one central location. It has really helped us work more effectively with each other.
Another powerful but less known tool for online team collaboration is Miro. Miro is a flexible online team collaboration whiteboard that is created so teamwork on brainstorming, planning, and even real-time collaboration from different parts of the world is possible. That is probably why Miro is unique but, at the same time, user-friendly. Its flexibility offers many templates along with the integrations that fit the nature of the workflows, be it agile project management or creative brainstorming. Its visual nature helps to communicate ideas clearly and effectively to members of the team, creating that sense of engagement and participation that can sometimes be quite difficult in a purely virtual environment.
We love using Notion for projects that aren’t part of our regular workflows. The in-depth customization makes it perfect for these types of projects because we can set it up exactly how we need it. For instance, we’ve used it to manage everything from event planning to complex client projects. Everyone on the team can easily access and update the information, which keeps us all on the same page.
A surprisingly powerful yet familiar tool for online team collaboration is the duo of Google Sheets and Google Docs. Often used individually, their collaborative features are underutilized. At our UI/UX design agency, these tools are essential for cross-departmental collaboration. Real-time editing ensures everyone stays on the same page, while cloud storage provides centralized access and editing for authorized team members, regardless of location. Built-in commenting and revision history foster transparent communication and efficient feedback loops. This user-friendly suite empowers seamless collaboration across departments.
My top underrated online collaboration tool is Loom. I love Loom for asynchronous communication among team members. It's great when you have teams spread out in the world, as you don't need to worry about time zones. With Loom, you can make quick and easy screenshare videos that have your face on the screen as well. This really helps team members feel connected with each other, even when they live all over the world. I also love that they offer a written transcription of each video when you have the paid version of Loom. In particular, I find Loom useful for sharing project updates, training on internal processes, and reducing the confusion that can come from written communication only. It's so much better to be able to show teammates what you mean, rather than just telling them about it in writing.
Despite receiving less attention than it should, Loom is a really useful tool for online team collaboration. When managing a facility with employees dispersed across multiple sites and working different shifts, asynchronous communication becomes a necessity. Loom enables staff members to create, share, and watch important work-related recordings, ensuring that everyone is informed and engaged independent of their schedule. One instance that highlighted Loom's effectiveness was when I used it to discuss a new treatment plan. Instead of organizing a live meeting, which I knew many employees couldn't attend at the time, I made a video and sent it to the team. This allowed everyone to know about, follow along, and understand the changes whenever it was convenient for them. It ensured that the entire team was on the same page and enabled them to go over the explanation at any point, improving the clarity and consistency of our processes. Having timely and accurate information is critical in what we do, and Loom has changed the game in this regard.
One lesser-known yet highly effective tool for online team collaboration is **Twist**. Twist focuses on asynchronous communication, which contrasts with the real-time nature of tools like Slack. This is particularly beneficial for distributed teams or those working in different time zones, as it reduces the pressure to be continuously online and available, fostering a more thoughtful and digestible communication flow. In my experience at TechTrone IT Services, where we manage complex IT infrastructure projects, Twist has streamlined our project management and day-to-day operations. The way it organizes communication into threads helps our team maintain focus and ensures that all discussions are easy to track and review later. Unlike many chat apps, which can become chaotic quickly, Twist’s threaded conversations allow us to compartmentalize discussions by topic or project, reducing the noise and making information retrieval straightforward. We noticed a significant improvement in team productivity after integrating Twist. For example, our response time for internal queries decreased by about 40%, and the overall time savings allowed us to focus more on core business activities such as client support and strategic IT planning. For SMBs looking to enhance their remote collaboration efficiency without the constant pings and distractions of traditional chat apps, Twist is a hidden gem worth exploring.
When it comes to online team collaboration, many companies default to the usual suspects like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Workspace. While these are great options, I've found Quip to be an underutilized gem in this space. Quip is a powerful yet intuitive document creation and project management platform. What makes Quip stand out is its living documents feature - team members can work together in real-time to edit shared docs with built-in messaging and tasks. The documents stay synced and organized as the project evolves. I've used Quip with remote teams of all sizes and it streamlines collaboration like no other tool. Team members can brainstorm ideas, assign action items, share feedback, and track progress without the chaos of long email threads or missed notifications. And it integrates nicely with tools like Slack, so you get the best of both worlds. If your team struggles with disconnected collaboration, I highly recommend giving Quip a try. It's been a game-changer for keeping my remote teams aligned and engaged. The best part is it has a free version, so there's no need to commit fully until you experience the benefits firsthand.
One word: Etherpad. On the surface, it's a less sophisticated alternative to Google Docs, where multiple team members can edit the same doc in real time. But it's much more than that: not only are the entries color-coded so you can easily discern between different people, but the app is open-source, very lightweight and customizable, and you can host it independently. Which means your work is in your hands, not Google's! It's a bit of a pain to set up as you need plugins for every functionality, but even that doesn't take long.
Quip is an excellent collaboration tool that I find particularly useful for teams that work extensively with documents and spreadsheets. It combines the functionality of a word processor and a spreadsheet with strong collaboration features, allowing team members to edit documents simultaneously and communicate through integrated chat within each document. This streamlines the process of document creation and revision, making it seamless for teams to work together on reports, proposals, and plans without switching between different platforms.
