Monday, March 30, 2009  

Managing mails: Outlook v Collaboration Tools (revisited)

I read an interesting blog post from the folks at 37signals that got me thinking again about the age-old Outlook vs. collaboration tool debate. Fellow Built on Collaboration blogger Leigh Jasper has previously discussed this in three parts (here, here and here), and it seems that we're not alone in the struggle to get users converted into appreciating the value of web collaboration over email.

For those that don't know them, 37signals has a pretty cool (and openly basic) project management/collaboration tool called Basecamp. They built their web application with the view that email doesn't cut it as a collaboration tool for people involved in projects (any type of project not only construction).

In the article they say that one of the common issues their customers face with their application when trying to get other project team members onboard is the fact that they keep using email instead because it's what they understand. Unlike the larger collaboration tool vendors, 37signals don't have the luxury of a large team of Customer Service staff to help projects get over this hump so it's obviously going to be harder for them. Having said that, all collaboration tool vendors will have faced a user (or 500) that can't get past the fact that they have to login to the system to send correspondence rather than just firing off another email from Outlook.

There is no easy solution to this whole issue but I think it starts with a greater awareness and appreciation of the power of how collaboration systems manage mail. The searching/reporting/tracking built into these systems easily beats anything you can do with Outlook. Email also doesn't offer the threading capability to easily track the history of a discussion. And clearly the ability for collaboration tools to transmit an almost unlimited number and size of files between parties far exceeds the standard email capability.

Most of our key clients get the power of our Mail module and mandate the use of the Aconex system for all project-related correspondence. They value the openness and visibility, the concept of filing upon sending (rather than relying on filing/archiving upon receipt) and also the searching & tracking capabilities built in. I'm sure there are many other companies in the construction world with a similar view. Is this correct? I'd be interested to know your experiences with managing mails using a collaboration tool instead of Outlook. Also, what's missing from collaboration tools to help kill the Outlook debate?

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posted by Stuart Watson
Comments:
Hi Stuart,

Clearly the benefits of collaborative mail are clear...so why not start making Aconex act like email while guarding the collaboration elements. Aconex could have the option of prompting to save the login details (with a warning of course). Or a launch Aconex at start up so Aconex is open and ready. These two enhancements would help remove user error when logging in. New mail could open in a new tab / window so the user is not having to return to the action summary after actioning each mail. The tab header could contain the mail number and or subject. For large programs there should be an option of copying to the mail to another project or referring to mail in another project, similar to mail folders. Searching across all mail in all projects would also be helpful.

Rohan
posted by Blogger Youseff : April 22, 2009 7:27 PM
 
Hi Stuart,

how about making your email solution avaiable on smartphone devices, is that possible today? Most of the people at the construction site might not have access to their PCs nor internet access. Therefore having the ability to send and read emails on their smartphone while connected via GPRS or 3G will definitely assist in the uptake of your email solution. I am sure they could connect today via a browser from within the smartphone, but that would be sluggish compared to an optimized web page or portal for smartphone users.

Also, an application for the iPhone, blackberry, windows mobile, symbian, would be great. Just like salesforce's and webex applications for the iPhone.

Just my 2c.

Girard
posted by Blogger giro : June 25, 2009 4:34 AM
 
Thanks for the question Girard. The short answer to your question is yes. Many of our users with mobile devices are already taking advantage of the feature to send notifications containing the full content of the correspondence (even with attachments) to their email address. This allows them to receive their Aconex correspondence on their smartphone and keep up-to-date on the project when they're out of the office. Users can also reply directly to the email notifications from the phone as well (and have it go back into the application).

Rob Phillpot has previously made some posts about mobile devices and their application when working with project web collaboration tools like Aconex.

(See http://blogs.aconex.com/built-on-collaboration/2008/03/iphone-or-blackberry.html and http://blogs.aconex.com/built-on-collaboration/2008/03/iphone-on-site.html)

As you can tell from those posts, Rob is definitely a fan of the iPhone (he uses the iPhone to access Aconex remotely) and most would accept that it stands out from the pack in terms of usability and performance (especially with the speed of the new 3G S out now). Whilst I can’t be too specific at this stage, additional mobile capability certainly sits on our product roadmap and some of our developers have already spent some time on a prototype app for the iPhone.
posted by Blogger Stuart Watson : June 29, 2009 1:59 PM
 
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