As we continue this series on how the EA remains agile, we will continue to look at the tools that can be used. In my own practice, I have a new set of criteria that I use when evaluating tools. Aside from meeting the basic requirements, tools that get “extra credit” have the following additional features:
- Browser-based : I like tools that can operate in a web-browser. Whether that’s a web-based view of my email and calendar, or Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions, like Trello. The ability to work from any system possible is highly desirable to me.
- Mobile-friendly : I like tools that have corresponding apps that work on my iPad or iPhone. Trello for example, has a complimentary mobile application that works great on mobile platform (except Blackberry – ugh !)
- Well-integrated : I like tools that integrate well with other SaaS (please, don’t say Cloud) solutions. For example, I use an online drawing tool called draw.io for most of my diagrams. It integrates with my Google Drive account, meaning I can store my diagrams in a location that is independent of the system used to create them.
- Standards-compliant : if the tool has some form of output, I prefer that it be in a well-recognized format, such as JPEG or PDF. This means I don’t have to worry about any collaborators using the same tools I do.
In my own practice, I have really settled into the Google universe. I pay for a Google Apps account, which includes Email, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, and all of the other feature-rich tools. When I select tools, they need to work well with those Google apps – or I start looking for alternatives.
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