Slack
Hey everyone! This is Mahdi again, and today we're going to talk about the new communication and productivity platform Interfirm has been using!
Slack is the name, and it has gotten really popular these past few months! Without further ado, I'm going to show you the main features so that you know what is has to offer.
Communication
Slack is now universally recognized as one of the best tools for team communication, and it's easy to see why.
The app makes communicating much easier by separating everything into channels, groups and direct messages so for example, a channel for each topic or project could be created so that everyone is able to follow the activities related to that project!
For private discussions, users can use direct messages or even create private groups for discussions involving more people.
These communications are all archived so that when the need arises, they can be easily searched in a much more convenient way than conventional email.
Users are also able to upload files into discussions, be it pictures, pdfs, powerpoint files, text files, or even source code! Almost all formats are nicely displayed and formatted so that they can be seen without having to load the said file!
Here is an example of source code displayed inside Slack:
Another amazing feature is that these uploaded files can be searched using the standard search function so if a word is mentioned inside an uploaded PDF, it'll show up in your search results.
Integrations
One of the best features of Slack is that it can integrate with other services in order to conveniently show relevant information right inside of the chat or channel. It is a good way to keep everyone up to date about changes in other services, and also let everyone interact with other services without leaving Slack.
For example, adding the Dropbox integration allows users to easily share files from Dropbox and save them just as easily. The Twitter integration makes Slack automatically expand tweet links posted in the chat.
There are plenty of other service integrations and if you can't find an integration for your own service, you can easily create a new one: Slack provides APIs, commands, bots and tools to make it integrate with any kind of service!
Here is the full list of currently available integrations: https://slack.com/integrations
Everywhere
Slack has apps on all the major platforms so that you can stay connected everywhere and anywhere. My favorite one is probably the iOS app that you can find here:
Slack's apps are always in a synchronized state so reading a message on your iPhone will automatically mark it as read on your computer! Mobile apps will also allow you to received notifications whenever someone mentions you.
Design
Let's be honest. I am quite in love with Slack's design. It is simple, beautiful and uncluttered, making navigation really easy. Staying up to date with the different projects and topics is not a tiring task anymore.
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Slack really changed the way people communicate and work for the better. At Interfirm we are embracing Slack, and you should too!
Well, that's it. I hope I explained the main features clearly. There are still many features to be discovered as I still find new ones each day, but that's the beauty of it, isn't it ? :)
Until next week, take care!
