Collaboration tools are becoming business software
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2025 5:46 am
Collaboration tools connect users and allow them to communicate (usually via chat and/or video conferencing) and share files in real time. They are especially useful for organizations that have employees working in different locations and time zones.
Companies can purchase standalone collaboration tools like Slack or Flock, or purchase a larger project management solution with built-in collaboration features.
WHY IS THIS A TREND FOR 2019
As the leading online resource for business software buyers, we’ve helped thousands of small and medium businesses find the right PM tools for their business needs. When analyzing these interactions with potential PM software buyers, we saw that requests for collaboration tools have more than doubled in the last five years, from 22% in 2014 to 61% in 2018.
This makes collaboration the third most requested capability boost your business with our doctor database for project teams, behind project planning/tracking (90%) and task management (71%) – and we expect this number to increase in 2019.
Project Management Capabilities Most in Demand by SMBs in 2018
Source: Technology and Project Management: What Small Businesses Can Learn from Their Peers' Investments
HOW TO MANAGE THIS TREND IN YOUR SMB
Collaboration tools can have a huge impact on your team - both positive and negative.
A McKinsey study found that more than 60% of an employee’s time is spent on non-role related tasks, such as responding to email and searching/gathering information. Using the right tools in these areas can lead to a 20-25% increase in productivity.
But using the wrong tools (or too many tools, or tools that overlap) can have the opposite effect. A 2018 Planview collaboration study found that ineffective collaboration practices—such as relying on email or not centralizing project information—can result in lost time equal to nine workweeks per year.
To collaborate effectively, project teams need to create - and follow - a communication plan and a tool hierarchy that defines which tool they should use for which type of communication.
Consider using chat for anything that isn't urgent or informal, use email for more formal requests, and keep all project-related conversations in your general PM tool.
Then take appropriate action to ensure that these rules are followed. If someone chats with you about a project, ask them to re-email the information to the team or post it in your shared PM tool.
Companies can purchase standalone collaboration tools like Slack or Flock, or purchase a larger project management solution with built-in collaboration features.
WHY IS THIS A TREND FOR 2019
As the leading online resource for business software buyers, we’ve helped thousands of small and medium businesses find the right PM tools for their business needs. When analyzing these interactions with potential PM software buyers, we saw that requests for collaboration tools have more than doubled in the last five years, from 22% in 2014 to 61% in 2018.
This makes collaboration the third most requested capability boost your business with our doctor database for project teams, behind project planning/tracking (90%) and task management (71%) – and we expect this number to increase in 2019.
Project Management Capabilities Most in Demand by SMBs in 2018
Source: Technology and Project Management: What Small Businesses Can Learn from Their Peers' Investments
HOW TO MANAGE THIS TREND IN YOUR SMB
Collaboration tools can have a huge impact on your team - both positive and negative.
A McKinsey study found that more than 60% of an employee’s time is spent on non-role related tasks, such as responding to email and searching/gathering information. Using the right tools in these areas can lead to a 20-25% increase in productivity.
But using the wrong tools (or too many tools, or tools that overlap) can have the opposite effect. A 2018 Planview collaboration study found that ineffective collaboration practices—such as relying on email or not centralizing project information—can result in lost time equal to nine workweeks per year.
To collaborate effectively, project teams need to create - and follow - a communication plan and a tool hierarchy that defines which tool they should use for which type of communication.
Consider using chat for anything that isn't urgent or informal, use email for more formal requests, and keep all project-related conversations in your general PM tool.
Then take appropriate action to ensure that these rules are followed. If someone chats with you about a project, ask them to re-email the information to the team or post it in your shared PM tool.