For almost every team that strives to work smarter and increase productivity, technology is part of the solution – and the problem. Research has shown that project managers recognize the need for new technology to support effective ways of working. But in reality, still only half have adopted new tools to increase productivity and save time.
As more people start to realize that traditional tools such as emailing or spreadsheets are no longer fit for purpose, the need for a strategy for how to use technology within the team becomes more apparent. Here are three tactics to make technology a part of the solution for your team:
[Organization] Create a virtual office
[Methods] Use fewer, better tools
[Communication] Move away from email
Just as your team members know where your office is located, with all its associated assets, it is nowadays just as important to know where to find your virtual office. Start every new project by defining a shared online platform. A single, centralized, cloud-based hub for your team’s work is as crucial as having access to a desk, meeting rooms or a coffee machine. Every member should be able to login, get an overview of the project, wherever they are. Information should be easily accessed; updates on deliverables, deadlines, and responsibilities.
The Bring Your Own trend has the potential to both inject productivity in your project, but also create more confusion. Which channels should we use for communication? Where to store all important documents? How do we secure that everyone has access to the latest version of the plan? By using a single piece of software, rather than multiple tools to manage your projects, you don’t risk loosing pace while trying to determine your protocol. Having one or just a few means there’s less for you and your team to manage, which streamlines processes and helps you all get more things done. Also, the most capable platforms are able to integrate with external apps. It enables a high level of flexibility and customization for the individual team members while securing a centralized and efficient approach.
Email is eating the world. A mean for communication from the initial days of computer-to-computer communications, the art of emailing has not evolved as apparent as many other aspects in the digital age. But when people not so long ago could expect to browse through the inbox with ease a couple of times per day, managing emails has now been a real pain point. Email is completely static, it is easy to ignore, and doesn’t offer transparency. “Reply all” does not equal collaboration, few things are easier to ignore then email threads with multiple parties involved. Instead, by sharing all team communication within a collaboration tool the need for unnecessary emailing is reduced significantly. Communication becomes transparent, increases involvement among team members and boosts team spirit. It also makes previous discussions easier to find, as they are saved in the right context, not just stored away in someone’s inbox.
Want to learn more about using technology to boost your team and getting things done? Our new free ebook Project Manager’s Guide to Getting things Done collects top tips from our project management experts to help you reach your goals.
You can also sign up here for free to get your project up and running in five minutes and try smart project collaboration.
