Enhancing Collaboration with Digital Tools

MIT researchers paired 2,310 people into human-human and human-AI teams to create real ads in a collaborative workspace with some fascinating outcomes—tracking 183K messages, 2m copy edits, and over 5m ad impressions. The paper "Collaborating with AI Agents: Field Experiments on Teamwork, Productivity, and Performance" examined many facets of the dynamics of human-AI collaboration on what was most effective. Some of the valuable insights: 🤖 AI changes how teams talk and work together. Human-AI teams sent 45% more messages than human-only teams, with a focus on task execution—suggestions, instructions, and planning—while human teams sent more social and emotional messages. Despite this shift, both team types rated teamwork quality similarly, showing that collaboration can remain strong even when social interaction drops. 🧍➕🤖 One person plus AI can match or beat human teams. Individuals in human-AI teams produced 60% to 73% more ads than individuals in human-human teams, closing the productivity gap that usually favors groups. Despite having only one human per team, human-AI groups created just as many ads overall as two-human teams. 🧠 Human-AI success depends on psychological compatibility. When a conscientious person worked with a conscientious AI, message volume increased by 62%, signaling better engagement. But mismatches had negative effects—for example, extraverted humans working with conscientious AIs saw drops in text, image, and click quality across the board. 📊 AI lets people shift from doing to directing. Participants in human-AI teams made 60% fewer direct text edits compared to those in human-only teams. Instead of rewriting content themselves, they communicated what needed to be done—refocusing effort from manual changes to guiding and refining AI-generated output. 🔄 AI redistributes cognitive workload and changes who does what. With AI handling routine and complex text generation, humans shifted attention from editing to strategic input and idea generation. This redesigns roles within teams, suggesting new ways to organize work where humans steer, and AI constructs. Humans + AI is the future. This research provides more valuable foundations for understanding how to do this well.

🚀 Excited to share my latest Fortune column on truly groundbreaking academic work from my co-authors Professor Karim Lakhani and Fabrizio Dell'Acqua at Digital Data Design Institute at Harvard (D^3), where I serve as an executive fellow. This remarkable field experiment with 776 Procter & Gamble professionals fundamentally challenges what we thought we knew about teamwork. The research reveals the emergence of the "cybernetic teammate"—AI that doesn't just assist but actively participates in collaboration. Three breakthrough findings: 1. AI Can Replicate Team Benefits Individuals working with AI achieved nearly 40% performance gains—matching traditional two-person teams. AI is providing the same collaborative benefits we've long attributed to human teamwork. 2. Cross-Functional AI Teams Generate Breakthrough Innovation AI-augmented cross-functional teams were 3x more likely to produce top 10% solutions. This isn't marginal improvement—it's a multiplicative effect that neither human-only teams nor AI-enabled individuals could achieve alone. 3. AI Breaks Down Silos (For Real This Time) R&D specialists with AI proposed commercially viable solutions. Commercial professionals developed technically sound approaches. AI acted as a bridge, enabling each team member to think holistically across functions—achieving the "silo breaking" that leaders have struggled to accomplish through org chart reshuffles. Bonus finding: AI collaboration increased positive emotions by 64% in teams. This isn't cold, mechanical work—it's energizing and engaging. At Seven2, we're translating this research into practice with our portfolio companies, building these AI-augmented cross-functional teams to drive innovation and competitive advantage. This is the future of collaborative work—not AI replacing humans, but human-AI ensembles that combine the best of both worlds. Read the full analysis: https://lnkd.in/ef3f3pED #AI #Innovation #HBS #D3Institute #FutureOfWork #PrivateEquity #TeamDynamics

