Solutions / Productivity & Collaboration
Productivity & Collaboration
Productivity & Collaboration Solutions
Productivity and collaboration tools help a team plan work, communicate and stay coordinated. Start with what you are working on, see the main paths side by side and, where we list a suitable option, go to the provider when you are ready.
- Start from your situationFive business contexts
- Same criteria throughoutEight dimensions for every option
- Trade-offs up frontWhat to watch for, stated plainly
Which area are you working on?
Choose the closest match. Each context sets out the questions to ask, the main solution paths and, where we list one, a suitable option.
Managing everyday team work
Seeing what is waiting, who has it and where conversations belong.
Managing projects and coordinated work
Ownership, dependencies, deadlines and hand-offs across people and teams.
Running repeatable processes and workflows
Making recurring work consistent, with steps and hand-offs anyone can follow.
Handling documents, approvals and signatures
Getting documents reviewed, approved and signed without delay.
Organising tools, workspaces and collaboration
Keeping tools, accounts and shared knowledge manageable for a team.
Find the solution that fits
Work through the context that matches yours. For the full decision, read the Productivity & Collaboration guide.
Managing everyday team work
Requests and tasks arrive in small, unpredictable pieces, through email, chat and spreadsheets. The practical aim is that anyone can see what is waiting and who has it, without it living in one person’s inbox. A simple board or shared task list is quick to adopt and replaces email chains and spreadsheets. Agreeing, in writing, where each kind of conversation belongs keeps the number of places small.
More about this context
Requests and tasks arrive in small, unpredictable pieces, through email, chat and spreadsheets. This area is about how a team keeps track of day-to-day work and where each kind of conversation should live.
Day-to-day work arrives in small pieces from many places. The practical aim is that anyone can see what is waiting and who has it, without it living in one person’s inbox.
How the paths differ
A simple board or shared task list is quick to adopt and replaces email chains and spreadsheets. Agreeing, in writing, where each kind of communication belongs, decisions in documents, work in the task tool, quick coordination in chat, keeps the number of places small.
Supporting detail
Questions to ask yourself. 4 questions to settle first
- Where does work arrive today, and can everyone see what is waiting?
- How many people share the work?
- Which conversations belong in chat, a task tool, documents or email?
- How much set-up does the work warrant?
Why this decision matters. What is at stake
When tasks live in email and spreadsheets, nobody can see what is waiting or who has it. Tool overload usually begins when the same conversation could happen in five places.
Before choosing. A short checklist
- A board can become a dumping ground
- Limit the work in progress
- Avoid more set-up than the work warrants
Want the full background? Where should conversations live?
Choose the path that fits
Select a path to see why it fits and what to watch for.
A simple board or shared task list
A board of cards that move through columns, with limited work in progress.
Best fit
- Small teams
- Small, unpredictable requests
Main thing to check
A board can become a dumping ground
Agreeing where conversations live
Decide in writing which kind of communication belongs in which place.
Best fit
- Conversations in several places
- Fewer places to look
Main thing to check
Keep the number of places small
Agreeing where conversations live
Why choose it
- Fewer places to look
- Every extra tool or channel needs an owner
Best when
- The same conversation could happen in several places
Watch for
- Keep the number of places small
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Fewer places to look
- Every extra tool or channel needs an owner
Fits when
- The same conversation could happen in several places
Watch for
- Keep the number of places small
Decide, in writing, which kind of communication belongs in which place: decisions in documents, work in the task tool, quick coordination in chat, formal communication in email.
No option listed yet
We’re currently reviewing suitable options for this area.
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Managing projects and coordinated work
Some work has deadlines and steps that depend on each other, with several people contributing and sometimes clients or contractors who should see part of the work and nothing else. This covers ownership, dependencies, hand-offs, visibility and progress. Project management software gives scheduling and progress reporting, a shared workspace adds guest access and sign-off, and an online whiteboard helps plan before work becomes tasks. Match the tool to how the work actually flows.
