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Work the appropriate way

SIMILAR APPS: TEAMWORK PROJECTS:A workspace today is so much more than the office you spend 7 hours a day in.

Work the appropriate way


Vrinda Gupta

A workspace today is so much more than the office you spend 7 hours a day in. It is no longer confined to your physical presence in the cubicle. Work-based apps are making the communication flow easier and are revolutionising the way employees remain in touch with each other. Most of these apps work by having transformed the physical kanban board (think sticky notes pasted on a whiteboard) that helps optimise workflow, to a computer application. Here are a couple of such apps that are popular among the workaholics nowadays:


Slack

Contrary to its name, this messaging app supported by IOS and Android, helps teams increase productivity. It makes use of cloud-based tools and integration to help work flow smoothly. With the acronym standing for 'Searchable Log of All Conversation and Knowledge', it lets you access conversations and threads that occurred before you were added to a channel, and even after you leave. Users enjoy direct messaging, threads within channels, private groups and open channels, emojis and reactions, a "do not disturb" mode and more. Messages are editable, and important messages can be pinned. The app, that can be used on a desktop and a smart phone, offers archiving of channels, file sharing, notifications for desktop, mobile and email, voice and video calls. It also allows integration withother apps like Google Drive, Dropbox etc.

Playstore rating: 4.4/5

Pricing: Free for small teams with limited functions and goes up to $15 per active user per month (paid monthly). 

User Review: "It is important to separate your personal life from your work by having a communication application dedicated solely to work. Slack helps me do that perfectly," says  Arjun Nayyar who uses the application for his work in AIESEC.

Similar app: Hive


Trello

Trello is a project management web-based application that makes use of boards, lists and cards to help workflow visualisation. There are different cards within boards, and various lists within those cards. Members of a board can comment, edit, make to-do lists, send email notifications, make checklists, add deadline reminders, upload and share files & attachments, check the progress of work and archive cards. It is best used for simple team projects. The interface is user friendly, with tags, labels and categories, along with drag and drop functionality and the ability to shift cards from one stage to the next. The application is accessible on desktops and smart phones and is easy to use due to its flexibility. It also offers integrations with other apps like slack, Dropbox, etc. upon shifting to a paid plan. Information is secured through backups, and can be retrieved when required.

Playstore rating: 4.5/5

Pricing: Free for basic services and goes up to $20.83 per user per month (paid annually). 

User Review: "Trello helps organize and allocate work easily, it has changed the way we track the progress of our team," says Vidhi Midha,who also uses the app for AIESEC's work.  

Similar app: Asana


BaseCamp

Perhaps one of the most user-friendly applications on the list with the cleanest interface, this app makes it easy for teams to work together and manage projects by organising everything on a single screen, forgoing the hassle of having various sections to sort through or figure out. It works by creating various spaces, each with its own purpose. Inside the HQ, which exists to communicate things everyone needs to know, there are 'Message Boards for posting updates, the 'To-Dos' for keeping track of work, a 'Campfire' chat room, eliminating the need for a separate messaging channel, 'Schedule' to meet deadlines, 'Docs &Files' where everyone has easy access to all important documents, and 'Automatic Check-ins' where the team can be asked what they will work on, on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. Equipped with discussion boards, RSS Feed, project templates etc., this application is high on features as well as customer satisfaction.

Playstore rating: 4.4/5

Pricing: After a free 30-day trial, Basecamp charges a flat fee of $99/month, regardless of the number of members. 

User Review: "I love how easy it is to use BaseCamp, and how uncomplicated its UI is. This according to me is its USP and the reason it is so popular," saysNeerja Gupta, a teacher at a Zirakpur school.

Similar apps: ProofHub, Bitrix24


Wrike

Wrike is a project-management software, that aims to improve efficiency and productivity of companies through its flexibility. The user-friendly navigation along with task management, and interactive Gantt charts anddocument collaboration helps teams get work done with better coordination and more ease. Projects are managed through tasks, subtasks, folders and lists which can be sorted through. Customised reports on each task, managing workload by task prioritisation and security measures to protect your data are some unique features of the application. It offers a real time newsfeed, with discussions. Like all others on the list, it provides integrations with Slack, Google Drive, and Gmail among others.

Playstore rating: 4.3/5

Pricing: Free for teams up to 5 members, and includes different pricing for various plans that can go up to $34.60 per user per month and beyond. 

User Review: "Wrike could be expensive for some, but the features offered are worth every penny- although it can seem complex sometimes," says Vikas Gupta, a resident of Panchkula who is currently self employed.  

Similar apps: Teamwork Projects.  WorkFront


MeisterTask

Another task management tool that is flexible, MeisterTaskworks with the basic boards, cards and lists for your tasks. You can add labels, subtasks, tags, comments, due dates, and attachments to these in the app which comes equipped with drag and drop functionality. The dashboard is highly customizable and provides an overview of all your tasks, sometimes with the help of graphs. The Complete Task button on the top of each card that, once clicked, shows how long it took for the task to be completed. MeisterTask also supports task relationships, wherein you cannot complete one task unless the other task is completed first. The application can be accessed on smart phones and desktops. Like all others on the list, it offers integrations with Slack, Github, Hipchat, and MindMeister - a mind mapping app — among others. 

Playstore rating: 4.2/5

Pricing: Free for basic features and goes up to $20.75 per user per month and beyond.

User Review:  "One of the best project management apps out there, which is good for both individual and group projects," says Saksham Mahendru, B-Tech student from Chandigarh. 

Similar apps: Teamwork Projects, Wrike

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