Organization Tools for Collaboration

We outlined our Taxonomy of Collaboration Tools in an earlier post. In the jungle of hundreds, if not thousands, of collaboration tools, the taxonomy helps us select appropriate tools based on our needs as opposed to the feature functionality of tools; that is, a selection based on what we want to do with the tools as opposed to what the tools can do for us.

In this post, we focus on organization tools for collaboration. For each type of organization tool, we offer a brief description of its purpose and a list of such tools. A couple caveats to keep in mind before we address this topic. First, a tool may fit into more than one category. And second, we make no effort here to address the age-old question whether the best-of-breed or suite approach is better for your own individual situation.

We now outline organization tools for collaboration.

File Sharing

• Purpose: Making a file available to one or more individuals
• Tools: box.net, DropBox, Google Docs, Microsoft Live Mesh, Filedropper.com, Filemail.com, youSendIt, drop.io, transferbigfiles.com, senduit, 4shared, Jooce, Clip2Net, Spider Oak, KnowledgePlaza, Rapid Share, Wuala

Project Planning

• Purpose: Planning for projects tasks, timeline and resources
• Tools: Mavenlink

Groups Calendaring/ Event Scheduling

• Purpose: Arranging a meeting based on when all participants are available, or arranging a meeting at a preset time.
• Tools: Google Calendar, Yahoo Calendar, eventbrite, Schedgit, Timebridge, Chandler, Amiando, Doodle, Genbook, AgreeAdate, MeetWithApproval, Cvent, Tungle, Shiftboard, ScheduleOnce

Project Management

• Purpose: Designing, executing and monitoring all aspects of a project, including tasks, resources, assignments, timelines, status reporting, and issues tracking.
• Tools: Basecamp, OneHub, Daptiv, Comindwork, Huddle, Centraldesktop, GroupMindExpress, 5pm, ActiveCollab, Staction, Task2Gather, Planypus, Colabolo, ClockingIT, Klok, PieMatrix, Teambox, Smartsheet, PMPHQ

Which tools do you use? What is your assessment of various organization tools for collaboration? Which other tools would you add to this list and to which category?

We would also love get your case studies that we can share with our audience!

Update on 25 December 2010 by Lokesh Datta

See Related Posts:

• Communication Tools for Collaboration
• Editing Tools for Collaboration
• Engaging/Networking Tools for Collaboration
• A Continuum of Collaboration Solutions
• Keep it simple on the collaboration tools
• Open Letter to Collaboration Tool Providers

Comments

[Dana]

I want to suggest our product to this list. OnePlace integrates file sharing, project management and planning into our collaboration solution so the work is being completed in the same place where the conversations are being held, and files can be collaborated on right next to the task to update it. You can see OnePlace at http://www.oneplacehome.com

[Dina Garfinkel]

Thanks for getting this list started, and I would like to recommend one more tool in the Project Management category. LiquidPlanner is an excellent project management and collaboration system. LiquidPlanner allows for twitter-like commenting, detailed notes, attached documents and links on all tasks and any folder level of all projects in the workspace. LiquidPlanner creates an environment where both clients and project team can collaborate on project tasks, making for a streamlined and effective communication system throughout the project.

You can find out more about it here: http://www.liquidplanner.com/tour/

[Lokesh Datta]

Dana and Dina,

Thanks for your input. You may find a new post by Steve Lamont interesting: Open Letter to Collaboration Tool Providers, at: http://allcollaboration.com/open-letter-to-tool-providers/

Regards, Lokesh

[Simona]

Great list. Consider adding OffBureau (http://www.offbureau.com), an online workspace that fuses collaboration, document management and a social network. You can find more about it here: http://www.offbureau.com/overview.

[Jeff]

Great list of tools! My name is Jeff and I work for Appointment Plus. We offer small businesses our online scheduling software to help reduce no shows and cancellations. We have been building scheduling programs since 2001 and our online appointment booking system has been used by all types of companies. Our appointment manager is a flexible web appointment scheduler that maximizes revenues by streamlining scheduling appointments.