1. How to Effectivly Run a Group Project Online

    Since starting my Interactive Media Design Degree in September of 2009, I have learned the importance of running group projects well. So today I thought I’d share with you the way I like to keep a project on track using two online tools.

    1. GoogleWave

    Imagine Email and Instant Messaging combined into one super communicator. That’s GoogleWave. It takes the best strengths from Email, and those from Instant Messaging and gives you an environment where you can work collaboratively with other people, in real time.

    Instead of sending around lots of messages, reply’s and forwards your conversation is held in one central place. This is the fundamental idea behind GoogleWave, you start and reply to ‘Waves’. You don’t have to make sure you have included all the correct people in an email conversation. Everyone who is part of the Wave will see all the updates as soon as they happen.

    What you type is sent out in real-time. So if you are reply to someones comment from earlier, other people in the Wave could be watching at the same time. What this means is you don’t have to wait around to think about what your reply will be. In a conventional Instant Messaging Conversation you have to wait to read what the other person is saying. With GoogleWave you can see what they are trying to say, as soon as they start typing. Think how much time you waste waiting to receive an IM. GoogleWave gets rid of that.

    So why does this help your project organisation? Because each person involved in the project can keep everyone informed in what is going. If you begin using GoogleWave like an Instant Messaging Client, then the other users in your project can see what was said, and understand how the conversation went, thus keeping everyone in the loop.

    2. Dropbox

    Imagine having a folder on your Desktop, that whenever you changed its contents, those changes were uploaded to the Internet. Ok, sounds like an easy way to back up some files. Dropbox is unique because you can share the contents of any folder in your Dropbox so others can view or edit its contents, as well as receive any updates you make.

    A very simple idea, implemented perfectly. For example, say your working on a website with a friend, but you would like them to be able to see all the changes you make the code and design. With Dropbox, you would simply share the folder where the website was contained. The other person would then download its contents, and their computer would be updated everytime you made any changes to your files.

    So why does this help your project organisation? Put simply, it means everyone has the same files, and every knows where the project is at. Whenever one person changes or adds a file, every other computer sharing that folder gets those updates.

    So with both of these tools, you can keep in contact, and up to date with any number of projects over the Internet, in real-time. That’s the important bit - real-time. No waiting around and everyone is kept in the loop so the project can move forward without having to worry about everyone having the most recent files.

    Oh yeah, and they are FREE!

    http://wave.google.com is currently in Private Preview state, but if you want an invitation drop me an email to hello@finlaycraig.com and i’ll send one your way.

    http://www.dropbox.com is free up to 3GB, or you can upgrade if you really want.

    I hope this come in handy, and helps you keep on top of those projects!

    What are your tips for keeping on top of big projects?