More about this context
Some work has deadlines and steps that depend on each other, with several people contributing and sometimes clients or contractors involved. This area covers ownership, dependencies, hand-offs, visibility and progress.
Projects have deadlines, dependencies and hand-offs, and sometimes clients or contractors who should see part of the work and nothing else.
How the paths differ
Project management software gives scheduling, dependencies and progress reporting. A shared workspace for clients and contractors adds guest access, file review and defined stages with sign-off. An online whiteboard is a different shape again: a shared canvas for brainstorming, mapping and planning before work becomes tasks. Over-planning has its own cost, so match the tool to how the work actually flows.
Supporting detail
Questions to ask yourself. 4 questions to settle first
- Who owns each piece of work, and who needs to see the plan?
- Do steps depend on each other, with fixed dates?
- Do clients or contractors need to see or approve some of the work?
- Will someone keep the plan up to date?
Why this decision matters. What is at stake
Without a shared plan, dependencies and deadlines are discovered late and hand-offs are missed. Too much planning has its own cost, so the tool should match the way the work actually flows.
Projects also carry a planning stage before tasks exist, when ideas, maps and options are still being worked out. Choosing where that happens, and where it is recorded afterwards, avoids plans that never become tracked work.
Before choosing. A short checklist
- Over-planning
- Plans nobody maintains
- More set-up than the work warrants
- Clients seeing what they should not
Want the full background? Match the tool to the way you work
Choose the path that fits
Select a path to see why it fits and what to watch for.
Project management software
Scheduling, dependencies, milestones and progress reporting.
Best fit
- Deadlines and dependencies
- Several contributors
Main thing to check
Over-planning, and plans nobody maintains
A shared workspace for clients and contractors
A task tool with guest access, file review and sign-off for clients and contractors.
Best fit
- Client work with hand-offs
- Contractors alongside staff
Main thing to check
Guest permissions
Online whiteboard
A shared canvas for brainstorming, mapping and planning together.
Best fit
- Workshops and planning
- Mapping how things connect
Main thing to check
It does not track tasks and deadlines
Project management software
Why choose it
- Dates and dependencies in one plan
- Progress is reported, not guessed
- Milestones keep the plan visible
Best when
- Projects with deadlines and dependencies
- Several people contribute to each project
Watch for
- Over-planning
- Plans nobody maintains
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Dates and dependencies in one plan
- Progress is reported, not guessed
- Milestones keep the plan visible
Fits when
- Projects with deadlines and dependencies
- Several people contribute to each project
- Someone will keep the plan up to date
Watch for
- Over-planning
- Plans nobody maintains
- More set-up than the work warrants
Project management software with milestones: scheduling, dependencies and progress reporting.
A shared workspace for clients and contractors
Why choose it
- A shared, controlled view
- Clear approvals
- Internal and external content stay separate
Best when
- Client work with hand-offs
- Contractors work alongside your staff
Watch for
- Clients seeing what they should not
- Check guest permissions
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- A shared, controlled view
- Clear approvals
- Internal and external content stay separate
Fits when
- Client work with hand-offs
- Contractors work alongside your staff
- Approvals need a record
Watch for
- Clients seeing what they should not
- Check guest permissions
- Check how file review and sign-off work
A task tool with guest access and file review, with defined stages and sign-off, so clients and contractors see what they should and nothing else.
Online whiteboard
Why choose it
- Everyone works on the same canvas, wherever they are
- Notes, diagrams and files sit side by side
- Templates give a quick start
Best when
- Teams plan, brainstorm or run workshops together
- The work is about how things connect, such as processes, journeys and roadmaps
Watch for
- A whiteboard shows ideas and how they connect; it does not track tasks, owners and deadlines
- Boards can sprawl: agree where decisions and tasks are recorded afterwards
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Everyone works on the same canvas, wherever they are
- Notes, diagrams and files sit side by side
- Templates give a quick start
Fits when
- Teams plan, brainstorm or run workshops together
- The work is about how things connect, such as processes, journeys and roadmaps
Watch for
- A whiteboard shows ideas and how they connect; it does not track tasks, owners and deadlines
- Boards can sprawl: agree where decisions and tasks are recorded afterwards
- Check what each plan includes before the whole team relies on it
An online whiteboard: a shared canvas where a team adds notes, diagrams, maps and files together, in the same place whether or not people are in the same room.