I believe that one lesser-known yet effective tool for online team collaboration is Miro. Miro is a digital whiteboard platform that facilitates real-time brainstorming, planning, and collaboration. Here's why it's effective- 1. Visual Collaboration- Miro allows teams to create and share visual content, such as mind maps, flowcharts, and wireframes, making complex ideas easier to understand. 2. Real-Time Editing - Multiple users can simultaneously edit and contribute, fostering a dynamic and interactive working environment. 3. Integration - It integrates with popular tools like Slack, Trello, and Google Workspace, streamlining workflows and centralizing resources. 4. Templates - Miro offers a wide range of templates for various purposes, helping teams start projects quickly and efficiently. This tool enhances creativity, clarity, and cohesion in remote and hybrid teams.
Guru (https://www.getguru.com/) is a tool I find really nice but it’s severely underrated. Guru is an AI-powered enterprise search, intranet, and wiki tool that offers a comprehensive solution for businesses. It features AI-driven company knowledge search, a customizable employee engagement hub, and an automated centralized knowledge base, all of which integrate seamlessly with existing workflows and tools. I recommend Guru because it significantly aids in team collaboration by centralizing and organizing company knowledge, making it easily accessible to all employees. This platform is designed to boost productivity and propel businesses forward by eliminating knowledge silos and reducing the time wasted searching for information. With features like AI-driven knowledge search, customizable employee engagement hubs, and automated knowledge bases, Guru helps streamline the flow of information. And also, it integrates well with existing workflows and tools, allowing users to access needed information without leaving their current workspace.
Harnessing the Power of Microsoft Teams to Streamline Team Collaborations Microsoft Teams is an invaluable tool for facilitating online team collaboration. It serves as a centralized platform, enabling our team to communicate, share files, and work together on projects seamlessly. Within our legal process outsourcing company, we rely on Microsoft Teams daily to ensure efficient communication. Featuring real-time chat, document sharing, and video conferencing, Teams optimizes our workflow and maintains connectivity among team members, even when working remotely. Its integration with Microsoft Office tools facilitates seamless collaboration on documents and presentations. Overall, Microsoft Teams has evolved into an indispensable component of our daily operations, significantly boosting productivity and promoting collaboration across our team.
Vimeo is an excellent tool for collaboration. The program allows you to record videos, make edits easily, and share with those who need the information. You can share your screen when recording to clear up confusion or provide a different type of visual with your recording. It's a great tool for personal communication because you can share the link on platforms like Slack. You can also search for the topic. So, someone who may have missed an instructional video can log into Vimeo later and search for the topic, watch the video, and catch up.
As the CEO of a tech firm, managing cross-departmental tasks is a daily duty. A lesser-known, yet potent collaboration tool that has come under my radar is 'Samepage'. It’s akin to having a virtual conference room where not only can tasks be organized and assigned, but also whole projects can be visualized on timelines, team files can be stored for easy access and team communication can be consolidated. Its ability to integrate with other apps we frequently use is like icing on the cake! Managing departments has never been easier.
An effective yet often overlooked collaboration tool is "Notion." Known for its versatility, Notion combines notes, tasks, databases, and calendars into a unified workspace. This adaptability makes it an ideal tool for teams that manage multiple types of content and project tracking. Teams can customize their workspaces to fit their specific needs, whether for software development tracking, content calendars, or HR documentation. The real strength of Notion lies in its ability to replace several separate tools with a single, streamlined interface, reducing the clutter of multiple apps. Its ease of use and comprehensive features enable teams to maintain organization and enhance productivity without overwhelming users with complexity.
One lesser-known yet highly effective tool for online team collaboration is Notion. Notion allows teams to create, share, and organize everything from wikis, databases, and project timelines to simple to-do lists all within a single platform. This level of customization and integration ensures that all team members have real-time access to essential information, promoting transparency and productivity.
In my opinion, Notion is a highly effective yet lesser-known tool for online team collaboration. It combines note-taking, project management, and database features in one platform. This versatility allows teams to create customized workflows, from simple to-do lists to complex project dashboards. It's also highly adaptable, making it easy to organize information and keep everyone on the same page. Plus, its clean interface and collaborative features make it user-friendly, boosting team productivity. The ultimate in customization to build out all your SOPs, task tracking, and everything in between!
One lesser-known tool that has proven highly effective for our team is Twist. Unlike more mainstream communication tools that often promote instant messaging and frequent interruptions, Twist offers a more organized, thread-based approach to team conversations. This allows for more thoughtful discussions that don't get lost in a flood of real-time chats. It's particularly useful for remote teams who work across different time zones, as it helps in maintaining a clear and accessible record of all communications. The reason Twist stands out as a great tool for our team is its ability to keep conversations both organized and contextual. Each thread can be dedicated to a particular project or topic, making it easy to track discussions and maintain focus. This structure is crucial for us as it reduces the clutter typically associated with team chats and ensures that important information is not buried under a pile of messages, thereby increasing productivity and reducing miscommunication.