Let me start by saying I have used a number of online project management tools. I found almost all of them to be so complicated to use that I had to invest almost as much time learning the system as I did managing the project. As an efficiency freak, that caused untold stress and drama. Recently, I discovered Wiggio and decided to use it to manage a collaborative book writing experience. Though it has its limitations, this social media friendly project management platform is the easiest I have encountered.
Here's a screen shot of my demo group. The user interface is very simplistic. Tabs run across the top of the screen giving users different options for actions. There is a home page that functions much like a Twitter account, allowing for ongoing conversations. Followed by a collaborative calendar that sends updates out to team members. Next is the folder tab which keeps all uploaded content, including audio, video, photo and text.
There is a meeting tab that provides free conference calling, chat room and in person scheduling. The poll function gives team members an opportunity to get fast feedback on critical questions (such as what to order for lunch). The messaging tab offers cool communications options. Users can add sticky notes to items, leave a voice message or email one or all members of the group.
Finally, the link tab is a source for collecting information from around the web. This is a fantastic option for keeping track of resources, competitors, products, etc. The only thing that would make this better is if we could somehow integrate a Delicious bookmark account, which would provide more functionality. Barring that, it would be great to be able to export bookmarks in an OPML file, but I don't see that option.
We are trialing the free model, so there may be other functions in the paid version. Even so, this is plenty of function for our purposes. Several of the broader team members aren't big tech nerds like me. Wiggio makes collaboration easy for all of us with a small learning curve and user friendly options.
I definitely recommend using Wiggio for managing collaborative efforts of all kinds. The good news is that you can have multiple groups managed on one account at the same time. You could manage the poker playing, beer drinking tournament and the women's choir annual performance schedule. Just be sure not to get the two confused...
