Keeping organized can be a job in-and-of itself. The set of tools you use (or don’t use) to keep yourself organized likely has not changed in some time. Maybe you have not implemented any organizational tools for your team yet. While it’s not a necessity, it’s certainly a bonus to have an organizational tool or event platform tool that make your job as an event or project manager that much easier. The following will not be comprised of a list of tools to try out or a specific tool to invest in. This article aims to outline and explore the different capabilities within the tool(s) you use to ensure that you’re using the right tools for you and your team.

Must-Need Functionality

There are an infinite number of virtual tools to choose from when looking to help yourself become and stay organized. From something as simple as an email reader or how you organize your inbox to a notes app, there are even subscription-based tools that integrate your calendar, email, notes, and more. Every time I look at new tools or explore the option of changing the tools that I use, I look for very specific functions within the tool. 

A short list of the functions I specifically look for include: task dependencies, collaboration with team members or external collaborators, note-taking abilities, reminder/notification functions, integration with other tools (e.g. email, forms, calendar), and different view options. 

While the above list is not exhaustive, the functions listed play a part in the ways in which a virtual tool can be used. Not to mention, a tool that works for one person or team may not work for someone else as well, despite the functionality. So, how do you decide on which tool to use or invest in? The answer is quite simple. Define the functionality that you require in the tool(s) you use and find the tools that match your needs as closely as possible. Part of this process includes testing the tool for some time, maybe a few days to a week, before deciding to use it full time. Many virtual tools that require a subscription to use the platform will give you a free trial, usually a one-month free trial. Use the trials to replicate your current workflow and see how you like working while using the new tool. 

The tools I most typically use are email, notes, and calendar. When I look for new tool platform, I require that each of the tools I already use can be integrated and that I am able to have all of my notifications in place. When I use a new virtual tool, it’s usually to accommodate a new project that I’m working on. For this matter, it’s important that the new tool has the ability to create tasks, track task progress through multiple stages (bonus points if the different stages can be defined in my own terms), task dependencies so that when one task is complete the next task(s) appear, and reminders about task due dates and emails to reply to.

Event Tools

Organizational tools are all well and great, but event tools are a completely different ball game. The tool(s) you use to organize and host your event can make all the difference in the experiences of you, your team, speakers, sponsors, and attendees alike.

The best thing that you can keep in mind is that your event platform does not need to be all-encompassing. You also do not need to worry about using every single function within the platform. If you are paying for a platform to use registration for an in-person event, be sure that you can collect all of the data you require during the registration process. Likewise, if this platform also supports hybrid and virtual events but you do not have the bandwidth to branch out, that’s perfectly ok because you don’t have to use it yet. This can be something you reach towards using in the future.

To this point, have knowledge of all functions included on the platform you are using. Know how to use the functions properly or to the advantage of your event(s) and be in the know about when new functions will be released. By keeping yourself up-to-date you can more accurately judge whether you’ve outgrown the capabilities of the platform or if you need to scale down. 

When it’s Time to Update

Knowing when it’s time to change up the tools and platforms you use can be tricky to say the least. We can get very comfortable using the same tools, but change is also good. Changing your tools can increase productivity and keep you more organized.

There are three points to keep in mind when evaluating the effectiveness of the tools and platforms you use. First, you find yourself or your team wasting time or needing to reorganize the content or use of the tool more than once in the length of a single project or calendar year. Second, deadlines are more frequently missed. Third, it takes more time to explain how to set up a task or find information than it does to physically do the task or ask a teammate for assistance.

By experiencing one or all three of the above issues, it may be time to take a look at a new tool or platform to use. 

Conclusion

Keep in mind that the process of changing your tools can be painstaking, but once the initial move has ended you should begin to feel comfortable with using the tool, learning all of its shortcuts, and ultimately improving your work environment. Do your homework on how other tools work and take note of the functions your current tools lack, functions that you already use or require, and take the time to test it out with the data you and your team use.