IT Tools Everyone Should be Using

The computing world is filled with all kinds of equipment, hardware and software designed to make our lives easier and increase productivity. As anyone who works with computers in any capacity on a regular basis will tell you, you’re always going through processes where you have to down tools due to system upgrades or new equipment is being brought into the office designed to improve how things are done, (even if you believe that they actually slow things down and you want your old device back).

Some systems are installed purely because the hierarchy have been persuaded by those whose opinion on these things they value most, others are brought in as cost-cutting measures in a form of downgrading to more energy efficient devices or upgrading to faster machines that use less power. In other instances, however, it is purely down to what has been presented at exhibitions and conferences with people wowed by what can be done with certain systems or devices and they are soon rolled out through the business from the reception desk to the board room.

Many of the modern innovations have changed how we do business, how we work, how we relax and how we communicate and have quite literally changed the way we see the world. No longer are we sitting around waiting for things to happen, they’re constantly evolving around us and it’s down to us to adapt with them and learn new processes. After all, our productivity levels aren’t going to increase (as expected by management) if we don’t give these new processes the opportunity to help make our lives easier – and who doesn’t want the easy life?

Whatever your stance is with IT systems and tools, sometimes you just have to grin and bear it even if you don’t agree with the speed in which things are developing. Some tools have genuine benefits to the business as a whole, to our productivity and the quality of our work and for that reason it is definitely worth having a go with or investing in the following tools:

IT service management

With all kinds of tasks to do, it pays to invest in some kind of IT service management solutions so that all challenges can be resolved quickly and easily. There are specialist agencies out there offering packages of various sizes and prices, (take a look at sysaid.com as an example), which will allow you to see what problems are currently in the system, who is tasked with resolving them, their priority and their status. The sooner people are made aware of problems, the sooner they can be resolved and productivity can increase.

Cloud storage

This is one of the most commonly used terms in computing at the moment, and for good reason. Previously if you wanted to save your work it was done to the hard drive or a good old floppy disc. Then, along came CDs and USB drives which enabled you to save on one machine and access files on another; and now you have the completely ‘hands free’ cloud. Documents can be saved online and accessed via login details from anywhere in the world making it perfect for people who can’t stop working (through addiction or necessity!) Examples include Google Drive, Microsoft’s One Drive and Dropbox.

Project Management Software

Some of these systems cost money, others offer a free trial up to a certain time period or amount of users. Either way, project management software is a great way of staying on top of everything you have to do with the ability to assign certain people to tasks and give each individual component its own deadline. You can add comments and tick things off as you go and even upload files to share with colleagues if you wish. Examples include Wrike and Basecamp.