Just six weeks into my journey with Atlassian, and I'm blown away by the ways of working that pave the way for innovation here. 🤯 If we've chatted recently, you've heard me say: I get it! THIS is how knowledge workers leverage AI! It’s FAST, intellectually stimulating, and awesome. Here are a few ways Atlassian products have transformed my work experience: 🛠️ Tools Built for TEAMwork: With 84% of the Fortune 500 relying on Atlassian, we understand how the best teams operate. And we use our own tools — built for teamwork — to design teamwork. We live and breathe it all day every day, and we all aim to make everything a little bit better than we found it. 💡 Focus on Strategic Thinking: This is tactical, but my Loom Notetaker attends all meetings on my behalf, capturing notes, summarizing action items, and holding others accountable (in <a minute of the meeting end). This allows me to focus on strategic thinking and innovation. 📖 Clarity Over Complexity: We prioritize clear communication through writing and recorded messages. Each #Confluence page estimates reading time, and if it’s over 10 minutes, the norm is to record a Loom video, which is automatically edited and sped up. No decks or design work, just clear communication. 📈 Data-Driven Decision-Making: Our tools and platform empower teams to make data-backed decisions, providing end-to-end visibility. This ensures our strategies are rigorously informed and impactful — period. Atlassian thrives on speed and collaboration. Our ambitious goals and global, cross-functional teamwork demand it. We make decisions clearly and adapt to changes swiftly. It’s all about efficient, effective TEAMwork. And that, in turn, creates space for innovation. 🌍 #TEAMwork #Collaboration #Innovation #Growth #FutureOfWork

Choosing the Right Project Management Tool: Not Just About Features! In today’s fast-paced environment, project management software is a cornerstone of productivity. But while each platform offers unique strengths, it’s equally important to recognize their limitations. I created this visual comparison of popular PM tools—Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, Asana, Trello, Jira, Smartsheet, Monday.com, and Wrike—to highlight where each may fall short depending on your organization’s scale, industry, and workflows. Why this matters: Scalability vs. Simplicity: Tools like Primavera P6 and MS Project are excellent for large, complex projects—but can overwhelm smaller teams or Agile environments. Usability vs. Customization: Platforms like Trello and Asana are user-friendly but may lack enterprise-grade tools like resource tracking or earned value management. Automation vs. Learning Curve: Tools like Jira and Smartsheet offer rich automation but often come with a steep learning curve and administrative overhead. Sources Referenced: Gartner Peer Insights Capterra User Reviews G2 Crowd Comparisons Official Documentation from each software provider Before adopting a tool, map its capabilities and limitations to your project scope, team size, technical expertise, and collaboration needs. Pro tip: No tool is “one-size-fits-all.” A hybrid or phased approach to implementation often brings the best results. Would love to hear from fellow PMs and team leads—what’s worked (or not) for you? #ProjectManagement #PMTools #Agile #Waterfall #ProductivityTools #WorkManagement #Leadership #BusinessOperations #PrimaveraP6 #MSProject #Asana #Trello #Jira #Smartsheet #MondayCom #Wrike #ProjectLeadership

Using the wrong Scrum tool is like  bringing a hammer to a surgery. Here's exactly which tool to use and when." Every Scrum team has that one debate. "Should we use Jira?" "Why not Trello?" "What about ClickUp?" The answer isn't the same for everyone. The RIGHT tool depends on YOUR team. YOUR stack. YOUR scale. Here's the complete breakdown 🟢 JIRA SOFTWARE Best for: Complex projects → Deep customization → Powerful Agile boards → Perfect inside the Atlassian ecosystem If your team lives in Confluence - Jira is your natural home. 🟡 TRELLO Best for: Small to medium teams → Simple. Visual. Kanban-style. → Zero learning curve → Up and running in minutes Don't overcomplicate what's already working. Sometimes simple wins. 🔵 AZURE DEVOPS Best for: Microsoft-heavy environments → Combines Scrum with CI/CD pipelines → Seamless Microsoft integration → Built for dev teams shipping fast Code. Test. Deploy. All in one place. 🟩 VERSIONONE Best for: Large Agile enterprises → Built for scale → Supports SAFe and LeSS frameworks → Handles complex multi-team structures When Jira feels too small - VersionOne steps in. 🩵 MONDAY.COM Best for: Cross-team collaboration → Highly visual workflows → Extremely customizable → Great for teams beyond just dev Not every Scrum team is a tech team. Monday.com gets that. 🟦 CLICKUP Best for: All-in-one teams → Docs + Tasks + Communication = one platform → Strong customization → Replaces 5 tools with 1 If tool-switching is killing productivity - ClickUp fixes that. 🟠 ASANA Best for: Collaborative lightweight Scrum → Clean. Simple. Collaborative. → Task and project tracking made easy → Great for non-technical teams adopting Scrum Scrum doesn't have to be complicated. Asana proves it. 🟡 SCRUMWISE Best for: Pure Scrum focus → Dedicated Scrum tool - nothing else → Detailed Scrum metrics built in → Simple by design When you want Scrum. Just Scrum. Nothing more. 🔵 PIVOTAL TRACKER Best for: Continuous delivery teams → Lightweight Agile for software teams → Built around delivery iterations → Keeps dev teams moving fast Ship faster. Learn faster. Repeat. 🟢 TARGET PROCESS Best for: Enterprise portfolios → Enterprise-grade customization → Manages multiple teams simultaneously → Full portfolio visibility When you're managing teams OF teams - this is your command center. Here's the simple decision guide: → Small team just starting? → Trello → Complex dev project? → Jira → Microsoft shop? → Azure DevOps → Scaling enterprise? → VersionOne or Targetprocess → Cross-team collaboration? → Monday.com → All-in-one simplicity? → ClickUp → Pure Scrum metrics? → Scrumwise → Lightweight & collaborative? → Asana → Continuous delivery focus? → Pivotal Tracker The tool doesn't make the team. But the wrong tool slows the team down. Choose based on your reality. Not based on what's trending. Which Scrum tool is YOUR team using right now? And would you recommend it? Drop it below Follow for more!

