Commonly used Tools Part 1

Zoom:

Zoom is a cloud-based video conferencing service that you can use to virtually meet with others - either by video or audio-only or both, all while conducting live chats - and it lets you record those sessions to view later. Over half of Fortune 500 companies reportedly used Zoom in 2019 and during 2020 it hit even greater heights, racking up 227 per cent growth over the year.

Here are some of the Zoom's core features:

1. It is a web conferencing platform that is used for audio and/or video conferencing.

2. One-on-one meetings: Host unlimited one-on-one meetings even with the free plan.

3. Group video conferences: Host up to 1000 participants (if you purchase the Enterprise plan). The free plan, however, allows you to host video conferences of up to 40 minutes and up to 100 participants.

4. Screen sharing: Meet one-on-one or with large groups and share your screen with them so they can see what you see.

5. Recording: You can record your meetings or events too.

6. Unlimited calls: You can make unlimited phone calls, hold unlimited meetings.

How Does Zoom Work?

You don't need a paid subscription to start using Zoom. In fact, if someone else sets up the Zoom Meeting and invites you, all you need to do is follow the instructions in the email invitation to start using Zoom. You'll need to click a link to install the Zoom app, and then enter the conference code to sign into the meeting to which you've been invited.

To start your own Zoom Meeting, you'll need a Zoom account, which you can create for free. Go to the Zoom web site and click Sign Up, It's Free at the top of the page and follow the instructions. Once completed, you'll be able to start your own meetings.

Zoom offers several Zoom Meeting plans. Basic is free and lets you host meetings with up to 100 participants, with a limit of 40 minutes per meeting. You can also have an unlimited number of one-on-one meetings. All of these meetings can be audio-only or video conferences.

Even at the free account level, you can record and save your meetings, share your desktop with the meeting attendees, and use chat tools during the meeting.

If the fairly generous features of the free Basic plan are not enough, it's possible to pay for Zoom Pro, Zoom Business, or Zoom Enterprise. Each of these adds substantial additional features, like the ability to conference more than 100 people at a time and extending the meeting duration past 40 minutes (in fact, a meeting can be up to 24 hours long).

Slack:

Slack is a cloud-based collaboration tool that aims to be the central platform through which teams communicate. Slack was originally designed as a type of email replacement that helped eliminate the confusion caused by long email chains often used by collaborating team members.

In recent years, it has expanded into far more than just an email replacement and now offers a full suite of collaboration tools. Slack offers various private and public channel options, so access can be customized for various members within an organization or project.

Team-wide messages can be posted on Slack public channels for all to see while private channels can be used to maintain the day-to-day communications needed for smaller sub-groups or individuals.

Overall, the type of streamlined communications workflow offered by Slack is central to why it matters for modern teams with distributed work environments.

Key features of Slack

Ease of use

Slack’s most important feature is its simplicity. That simplicity has contributed to Slack’s fast growth over the years and the company has been successful in not letting feature-creep complicate the overall usefulness of the app.

Team communication

Slack is a centralized hub for teams to communicate with each other via channels. These channels allow for group or private messaging, broadcasting availability of team members and reminders.

Video capabilities

While primarily a text-based communication tool, Slack has a video-chat feature. But keeping with its foundation of simplicity, this lightweight video service lacks the extended features of a service like Zoom, but that’s intentional.

Slack’s video service allows for basic face-to-face communication when needed while also allowing screen-sharing and whiteboard capabilities. This includes the Huddles feature, which allows for audio-only communication right from Slack with only one click. Huddles are recorded and can be made available later to any users who are given access, which makes them useful for disseminating the information from meetings or training sessions.

Workflow automation

Slack’s custom app feature allows for no-code ways to automate workflows. This feature known as Slack Workflows is available to Slack Pro, Business + and Enterprise paid plans. It allows users to create action-reaction workflows to automate a near limitless number of tasks. Other apps can even be brought into the workflow that is created for further customization.

Trello:

Trello is a project management platform and collaboration tool that displays projects in their entirety.

Trello is pretty well-known for being a Kanban tool, using multiple boards and Trello cards to organize projects and implement task management.

What is Trello used for?

It is used for managing projects. But in terms of the type of projects Trello is used for, it varies. Trello only offers Kanban boards, while not delving deeply into other project management methodologies or showcasing other views.

If you’re part of a small team and aim to become a Kanban enthusiast without needing comprehensive reporting capabilities, shareable forms, or customer support on the weekend, then you might be able to use Trello with some success.

Since Trello is also owned by Atlassian, which offers another project management tool geared towards software developers called Jira, Trello offers similar features ideal for software developers.

Features of Trello

Trello offers tons of features to have fun with your project and your teammates, and we have listed some of the features below:

• Power-Ups: Power-Ups are Trello’s version of plugins that allow you to add extra features and functionalities to your boards, such as integrating with other tools and adding custom fields.

• Calendar View: Trello has a calendar view that helps you view all your due dates and deadlines in one place.

• Notifications: Trello keeps you updated with notifications on your mobile or email when someone mentions you, adds a comment, or updates a card.

• Search and Filtering: Trello has a powerful search function that allows you to search for cards, boards, labels, and team members. You can also filter cards by label, due date, and more.

• Integrations: Trello integrates with a variety of other tools such as Google Drive, Slack, and Github to make it easier to work with your team.

How to use Trello:

Trello is quite easy to use. Its user-friendly interface and intuitive design make it simple to get started and start organizing your projects and tasks. Here’s how you can use it:

• Create account: Go to Trello.com and sign up for a free account.

• Create a board: This is where you’ll keep track of all the tasks related to a particular project. You can create as many boards as you need.

• Add cards: A card represents a task or an item on your to-do list. You can add a description, attachments, comments, and more to each card.

• Organize cards: You can add labels to cards to categorize them, move them between lists to show progress, and add due dates to make sure you’re on track.

• Collaborate with others: You can invite team members to your board and assign tasks to them. You can also leave comments and have conversations about each task.

• Stay on track: Trello provides you with a visual representation of your projects and tasks, making it easy to see what needs to be done and who’s responsible for each task.

Trello vs JIRA

Trello and JIRA are both valuable project management tools, but they are designed for different types of teams and projects. We have mentioned the main differences between them. Do note that the choice between the two will depend on the specific needs of your team and the nature of your projects.

Trello	Jira
​Trello is a simple, visual, and user-friendly tool for managing tasks, projects, and team activities.	JIRA is a comprehensive and highly customizable project management tool designed for software development teams.
​Trello is best for smaller teams and projects that don’t require a lot of complexity.	​JIRA is best for larger, more complex software development projects that require detailed planning and tracking.
​Trello’s boards, cards, and lists allow for a visual representation of tasks and progress.	​JIRA’s powerful issue-tracking and workflow capabilities allow for detailed planning, tracking, and reporting on software development projects.
​Trello is easy to use and requires minimal training.	​JIRA requires more setup and training to fully utilize its capabilities but offers more advanced features.
​Trello is a more flexible and adaptable tool, allowing for easy changes and adjustments to tasks and projects.	​JIRA is a more structured and rigid tool, making it ideal for strict project management processes.