Evaluating your Digital Tools
by Celine Roque
The definition of a good workspace is changing: from a simple cubicle with a desk, we’re now considering hardware and software to be part of our workspaces – to be given equal care, maintenance, and attention.
And to assess what works best for you, you first need to evaluate your existing tools and processes. Do they work hand in hand, or do you have some superfluous tools and methods? Also, do your tools work together in the way you need them to? If your tools don’t tie in together, you might be wasting hours each week just keeping them updated.
Here’s an example: for scheduling I mostly use Google Calendar, but my favorite to-do list application is AbstractSpoon’s ToDoList. The problem with the latter is that it doesn’t have a ‘calendar’ view, which I really need to see what my daily commitments are. However, it has many great features such as automatically computing the percentage of completion for each task, a timer, the ability to create subtasks, as well as task hierarchies. After a few months of working with both apps and keeping them updated with exactly the same information, I realized that Google Calendar was ideal for a basic “What will I do today?” list, while ToDoList was great as a checklist for steps for bigger projects.
This is why evaluation is such an important step – it’s the stage where you figure out what tools are ideal for which purpose.
The same goes for your communication tools. Each medium of computer-based communication has its advantages and disadvantages. Instant messaging is useful if you want an urgent reply, but it can be a nuisance and distraction if the conversation falls into idle chitchat. Email is great for longer messages that don’t need an instant reply, but you’re supposed to keep them as short as possible since many people get email overload each day – especially if it is the main medium of communication used by your business. Blogging and micro-blogging tools are a good way to share information publicly, while social networks are a useful channel for keeping in touch with new and existing business contacts.
Do you use your digital tools for the right reasons? Do your tools have any missing features that would make your work process easier?