Some work is shapeless before it is organised: brainstorming, mapping a process or a customer journey, planning a project, running a workshop. An online whiteboard gives the team a shared canvas where notes, diagrams, maps and files sit side by side, whether people are in the same room or not, and templates give a quick start.
A whiteboard shows ideas and how pieces connect. It does not track tasks, owners and deadlines, so decide where decisions and tasks are recorded once the planning is done, or boards become a place where work is planned but not followed.
When you may need more. When the work needs owners, dependencies and deadlines tracked to completion, project management software is the better shape.
Compare the main paths
Show the comparison. The paths side by side
| What to look at | Project management software | Shared client workspace | Online whiteboard |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it gives you | Dates and dependencies in one plan; progress reported | A shared, controlled view with clear approvals | A shared canvas for ideas, maps and plans |
| Best suited to | Projects with deadlines, dependencies and several contributors | Client work with hand-offs and approvals that need a record | Teams that brainstorm, map and plan together |
| Main thing to check | Over-planning, and plans nobody maintains | Clients seeing what they should not: check guest permissions | Decide where tasks and deadlines are tracked afterwards |
Running repeatable processes and workflows
Some work follows the same steps every time: onboarding a new client or employee, approving an invoice, running a month-end close, handing a project over. In a small team one person usually knows the steps and habit carries the rest. As the team grows, or when quality or compliance matters, habit stops being enough. The decision sits on a spectrum, from checklists in a task tool to workflow software with approvals and records, with a separate option for writing procedures down and teaching them.
More about this context
Some work follows the same steps every time: onboarding a new client or employee, approving an invoice, running a month-end close, preparing for an audit, handing a project over. In a small team, one person usually knows the steps and the rest is carried by habit.
As the team grows, or when quality or compliance matters, habit stops being enough. This section is for businesses deciding how to write down recurring procedures and run them consistently, from simple checklists to workflow software with approvals and records.
How the paths differ
There is a spectrum. At the light end, checklists and templates in a task tool are often enough for simple, informal routines. At the other end, workflow and process-management software runs procedures as repeatable workflows with tasks, hand-offs, approvals and records, and sometimes policy and document control. The more the work must be consistent, auditable or shared across people, the further along the spectrum you are likely to need. Procedure documentation and training platforms sit alongside the spectrum rather than on it: they are where procedures are written down and taught, before or while they are run.
Supporting detail
Questions to ask yourself. 4 questions to settle first
- Which work repeats, and who does it?
- Where do the procedures live today?
- How are hand-offs and approvals tracked?
- Does consistency matter for quality or compliance?
Why this decision matters. What is at stake
When procedures live in people’s heads or in scattered documents, quality varies from one person to the next and hand-offs get missed, especially when someone is away or new. For some businesses there is a further reason: being able to show that a process was followed. Turning recurring work into repeatable checklists and workflows gives new people something to follow and gives managers visibility of what has been done.
Not every process needs software. Over-engineering a simple routine creates its own overhead, so the decision is how much structure the work warrants.
Before choosing. A short checklist
- The benefit depends on the team actually following the workflows, so involve the people who do the work
- Templates and procedures need an owner who keeps them current
- Check how approvals and records are kept if compliance matters
- Start with one process that repeats often and matters, rather than documenting everything at once
- Check how the tool connects to the other tools your team already uses
Want the full background? Match the tool to the way you work
Choose the path that fits
Select a path to see why it fits and what to watch for.
Workflow and process management
Documents procedures and runs them as repeatable workflows, with tasks and handoffs.
