Collaboration System

What is a collaboration system? Let’s consider a collaboration system definition: this is software allowing multiple people (a business team, project workgroup, etc) to use different computer-based services and tools to share their working tasks and efforts. In order to understand what this actually means let’s delve into details by learning some helpful collaboration system functions:

• Assigning tasks and objectives to responsible doers via LAN or Internet;
• Managing shared schedules and calendars, so everyone can stay aware of their workloads;
• Coordinating assignments of the employees, so no schedule conflicts can appear;
• Planning and sharing business plans, target dates and expectations;
• Reporting progress over assigned tasks (for employees);
• Receiving reports on performance of delegated tasks (for managers);
• Measuring and analyzing progress over the projects;
• Sharing, statusing and categorizing documents (arranging electronic libraries);
• Keeping instant connections between employees, superiors, and external stakeholders to manage common and individual duties;

Some facts about Collaboration Systems, along with some examples:

Implementation: the most of such systems are deployed over your corporate LAN, or are accessed through the Internet. There are different technologies to drive these solutions, so some of them are really simple in implementation, while others need to be installed by qualified IT specialists (especially open-source systems or Intranet solutions). For example we can say that VIP Task Manager is an example that is extremely simple in terms of implementation – you can deploy it over your company’s LAN just in a few minutes, and you don’t need any advanced IT skills to accomplish this.

Development: basically such systems are segregated as extendable ones and ready-to-go. Extendable systems are modifiable to be strengthened with adding more functionality, usually employing module-based collaboration system architecture to enable attaching additional modules and plug-ins easily. Each new module adds certain features to make the entire system more powerful. When you deal with commercial systems, you should be ready that every new functional module (that can be called “plug-in” or “add-on”) is sold at particular price. VIP Task Manager is ready-to-go system that is not a module-based solution, but a single teamwork system providing you with a full package of functionality at once. 

Integration: as it was mentioned before some systems are established as sets of modules that form up the whole functionality. Sometimes organizations (especially medium and large ones) demand for integration of several heterogeneous systems into one solution. This allows arranging an overall enterprise collaboration system that may interconnect sub-systems for different kinds of management: financial, accounting, HR, document circulations, banking, etc. VIP Task Manager is a solution that integrates a set of functions and tools within its original toolset, so for example you will benefit from applying easy-to-use project management instruments such as Task List, Task Tree and Calendar modes at once, as well as from work management – task planning, controlling and reporting. 

Coordination: this is about a function of such a system, allowing its users to coordinate (interrelate and manage) different business matters (manpower, budget, time, equipment, etc) to administer them all in a consolidated manner, so these things can be synergistically managed within scopes of the common entities. For example: within projects or tasks, like in VIP Task Manager that is a teamwork package for explaining and recording tasks in terms of their attributes to guide and instruct performers, and to make these tasks continually controlled.