• Recognize digital tools that help people communicate and work together
• Understand how to work with others to create a business message
• Recognize digital tools that help with writing with others

Tools for Communicating with Groups

Technology is rapidly changing the ways we communicate in a variety of contexts, and group communication is no exception. Many organizations use computers and cell phones as a primary way to keep groups connected given their ease of use, low cost, and asynchronous nature. In today’s workplace, you can use Google Docs, chat online, transfer documents back and forth, and form messages to achieve the group’s goals—all without ever having to meet in person. You’ll likely find yourself participating in virtual groups with people who have been brought together from a variety of geographical locations.

When groups communicate through email, discussion forums, text messaging, and other asynchronous methods, they lose the ability to provide immediate feedback to other members. Also, using asynchronous communication technologies takes a great deal more time for a group to achieve its goals. 

Nevertheless, technology is changing the ways we understand groups and participate in them. We have yet to work out all of the new standards for group participation introduced by technology. Used well, technology opens the door for new avenues of working in groups to achieve goals. Used poorly, technology can add to the many frustrations people often experience working in groups and teams.

Meeting Scheduling

Have you ever watched an email addressed to more than five people rapidly fill your email box? Probably. Imagine the one with the subject line “Can you meet Tuesday at 10? or when?” This message for internal, external, or a mix of meeting attendees will rapidly fill everyone’s email box and possibly use more attendee time in reading and scheduling the meeting than the meeting may actually take.

There are a variety of tools available to streamline this interaction:

• Doodle: Allows you to propose several times and dates and invite participants to select their preferences. It’s great for finding a time that works for everyone without back-and-forth emails.
• Calendly: Enables others to book meetings with you based on your available times. It integrates with your calendar to prevent double-booking and can automatically adjust for different time zones.
• Shared calendars among teammates: Tools like Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook Calendar include a feature that allows you to find suitable meeting times when meeting participants are all available.

Quick Conversations

Throughout the work day, questions come up that need simple responses quickly. These tools may be one-on-one tools or group tools (i.e. text, group text). These tools allow users to chat in real-time, so projects can be completed faster because users don’t have to wait for other users to respond by asynchronous means like email. Tools that may suit this need are tools such as or similar to the following:

• Slack: A popular messaging app for teams that supports direct messages, group chats, and channels organized by topic. It offers real-time messaging, file sharing, and powerful search capabilities.
• Microsoft Teams: Integrated with Microsoft 365, Teams is a platform that combines workplace chat, meetings, notes, and attachments. It supports real-time communication and collaboration across different devices.
• Google Chat: Part of Google Workspace, it provides direct messages and team chat rooms, facilitating real-time conversations and collaboration. It integrates with other Google services like Drive and Meet.
• Webex Messaging: A feature within the Webex suite that enables users to send messages, share files, and even start spontaneous video calls directly from the chat. It’s designed to facilitate quick questions and fast responses among coworkers.

Since mobile devices such as smartphones are so common, you would probably be able to text message teammates. However, do check the company policy on the use of your personal devices to communicate for work. There may be issues related to intellectual property, security, and customer relations. 

Email

Certainly, email remains an excellent tool because large numbers of people may receive the same message. Make sure you check your company’s use of these tools, particularly when sharing sensitive information. 

Conferencing

Now most personal computers, tablets, and phones offer users voice, video, and text communication. This leads to richer communications through video conferences. Video conferencing allows participants to see facial expressions and body language, which are crucial for understanding context and nuances in conversation. This visual aspect leads to more engaging and effective meetings, where participants are likely to be more attentive and involved.

Screen sharing enables presenters to visually explain concepts, demonstrate software, or review documents live. This direct visual context helps avoid misunderstandings that can occur with verbal or written explanations alone. Teams can work on documents, designs, or presentations together in real time, making edits, suggestions, and changes while discussing them verbally or in a chat. This simultaneous input speeds up the revision process and enhances the quality of the final product.

Project Management

Project management is no longer only for massive construction projects. Many tracking and coordination skills are used in group communication. These management tools help keep all parties involved in a project on the same page. These tools also reduce the amount of incoming and outgoing communications, since team members have access to the status of each person’s work.

Here are a few other examples of project management tools

• Microsoft Project is designed to assist a project manager in developing a plan, assigning resources to tasks, tracking progress, managing the budget, and analyzing workloads. 
• Trello: Uses a simple, card-based layout that’s great for organizing tasks and workflows visually. It’s particularly effective for small teams and straightforward projects.
• Monday.com: Known for its customizability and ease of use, Monday.com supports a wide range of project management and workflow automation tasks. It’s suitable for teams of all sizes.