Best fit
- Recurring steps
- Consistency or compliance matters
Main thing to check
The team has to follow it
Checklists and templates in a task tool
Recurring tasks and checklist templates in a general task tool.
Best fit
- Simple, few processes
- Already using a task tool
Main thing to check
Templates nobody updates
Procedure documentation and staff training
Writes procedures down and turns them into onboarding and role-based training.
Best fit
- Regular new starters
- Know-how in people’s heads
Main thing to check
Someone must write and maintain the procedures
Workflow and process management
Why choose it
- Recurring work is done the same way each time
- Handoffs become visible, so steps are less likely to be missed
- New team members can follow documented procedures
Best when
- Work follows recurring steps, such as onboarding, approvals, audits or handovers
- Consistency matters, for quality or compliance
Watch for
- It works only if the team actually follows the workflows
- Someone has to keep them current
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Recurring work is done the same way each time
- Handoffs become visible, so steps are less likely to be missed
- New team members can follow documented procedures
Fits when
- Work follows recurring steps, such as onboarding, approvals, audits or handovers
- Consistency matters, for quality or compliance
- Several people share the same procedures
Software for documenting procedures and running them as repeatable workflows, with tasks, handoffs and visibility of what has been done.
Workflow and process-management software turns recurring procedures into checklists and workflows that anyone on the team can run. Tasks are assigned, hand-offs are visible, and completed runs leave a record. It suits onboarding, approvals, audits and handovers, and any work where consistency or evidence matters. It works only if the team actually follows the workflows and someone keeps them current.
When you may need more. For general project or task management, where the work changes rather than repeats, a task or project tool is the better shape.
Checklists and templates in a task tool
Why choose it
- Often enough for light, informal processes
Best when
- Processes are simple and few
- You already use a task tool
Watch for
- Templates nobody updates
- Limited visibility of approvals and compliance evidence
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Often enough for light, informal processes
Fits when
- Processes are simple and few
- You already use a task tool
Watch for
- Templates nobody updates
- Limited visibility of approvals and compliance evidence
Recurring tasks and checklist templates in a general task tool.
Checklists and templates in a general task tool are often enough for light, informal routines: copy a template, tick the steps. It costs little and the team already knows the tool.
When you may need more. When you need approvals, conditional steps, a record of who did what, or policy and document control, a dedicated workflow tool is more suitable.
Procedure documentation and staff training
Why choose it
- Procedures are written once and found in one place
- New staff follow a defined onboarding path
- Completion of training can be tracked
Best when
- New people join regularly and need consistent onboarding
- Procedures exist only in people’s heads or in scattered files
Watch for
- Someone has to write the procedures and keep them current
- Documenting and teaching a procedure is different from running it step by step with approvals: for that, see workflow and process management
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Procedures are written once and found in one place
- New staff follow a defined onboarding path
- Completion of training can be tracked
Fits when
- New people join regularly and need consistent onboarding
- Procedures exist only in people’s heads or in scattered files
- Roles and responsibilities need to be written down
Watch for
- Someone has to write the procedures and keep them current
- Documenting and teaching a procedure is different from running it step by step with approvals: for that, see workflow and process management
- Training only works if people complete it, so plan the time
A platform for writing procedures and standard operating procedures (SOPs), turning them into onboarding and role-based training, and tracking who has completed what.
Before a process can be run consistently, it has to be written down and taught. A procedure-documentation and training platform is where standard operating procedures (SOPs) live, where they are turned into onboarding and role-based training, and where you can see who has completed what. It suits growing businesses whose way of working exists mostly in people’s heads or in scattered documents, and teams that onboard new people regularly.
Documenting and teaching a procedure is different from running it step by step with assignments and approvals. It also depends on someone writing the procedures and keeping them current, and on people actually completing the training.
When you may need more. If the need is to run recurring checklists with hand-offs, approvals and a record of each run, look at workflow and process management as well.
