Best collaboration tools for product manager
Baking a cake involves various ingredients like flour, eggs, sugar, and flavours. Similarly, a product manager blends skills from different departments – development, design, strategy – to create a product that’s both functional and delightful. Just as a cake’s taste relies on the right proportions, collaboration leads to a balanced and successful product.
Imagine a scenario where you’re gearing up to create an extraordinary feature. You’ve engaged in discussions with senior stakeholders, carefully crafted the designs, and then, when you present the concept to the development team, you receive disheartening news: the feature can’t be built due to significant technological risks and challenges. All the hard work you invested goes to waste because you neglected to involve your team early in the process.
Effective collaboration provides a panoramic view. Every team member brings a unique perspective, shedding light on various aspects of the product’s lifecycle. This wide-angle perspective ensures that blind spots are minimised, risks are mitigated, and a holistic approach is taken from ideation to launch.
For better collaboration, Product Manager use these tools in their day-to-day work:
| # | Tool Name | Features | Pricing | Funding Raised | Launch Date |
| 1 | Slack | Direct Messaging, File Sharing, Integrations, Threads, Voice & Video calls | The free version is available with 90 days of message history, and can go upto $5/mth | $1.4 B | Link | 2013 |
| 2 | Microsoft Teams | Chat & channels, Video conferencing, File sharing, Schedule meeting & calls | Comes with a free version, with a premium version starting at $2 per user per month | (Public listed company – Microsoft) | 2017 |
| 3 | G Suite | Schedule Meetings, Chat, Doc sharing, Chatting | Free trial available, with premium version going upto $16 per user/mth | (Public listed company – Google) | 2006 |
| 4 | Notion | Note-taking, real-time collaboration, documentation | Forever free for personal use, and can go up to $8 per user per month. | $343.2 M | Link | 2018 |
| 5 | Miro | Task management, project planning, customizable workflows, different project views | Starting price is free with the basic features & premium $10.99 per user per month | $ 453.2M | Link (Public listed company) | 2012 |
| 6 | Figma | Wireframing, User Flows, UI Design, Prototyping | The free version is available and is priced at up to $75 per user per month for organizations. | $ 1.4B | Link | 2016 |
- Slack
Businesses ranging from startups to large corporations widely adopt Slack. While notably beneficial in remote work environments, it’s equally embraced by individuals in physical office settings. It’s particularly valued for its ease of use, flexibility, and the ability to bring together conversations, tools, and integrations into one unified platform. Initially conceived as a chat tool for colleagues, Slack has evolved to incorporate numerous additional functionalities, spanning from voice to video calling. Its availability spans across all platforms, including desktop applications, web browsers, and Android and iOS applications.
- Microsoft Teams
It is particularly appealing to organizations that heavily rely on Microsoft tools, as it provides a unified platform where communication and collaboration can happen within the familiar Microsoft ecosystem. It’s suitable for both remote and in-person teams and can be scaled to accommodate small teams or large enterprises.Teams empowers users to seamlessly schedule, participate in, and oversee meetings and calls. Moreover, the platform encompasses functionalities such as meeting agendas, note-taking, and the recording and distribution of post-meeting content.
- G Suite
It is widely used by businesses, educational institutions, and individuals for its cloud-based nature and seamless integration with other Google services. From creating docs, to analysing data in sheet, scheduling meetings in meet, storing data in drive & what not you can achieve with Google workspace. It integrates seamlessly with other Google services like Google Analytics, Google Ads, and Google Cloud Platform, enhancing the overall ecosystem.
- Notion
This versatile tool serves as an all-in-one collaborative workspace and note-taking platform, empowering individuals and teams to organize, share, and efficiently manage project information in a manner that suits their unique needs. On an individual level, it can be best used for daily documentation processes, thanks to its intuitive interface and swift performance. Its thriving community has expanded significantly, with users even monetizing specific Notion templates in the market. Functioning as a centralized hub, it facilitates seamless information organization and sharing within organizations, enhancing overall productivity and collaboration.
- Miro
Miro is a versatile and collaborative online whiteboard tool that excels in facilitating teamwork and remote collaboration. While it may not offer the robust features found in dedicated prototyping tools, Miro’s strength lies in its focus on user flows and its ability to enhance brainstorming sessions. Miro fosters a more intuitive and sketch-like experience of working on a virtual board with team members. It encourages a creative and collaborative environment.
- Figma
This all-in-one design platform is widely used by designers and product manager alike. It empowers PMs to engage in brainstorming sessions with their teams, create user flows, establish information architecture, and finalize designs all within one powerful tool. What sets it apart is its remarkable speed and seamless collaboration capabilities. Another crucial feature of this tool is the templates offered by the community, which almost all are free to use and you can pick free wireframe kits & start using them directly. The initial version is offered for free, and the first paid tier costs $12 per month per editor
Imagine a puzzle with different pieces representing various skills and knowledge. The product manager is the one who arranges these pieces, ensuring they fit perfectly to create a complete picture. Just as one piece alone doesn’t reveal the whole image, collaboration brings all the pieces together to form a successful product.
Tools are undoubtedly valuable in facilitating collaboration,but they only provide the digital infrastructure for communication and coordination, the heart of effective collaboration is the meaningful dialogue between people.Engaging in open conversations, sharing insights, and understanding each other’s perspectives fosters a sense of unity and purpose that no tool can replicate. Ultimately, tools remain secondary to the genuine interactions and relationships that fuel successful collaboration.