Years ago, I realised something was slowing us down at Drug Comparison. It wasn’t a lack of people. It wasn’t even a lack of strategy. It was the lack of the right tools to support our growth. When we first tried to scale, my team spent too much time chasing information, forwarding endless emails, and asking the same questions again and again. I spent hours on YouTube and researching online, testing different systems until we found what worked. Here are the three tools that changed everything for us: 1. A unified team inbox - Missive For us, this was a game changer. Our software company now uses a shared inbox where the whole team can see the conversation, chat privately underneath it, and easily loop people in or out without forwarding a single email. 2. A simple but powerful task manager We chose Todoist. It handles quick one-off tasks with reminders, recurring jobs, and even full project tracking. It’s easy for the team and powerful enough to manage complexity. 3. A central place for documentation We keep it simple with Google Drive. One shared folder, updated regularly with SOPs and process documents, so everyone knows exactly where to find answers. Without the right tools, you’ll find your team spends more time searching for answers than delivering results. With the right tools, you unlock speed, clarity, and scale. What’s the one tool you couldn’t run your business without?

Most teams think task apps will solve their problems… but small teams face a hidden challenge no one talks about. As a VA, I see this all the time: small teams jump on the latest task management app, hoping it will magically fix productivity problems But the truth? Most apps fail small teams not because the team is lazy, but because the system is broken. Here’s what usually happens: 🔻 Tasks scattered across multiple apps 🔻 Deadlines missed because no one has a clear overview 🔻 Team members spend more time updating tools than actually doing work The problem isn’t the app, but how it’s used. Here’s how teams can fix it with simple, accessible tools: 1️⃣ Centralize Tasks with One Tool Pick a single app that everyone can use. My favorites: ✅ Trello: visual boards, simple drag-and-drop ✅ Asana: easy for task tracking and priorities ✅ Notion: flexible all-in-one workspace 2️⃣ Use Clear Categories & Priorities Create columns, tags, or labels for urgency, project, and owner. Without structure, even the best app becomes chaos. 3️⃣ Limit Notifications & Check-ins Too many pings make your team reactive. Schedule focused work blocks instead of chasing updates. 4️⃣ Weekly Review & Reset Every Friday, review completed tasks, plan the week ahead, and remove anything unnecessary. Reflection turns a tool into a system. 5️⃣ Delegate, Don’t Hoard Assign tasks clearly. Small teams often fail because founders try to track everything themselves. Let the system guide delegation. When done right, a task app becomes a productivity amplifier, not a digital stressor. Quick Tip: Start this week by consolidating tasks into ONE tools either Trello, Asana, or Notion. Even small teams feel immediate relief and clarity. P.S: What’s the one recurring task stealing your team’s focus? And which of these tools are you using? Seeing my post for the first time? I’m Juliet, an Executive VA and Customer Support nerd. I make chaos look neat… and sometimes even fun. 😎 ♻️ If this resonated, repost it to help other teams quietly struggling with task overload.