Compare the main paths
Show the comparison. The paths side by side
| What to look at | Workflow and process management | Checklists in a task tool | Procedures and training |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it works | Procedures run as repeatable workflows with tasks, hand-offs and records | Copy a template and tick the steps | Procedures written down and taught, with completion tracked |
| Best suited to | Onboarding, approvals, audits and handovers | Light, informal routines | Growing teams that onboard people regularly |
| Visibility | Hand-offs are visible; completed runs leave a record | Limited visibility of approvals and compliance evidence | Who has completed which training |
| Main thing to check | The team follows it and someone keeps it current | Templates nobody updates | Teaching a procedure is not the same as running it with approvals |
Handling documents, approvals and signatures
Contracts, quotes, proposals and approvals all need someone to read them, agree and sign. In a small business that often means printing, signing, scanning and emailing, or chasing a reply in an inbox. When signers are in other places, or documents need several people in a set order, the process gets slower and harder to track. Many businesses use both approaches: a review process to agree the text, then e-signature to sign it.
More about this context
Contracts, quotes, proposals, engagement letters and approvals all need someone to read them, agree and sign. In a small business that often means printing, signing, scanning and emailing, or chasing a reply in an inbox.
When signers are clients or contractors in other places, or when documents need several people in a set order, the process becomes slower and harder to track. This section covers how documents move between people and how agreement is recorded.
How the paths differ
Two approaches cover most needs. Electronic signature software sends a document to the people who need to sign, collects signatures online and keeps a record of the signing. Document review and approval workflows are broader: they handle comments, versions and sign-off stages before a document is final, and may or may not include signatures. Many businesses use both, a review process to agree the text and then e-signature to sign it.
Supporting detail
Questions to ask yourself. 4 questions to settle first
- Who has to review, approve or sign, and where are they?
- Do signers need an account or a particular device?
- What record do you need of who agreed to what, and when?
- Which documents need more than an electronic signature under the rules where you operate?
Why this decision matters. What is at stake
Delays in signing are delays in starting work and in getting paid. Beyond speed, a clear record of who signed what, and when, is part of protecting the business if a document is disputed.
Rules on electronic signatures differ by country and by type of document, so the right approach depends on what you sign and where.
Before choosing. A short checklist
- Legal rules on electronic signatures differ by country and by type of document; some documents still need other forms of signature or witnessing
- Agree who must sign, in what order, and whether signers need an account
- Check how signed documents are stored, found and exported if you ever leave the tool
- Check how many documents and signers a plan covers before you rely on it
Want the full background? Match the tool to the way you work
Choose the path that fits
Select a path to see why it fits and what to watch for.
Electronic signature
Sends a document for signature, collects signatures online and keeps a record of the signing.
Best fit
- Regular contracts and quotes
- Signers in other places
Main thing to check
Legal rules differ by country and document type
Document review and approval workflows
Shared review with comments, defined stages and a record of sign-off.
Best fit
- Proposals and policies
- Several reviewers
Main thing to check
Guest permissions for reviewers
Electronic signature
Why choose it
- Documents are signed from any device, with no printing or scanning
- You can see who has signed and who has not
- A record of the signing stays with the document
Best when
- You regularly send contracts, quotes, proposals or forms for signature
- Signers are clients, contractors or staff in different places
Watch for
- Legal rules on electronic signatures differ by country and by type of document; some documents still need other forms of signature or witnessing
- Check how signed documents are stored and exported if you ever leave the tool
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Documents are signed from any device, with no printing or scanning
- You can see who has signed and who has not
- A record of the signing stays with the document
Fits when
- You regularly send contracts, quotes, proposals or forms for signature
- Signers are clients, contractors or staff in different places
- You need to see who has signed and who has not
Watch for
- Legal rules on electronic signatures differ by country and by type of document; some documents still need other forms of signature or witnessing
- Check how signed documents are stored and exported if you ever leave the tool
- Check how many documents and signers a plan covers before you rely on it
Software that sends a document to the people who need to sign it, collects their signatures online and keeps a record of the signing.
