team members around a table, sharing on social medias. follow, share, like, phone, computer, tabletSocial networks have entered our lives, and they are here to stay.

Just a little more than a decade ago internet became popular and now we couldn’t live without it. Social networks have gained importance for some years, in both our lives and in the business world.

Actually, it is unthinkable that a company has no presence on the internet or in major social networks.

Project management is no stranger to these changes. In recent years new models of project management using social networks have emerged.

Initially project management 2.0 emerged, better known by reference: PM 2.0. This is the use of web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, for open and integrated online collaboration in a project team.

A more modern concept is Social Project Management. In this case, there is a much deeper integration with social networks. It is a way of understanding the interaction between project management and social networks looking to get the most out of what this new form of communication can bring to the world of business management.

Let’s see what their main contributions are.

Integration with the community

The project has resulted in the achievement of a product or service. Subsequently, it will have to participate in the market and meet the needs of the customers.

A closed project will only contain the views and contributions of members that make up the team. However, it will be closed to the internet community, which is a very large and representative sample of the global market in which the product will be integrated later.

Therefore the use of social networks allow collaborative contributions from individuals outside the team, most likely potential customers, so it will be possible to know their degree of satisfaction with the product before releasing it to the market.

This will foresee the needs that may arise and dynamically adapt the project so that the product meets the needs of the maximum number of customers at the time of its release.

Visibility

Enlisting the help of users of social networks will not only enrich the project but will release it. The internet community will feel part of the team. Really, it is the customers themselves who have designed the product to meet their needs.

During the process, they have exchanged information on the social network platforms visible to everyone, and therefore have formed a new advertising channel.

In addition, being able to work and feel part of the project is a powerful advertising tool. Customers may feel that the product is part of their lives even before it reaches the market.

Intimacy

A project openly in social networks brings you closer to the customers. Technology has added a certain point of dehumanized relations within companies and between them and their clients.

Social networks are the solution to recover the direct treatment through proprietary technologies. Even to get in contact with people with whom it was previously impossible.

Social networks allow you to show the human side of your company and get to know your customers intimately. Maybe people do not dare to say everything you think about your product or do not bother to respond to surveys at street level or by phone. However, social networking breaks all barriers and allows fluid communication between businesses and consumers. 

Diversity

Social networks are a useful tool regardless of the size of your company or the type of project you want to carry out.

In any case, social networks add value to your business. If small, you will have less followers and interaction in social networks, but will have as much room and potential for growth as a multinational.

In fact, you can interact with leading companies in your industry or other areas, achieving a useful communication will result in a mutual benefit.

For all these reasons, social networks are a tool to incorporate marketing strategies and project management. And every day they are more important and crucial to success.

In fact, there have been new marketing strategies based on the use of social networks. An example is known as the marketing funnel.

Therefore, social networks are increasingly used in business. What do you expect to use?

 

Top 5 most read blogs on ITM Platform:

The Monte Carlo Method in Project Management

Extra Extra Extra!

Three disastrous project management failures

The project in the face of adversity: what should a project manager do?

What is the Virtual Sock Management or Periodical Online Management?

 

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collaboration mind mapAs the famous poet Mattie Stepanek once said, “when there is collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” But what happens when those who are meant to collaborate are geographically separated, physically incapable of meeting with one another? The answer is virtual collaboration.

Rather than having projects run on generic face-to-face communication, businesses become reliant on technology-mediated communication. This approach integrates online tools into the workplace to help maintain interactions amongst group members. Now you may wonder where and when this would be used? 

Why virtual collaboration?

Simply put, virtual collaboration is made for virtual teams. If you’re unfamiliar with the term “virtual teams” you can always refer back to the article on remote work because the two are very familiar. Regardless, virtual teams are known as groups of individuals who work together despite being geographically dispersed. In this case, they highly depend on communication technologies to link them with one another and keep their team strong.

In fact, many companies today prefer virtual collaboration rather than the traditional one. The reason for this is because with traditional collaboration you run into an unavoidable barrier. Confused? Well, picture this: you and your colleagues sit around a table brainstorming ideas for your latest project. You want to be productive but can only have one person speaking or writing on the white board at a time. Virtual teams don’t come across this problem because technology permits them to make group chats, audio calls, face-time, or even use shared documents and whiteboard all at once.

Even though virtual collaboration has been implemented across millions of businesses it is still a fairly new concept and way-of-work. Many are still unsure how to go about of incorporating virtual collaboration into their own businesses. The following tips can help you with using virtual collaboration for your next project:

1. Create team rules

It’s essential for all team members to understand expectations for virtual communication. Agree upon the standards for decision making, resolving conflicts and meeting business protocol via technological softwares.  Furthermore virtual team members must have a very firm grasp on company objectives and priorities, their particular duties and responsibilities. Because this will be communicated virtually, it’s extremely important that it’s done efficiently to help reduce confusion.

2. Play online games

A fun and effective way to get team members familiar with virtual collaboration is through the use of virtual games. Workers can find online versions of “scavenger hunt” customized to their particular industry. Such games encourage players to pool their knowledge and develop connections with co-workers to solve problems. In many multi-player games, workers have to collaborate and continuously communicate with one another if they wish to survive.

3. Don’t be afraid of social media platforms

When individuals feel comfortable with one another they tend to work better together. Furthermore, people are more prone to being more willing to collaborate if they feel as though their co-workers are similar to them. This is where social media sites step in. The trick is to use these websites to find common ground amongst team-members. Put work aside and use social media tools to encourage and enable employees to communicate about non-work related topics.

Apart from taking these tips into account when planning the development of your own virtual team and the virtual collaboration that inevitably comes along with it, there is still one extremely important thing that must be done. You must find a strong, effective and virtual project management solution such as ITM Platform. ITM Platform is a cloud-based solution therefore it is perfect for virtual collaboration since it can be used across numerous technological devices, at any time and anywhere.

 people join in www connections social media network

Learn more about how ITM Platform will help you with the creation of your own virtual team and all of your future projects by visiting http://www.itmplatform.com/en/

Top 5 most read blogs on ITM Platform:

The Monte Carlo Method in Project Management

Extra Extra Extra!

Three disastrous project management failures

The project in the face of adversity: what should a project manager do?

What is the Virtual Sock Management or Periodical Online Management?

 

Isidora Roskic-Blogger ITM Platform

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