Slack
Slack is a team messaging app that allows all members of a project to maintain clear lines of communication. Users of the app can receive notifications on their desktop when new messages are posted, integrate the app with office tools, and create customized channels.
- Team messaging app
- Send messages to an entire team or individuals
- Create unlimited channels
- Free basic plan
- Create customized channels
- Edit messages after posting
- Alerts can be customized to keywords
- Channels can become too chaotic
- Plans for large teams are very expensive
- Takes time to learn how to use effectively
Keeping a team on track requires good communication. Slack was developed for project teams as a multi-faceted messaging app. While the software is not intended to replace email, it can complement methods of traditional communication. It is a much better alternative than using Messenger or similar apps. Team members are able to maintain a connection and discuss projects in real time. Slack can be used for free, but doing so is restrictive. All features are unlocked with paid plans that begin at $8 per month for each user. It is possible to pay annually and receive a discount. Large organizations can qualify for enterprise pricing. One drawback of the app is that teams with many members will find that the platform is expensive. Messages on Slack are delivered in channels. The organization can decide which channels to create and which team members have access. One a user has signed up and logged in, a dashboard appears with all accessible channels in the left sidebar. The user clicks on a channel and the channel's messages are displayed. Up to 10,000 messages can be retrieved. It is possible to edit messages once they have been posted. Links can also be shared in messages, and there is a decent preview mode that allows users to see content before clicking on the link. One of the best features of the software is an ability to create custom alerts. Users can create an alert that will trigger when a certain word is used in a message. There is a Do Not Disturb feature which will let users turn off messages when they are asleep or otherwise engaged. Slack succeeds on many levels, but at times the app can become chaotic. It is very easy to lose the thread of a conversation in a channel where many people are communicating at the same time about different issues. This can be easily resolved by creating more channels, but learning how to efficiently use the platform requires a strong learning curve.