Electronic signature software lets you upload a document, place signature fields and send it to recipients, who sign from a device without printing. Good tools keep an audit trail of each signing. The signing method matters less than whether the signature is accepted for your kind of document in your country, so check the rules that apply.
When you may need more. If the problem is agreeing the content rather than collecting signatures, a review and approval process is the earlier step.
Document review and approval workflows
Why choose it
- Reviewers see the same version
- Approvals leave a record
Best when
- Documents need review by several people, inside or outside the business
Watch for
- Check guest permissions so reviewers see only what they should
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Reviewers see the same version
- Approvals leave a record
Fits when
- Documents need review by several people, inside or outside the business
Watch for
- Check guest permissions so reviewers see only what they should
Shared review of files with comments, defined stages and a record of sign-off.
Review and approval workflows put a document through defined stages: draft, review, comments, approval. Everyone sees the same version, and approvals leave a record. They suit proposals, policies and client deliverables that several people must agree before they go out.
When you may need more. When the document is final and only needs signing, e-signature is the quicker route.
Compare the main paths
Show the comparison. The paths side by side
| What to look at | Electronic signature | Review and approval workflows |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Collects signatures online and keeps a record of the signing | Moves a document through draft, review, comments and approval |
| Best suited to | Regular contracts, quotes, proposals or forms for signature | Documents that several people must agree before they go out |
| Main thing to check | Legal rules on e-signatures differ by country and document | Guest permissions, so reviewers see only what they should |
Organising tools, workspaces and collaboration
Over time a team collects tools: a task app, a chat app, a document suite, a CRM, an accounting package, several client accounts. Each lives in a browser tab, and switching between them becomes a daily chore. Teams across locations and time zones also need shared context written down where everyone can find it. Three approaches often combine: written context, fewer tools chosen by job, and a workspace that keeps the tools you use organised.
More about this context
Over time a team collects tools: a task app, a chat app, a document suite, a CRM, an accounting package, several social and client accounts. Each one lives in a browser tab, some under different logins for different clients, and switching between them becomes a daily chore.
Alongside that, teams spread across locations and time zones need shared context written down where everyone can find it. This section covers keeping the mix of tools as small as works, keeping shared knowledge accessible, and managing the number of apps and accounts a person juggles.
How the paths differ
Three approaches often combine. Consolidating tools by job removes overlap and reduces cost. Shared documents or a wiki, with chat and recorded updates, give distributed teams written context. And a web-app workspace keeps the tools you do use organised: one place to open them, with several accounts for the same service signed in side by side and separate spaces for work, personal and client apps.
Supporting detail
Questions to ask yourself. 4 questions to settle first
- Which tools do the same job, and what does each cost?
- Where does shared context live, and can people in other time zones find it?
- How many accounts and logins does each person juggle?
- What would you lose, and what could you export, if you changed a tool?
Why this decision matters. What is at stake
A growing tool stack has costs that are easy to miss: overlapping subscriptions, information in five places, and people signed in to the wrong account. For distributed teams, the absence of written context shows up as repeated questions and decisions nobody can find.
The aim is not fewer tools for its own sake, but a set in which each job has one home.
Before choosing. A short checklist
- Check export options and what does not carry over
- Export from the old tool, including comments and files
- Import a small project first
- Keep the old workspace read-only for a period
Want the full background? Moving your team to a new tool
Choose the path that fits
Select a path to see why it fits and what to watch for.
Documents or a wiki, chat and recorded updates
Documents or a wiki, chat and recorded updates, with decisions written down.
Best fit
- Teams across time zones
- Documentation kept current
Main thing to check
Pages going stale
Reduce collaboration-tool overlap
Choose tools by job, so one tool is not asked to do everything badly.
Best fit
- Several tools covering one job
- A list of what each is used for
Main thing to check
What exports and what does not carry over
Web-app workspace
One workspace for your web apps and accounts, with several accounts signed in side by side.
