As technology has evolved, it has changed the mindset of companies. Rapid changes in the market demand a faster response to product and service development. Companies are continuously seeking ways to stay relevant in their industry. They understand that adapting to these changes is important to achieve effective results and a more comfortable work environment. Some of the reasons we may need these tools include:
- Effective collaboration requires selecting the most appropriate business software as not all software has collaborative capabilities.
- Traditional tools, such as spreadsheets, word processors or PowerPoint do not allow you to work simultaneously on a shared document.
- Regardless of whether the software is running on a local network, the read/write settings typically limits access for making entries to only one person at a time.
- It is then impossible to interact or brainstorm because you must wait until there is no one working on that specific document or you may need to save a copy of it and work on your own platform.
As companies grow, teams can be dispersed in various locations, which can make collaboration difficult. These people may have a distinct set of skills, as they may be in another department or simply have different experiences. That said, it can be very useful to have a team of people with diverse backgrounds, but it can also be very difficult to organize without the use of collaboration tools. These tools can gather a team that may not necessarily be located in the same office or even in the same country. Some of these project management tools can include messaging features such as Instant Messaging or video conferencing allowing colleagues to chat instantly no matter their location.