5 Team Collaboration Tools Hacks Every Project Manager Should Know

Project management and team collaboration go hand in hand. You cannot expect to complete and deliver projects on time with scattered information and poor coordination among all project stakeholders.

Employees who have clear access to digital collaboration tools are 17% more satisfied with their job and workplace culture.

Any project manager, whether a fresher or experienced, must use collaboration softwares to cut down on tedious manual processes and streamline work processes to achieve improved productivity and efficiency while saving valuable time and effort.

Coming to collaboration tools, there are different software solutions that help project teams meet different work requirements.

For example, there are tools to help you manage projects and workflows, enhance communication, improve productivity, etc.

In this dynamic work environment when project managers are juggling multiple projects and there’s a relentless pressure to meet deadlines, you need to ensure high productivity and efficiency to meet client expectations.

In this blog, we will take a look at five of the most successful team collaboration tools hacks that every project manager should use to yield desired results.

Hack 1: Manage Workflows with ProofHub

ProofHub is a top-rated project management and team collaboration software that helps project managers organize all work and team members in a centralized location. Managing multiple projects and teams simultaneously is not easy, but ProofHub gives you complete visibility over all your project resources, so you can plan, execute, and collaborate on projects in the most transparent and efficient way possible.

Benefits of using ProofHub in project management

• You can choose from a Basic or Board workflow, or create Custom workflows and divide tasks into as many stages you want
• You get a Digital file management system to organize all your digital files and easily collaborate on them simply via sharing a file link.
• Fill all communication gaps and bring all your team communication in one place with features like Instant chat, Discussions, Real-time updates, etc.
• Check the progress of your tasks and projects, identify potential bottlenecks, adjust schedules, and organize all your to-dos with Multiple project views.
• Online proofing makes it effortless for widely distributed team members to collaborate on creative assets and add annotations to provide clear, actionable feedback instantly.

For example, the Basic workflow consists of two stages: To-do and Done. The Kanban workflow consists of three default stages: Backlog, In-progress, and Complete. You can further create more stages to fit your work structure with Custom workflow.

Hack 2: Utilize Time tracking with Toggl

Toggl is an intuitive time-tracking app that helps you to improve your performance and ensure you get paid for every billable minute. The tool enables individuals, companies, and teams to track time easily, gauge profitability, and create client billing reports from a centralized, client-based platform. What makes Toggl unique is that it provides granular details to users in their time reports. The tool also includes a project dashboard that helps users with accurate forecasting of timelines and budgets.

Benefits of using Toggl in project management

• Toggl offers a complete control to users to help them accurately track their time. It is easy, intuitive, and non-invasive.
• Users can track time in real-time or offline, and can switch between manual mode and timer mode.
• The tool has simple, easy-to-use one-click timers with the option to edit or add details later, and users can also auto-track app and browser activity.
• More than 100+ integrations with Chrome and Firefox browser intentions help users to track time in apps they already use.
• You get actionable insights from your data with summary, detailed, and weekly reports, which you can export via CSV, PDF, or Excel.

For example, Toggl enables your team members to track time across multiple platforms with just one click. Project managers can create accurate time reports of all team members and share them so your team can analyze how they can complete certain tasks quicker.

Hack 3: Streamline Communication with Slack

Slack is a popular workplace communication tool that serves as a single platform for all team members for messaging, tools, and files. “Channels” are at the core of Slack. These are organized spaces that make it easier to connect across departments, offices, time zones and other organizations. Businesses use Slack to streamline team communication as they are able to create a large virtual network of employees where everyone can communicate as though they’re together. You can chat via two methods in Slack: channels (group chat) and direct messaging (person-to-person chat).

Benefits of using Slack in project management

• Slack facilitates team collaboration and keeps information clear and visible, so nothing important is missed.
• You can share documents or files in project channels so even new starters have an easy access to information they need to start their tasks.
• Project managers can easily connect with team members in Slack channels, and assign deliverables, check on progress, and celebrate success.
• It is a very safe and secure tool, which means all your critical project information has a minimal risk of going out. Slack’s inexpensive pricing is a big advantage for small businesses who can even use the tool for free.

For example, Slack uses channels, where people can post information and share files with each other. Project managers and team members use these channels to give updates, like progress reports, deadlines, and client requests. Users can also instant message each other for sharing schedules and priority changes.

Hack 4: Run productivity meetings with Fellow

Do you know that 71% of organizational meetings are considered unproductive?

However, Fellow helps you say goodbye to unproductive team meetings. It is a unique application that is specifically designed to help managers and their teams have productive team meetings and meaningful one-on-ones, real-time note taking, feedback sessions, group conversations, and keep each other accountable. Users can create meeting agendas through customizable templates, assign, organize or prioritize action items as per requirements.

Benefits of using Fellow in project management

• Project managers juggle a lot between clients and various tasks. Using the Fellow app, you get access to all tasks in one place.
• Fellow helps businesses integrate the platform with popular third-party apps, like Asana, Jira, Google Docs, etc.
• The tool fosters accountability within the team. After the end of every meeting, everyone is on the same page regarding who’s doing what, by when.
• You give and get feedback regularly, as work is in-progress. You can track and request real-time feedback on meetings, projects, and performance.
• You can also organize meetings with people outside of your company, and keep meeting agendas and action items in one place.

For example, using the Fellow meeting app, you can collaborate on meeting agendas, assign action items, and ask for meeting feedback in one place.

Hack 5: Boost Team Creativity with Mural

Mural is a digital workspace for visual collaboration that offers you state-of-the-art technology with user-friendly tools and platforms. The tool helps you boost team creativity with an intuitive digital whiteboard designed for teams to do their best work together. You also get audio, video, and the power of advanced cloud computing. You can host virtual workshops and webinars, and make those sessions interactive and exciting. Inbuilt team brainstorming templates encourage more team participation and turn good ideas into extraordinary work.

Benefits of using Mural in project management

• Mural makes remote collaboration possible as you can have various people collaborating on a single platform at the same time.
• Project managers can use the tool’s free tips and templates to help their team fill the gaps and develop the required skills for better teamwork.
• Ideation templates allow for more active and collaborative participation of all team members.
• Mural speeds up the design review process. Collaborators can sketch over designs, add notes, plug in images for inspiration, etc.
• You can power up Agile workflows, more engaging remote standups, sprint planning, and retrospectives.

For example, real-life whiteboard tools in Mural allow even widely dispersed team members to stay in real-time contact with the team members. You can add ideas, suggestions, feedback, and thoughts using sticky notes.

Conclusion

The importance of seamless team collaboration cannot be overlooked today. For project managers, it’s not just about having the right men but also using the best team collaboration tools hacks for optimal resource utilization. The best tools mentioned in this blog will help you improve efficiency and productivity in different areas of your teamwork - workflow management, productive meetings, communication, time-tracking, and team creativity.

Depending on your work requirements, you can use a single or combine the aforementioned tools to achieve more at work and help your team deliver consistent results.