Best fit
- Many web apps every day
- Several accounts for one service
Main thing to check
It does not replace shared team tools
Documents or a wiki, chat and recorded updates
Why choose it
- Context is available to everyone
- Updates do not need everyone online at once
- Search finds past decisions
Best when
- A distributed team across time zones
- You can keep documentation current
Watch for
- Meetings that could have been a document
- Search that does not find things, and pages going stale
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Context is available to everyone
- Updates do not need everyone online at once
- Search finds past decisions
Fits when
- A distributed team across time zones
- You can keep documentation current
- Meetings often repeat what could be written
Watch for
- Meetings that could have been a document
- Search that does not find things, and pages going stale
- Decisions buried in chat
- Recording and transcript rules for recorded updates
Documents or a wiki, chat and recorded updates, with decisions written down.
Written context lets people in different places and time zones pick up work without waiting for a meeting. Decisions go in documents, work in progress in the task tool, quick coordination in chat. It works only if documents are kept current and findable.
When you may need more. If information is scattered because several tools do the same job, consolidating by job comes first.
Reduce collaboration-tool overlap
Why choose it
- Less overlap and lower cost
- It is clearer where each thing lives
Best when
- Several tools cover the same job
- You can list what each one is used for
Watch for
- Check export options and what does not carry over
- Export from the old tool, including comments and files
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Less overlap and lower cost
- It is clearer where each thing lives
Fits when
- Several tools cover the same job
- You can list what each one is used for
Watch for
- Check export options and what does not carry over
- Export from the old tool, including comments and files
- Import a small project first
- Keep the old workspace read-only for a period
Fewer tools, chosen by job: tasks, documents, chat, meetings and scheduling. Separating the jobs stops one tool being asked to do everything badly.
Choosing tools by job, for tasks, documents, chat, meetings and scheduling, stops one tool being asked to do everything badly and shows where two tools overlap. Moving needs care: export from the old tool, import a small project first and keep the old workspace read-only for a period.
Web-app workspace
Why choose it
- Apps and accounts are organised in one place
- Several accounts of the same service can stay signed in at once
- Separate spaces keep work, personal and client apps apart
Best when
- You use many web apps every day
- You work with several accounts for the same service, for example for different clients
Watch for
- It adds another application to install and keep up to date
- It organises how you open your tools; it does not replace shared task, project or messaging tools for a team
Full decision detail
Why it helps
- Apps and accounts are organised in one place
- Several accounts of the same service can stay signed in at once
- Separate spaces keep work, personal and client apps apart
Fits when
- You use many web apps every day
- You work with several accounts for the same service, for example for different clients
- You want work, personal and client apps kept apart
Watch for
- It adds another application to install and keep up to date
- It organises how you open your tools; it does not replace shared task, project or messaging tools for a team
- Check that it supports the operating systems and browsers your team uses
A workspace app that gathers your web apps and accounts in one place, can keep several accounts for the same service signed in side by side, and can open websites as desktop apps.
A web-app workspace gathers your web apps and accounts in one application. It can keep several accounts of the same service signed in side by side, group apps into spaces such as work, personal and client, and run websites as desktop apps with their own notifications. It organises how you open tools; it does not replace a shared task, project or messaging tool for the team.
When you may need more. If the problem is that several tools do the same job, consolidating by job comes first; a workspace app will not fix overlap.
Compare the main paths
Show the comparison. The paths side by side
| What to look at | Documents, chat and updates | Fewer tools, by job | Web-app workspace |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | Puts context in writing so people can pick up work | Removes overlap between tools | Organises how you open your tools |
| Best suited to | A distributed team across time zones | Several tools covering the same job | Many web apps and several accounts for the same service |
| Main thing to check | Documents kept current and findable | Check export options before moving | It does not replace shared task, project or messaging tools |
Want to know what sits behind each option? See how we evaluate productivity tools