Ascent

We’ve all been there—what begins as a minor miscommunication or a simple human error ends up ballooning into a much larger problem, and you wish there had been a better system in place from the get-go. Communication breakdown is often the cause of failure when it comes to project management. In fact, a recent Project Management Institute (PMI) report revealed that inadequate and poor communication is the primary reason for 29% of project failures.

Finding more efficient tools for facilitating and improving team interaction is a key market driver for reducing project inefficiencies. Four out of five survey respondents in the recent PMI report answered that “soft skills, such as communications, leadership, and negotiation, are more important today than they were just five years ago.” 

That’s why it’s critical to understand essential internal communication tools—such as chat messaging, task management, commenting and email in order to achieve maximum team productivity and success.

5 Essential Internal Communication Tools

When considering the best internal communication tools that are essential for progress, an all-in-one task and project management platform will easily and seamlessly bring everything together.

Accessible tools for in-house and remote teams should be accessible from any location via a laptop, phone, tablet, or desktop computer, combining preferred apps and programs for simple team integration. Here are the 5 tools your team shouldn’t go without.

1. Internal chat messaging 

Individual, team, and project chat built directly into your task management platform allows you to direct message your team and project members without an outside chat program.

Using a chat tool enables you to remain in the loop with project collaborators and followers. You can make use of specific chat channels for subgroups like your writers, editors, or graphic designers who wish to convene at their own “watercooler.” 

2. Video conferencing 

Video is not generally built into a project management system, however, setting up bi-weekly or weekly video calls is helpful for internal communication. The ability to catch up with coworkers face-to-face and screen share when discussing work is invaluable for team collaboration.

3. Task management and commenting

Creating tasks and assigning them to key team members is only a start. You will also need to incorporate notes related to the project, as well as any important files.

Through threaded comments, you can store all relevant details about a project so all team members can review when they are added, and everything will be located in one central place.

4. Email task creation

Email functionality for task creation should be a quick process and should be as simple as emailing details to a specific email address. This is especially helpful for those who prefer using email more frequently and power users who want to maximize efficiency. A task management platform that allows for multiple task-creation options will help your team adapt the software to their unique workstyles, rather than the other way around.

5. Calendar integration

A system that allows you to integrate different calendars will simplify project management, ease team communication and help set clear expectations around roles and responsibilities.

Integrating your team’s tools goes a long way, and below are some tips for using those tools for meaningful collaboration.

How to Use Tools for Effective Communication 

Identify your project and team members and get them involved in the project management and planning in the following ways:

Provide a collaboration app that includes:

• Multiple ways to view project details including simple lists, kanban boards, and timelines. 

• Real-time updates with customized notifications for team members to manage projects with ease.

• Tags and bookmarks to filter your tasks by one or more tags and reduce project disarray.

Make project management interactive and fun for your team. It’s no secret that greater team engagement and workflow experiences lead to better team performance.

You can boost positivity among team members when you:

• Create themed chat channels that may be outside the scope of your project work but related to specific hobbies or interests of your team members. 

• Start a company book club related to techniques for project management or another common area of interest. Start by:

• Appointing a team leader to manage the project and assign a task to that person, followed by including any folks who may want to pitch in.

• Appointing a team leader to manage the project and assign a task to that person, followed by including any folks who may want to pitch in.

• Appointing a team leader to manage the project and assign a task to that person, followed by including any folks who may want to pitch in.

• Set your team goals via video conferencing and project chat channels enabling team members to get to know one another, as well as work on projects more successfully.

These tips will help you improve team communication. A streamlined project management platform will simplify your project collaboration and provide a central space for all of your tools, chat channels, tasks, and calendars to live.

Integrating Tools via a Collaborative Dashboard

Forbes relayed in a recent report that “strategy is defined by the projects that drive the business,” taking into account a look at the creation, strategy, and implementation of projects. 

This study of 163 CEOs, senior strategists, and project management professionals stated that 82% of all project failures can be prevented. So why not determine how to improve your team processes with essential internal communication tools to help prevent project mix-ups?

When a strategy is built around effective team collaboration and emphasizing project productivity through a commonplace for all of your team tools, then you have the right solution for moving forward in complete confidence.

Flow provides a feature-rich, all-in-one productive collaborative tool that helps improve team communication and workflow. Sign up for a free trial today!