Want to run your business like a well-oiled machine? Here are the 10 tools I use daily to do just that. I 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 use these every day to keep operations smooth, efficient and scalable — whether I’m working solo or with a team of 20+. 𝟭. 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 My second brain. Holds SOPs, meeting notes, project plans, and team dashboards. Everything in one place — clean, searchable, customisable. 𝟮. 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼 Simple but effective. Great for client pipelines, project timelines, and weekly planning. Drag, drop, done. 𝟯. 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive. Collaborative, accessible, and perfect for real-time feedback. Bonus: create shared folders for each department or client. 𝟰. 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗺 Game-changer. I use this to record process walk-throughs, give async feedback, and reduce back-and-forth. Clear beats clever — and video beats a 500-word explainer. 𝟱. 𝗭𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗿 If you want to automate and stop doing everything manually? Zapier is your best friend. I use it to connect tools like Calendly, Trello, G Sheets, and Slack — no code required. 𝟲. 𝗦𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 Best for internal team comms. Use channels to stay organised. Pair with Slack + Loom + Notion = dream async workflow. 𝟳. 𝗶𝗖𝗮𝗹 / 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿 If it’s not in my calendar, it’s not real. Use time blocking. Create colour-coded calendars (e.g. CEO time, meetings, ops work). Helps me stay focused and keep boundaries. 𝟴. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗚𝗣𝗧 Yes, I use it. To write draft SOPs, brainstorm workflows, summarise docs, and unblock stuck thinking. You just have to 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘵. 𝟵. 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝘃𝗮 Not just for branding. I use it to create visual workflows, training decks, and internal comms slides. Easy to use and looks great. 𝟭𝟬. 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝟭𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 Systems fall apart when your team is chasing down logins. Use a password manager. It’ll save your brain (and your time). You don’t need 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 tools. You need to 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳. Make sure they all speak to each other and support your processes — not overcomplicate them. Save this for later👇

Blending IO psychology with digital innovation flipped the results of our last tech rollout. Most teams never connect these dots—here's why it changes everything ↓ Tech implementations often fail not because of the technology, but due to human factors. The deployment to a large international pharma company was heading for disaster until we brought in IO psychologists. They helped us understand: - How different personality types interact with new systems - The impact of change on team dynamics - Ways to reduce resistance and boost adoption We tailored our approach based on these insights: - Customized training for different learning styles - Change champions selected based on influence networks - Communication strategies aligned with team cultures The results were staggering: - 94% adoption rate within 3 months - 40% increase in user satisfaction scores - 25% boost in productivity post-implementation Key takeaway: Technology and human behavior are deeply intertwined. By considering both, we unlocked synergies we never thought possible. Next time you're planning a tech rollout, remember: The most powerful integration isn't between systems, but between tech and human psychology. Embrace this approach to transform your digital initiatives. PS - and if you know this story, you also know how it set me on the path for my PhD in IO Psychology.

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀, 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲 stop drowning in the chaos of managing multiple projects simultaneously while keeping C-suite stakeholders informed and cross-functional teams productive. Two years ago, I was juggling five active projects across different teams, with varying timelines and competing priorities. My inbox had 200+ unread emails, project updates were scattered across endless email threads, and I spent more time hunting for information than actually managing projects. Sound familiar? Here's what saved my sanity: → 𝗔𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗮 - Project timelines that auto-update when dependencies shift. No more manual Gantt chart nightmares when scope changes hit. → 𝗦𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 - Organized project channels replaced email chaos. Each project gets its own space, decisions are documented, and nothing gets buried in threads. → 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗺 - Quick video explanations replaced status meetings. Five-minute screen recordings for complex technical updates saved hours of calendar coordination. → 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - Became my project knowledge base. Meeting notes, decisions, templates, and project artifacts are all searchable in one place. → 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆.𝗰𝗼𝗺 - Visual project boards that executives actually understand. Status reporting went from PowerPoint decks to real-time dashboards. → 𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗴𝗹 - Time tracking that doesn't feel like micromanagement. Finally had real data for resource planning and accurate future estimates. → 𝗠𝗶𝗿𝗼 - Virtual collaboration that actually works. Requirements gathering, process mapping, and stakeholder alignment sessions for distributed teams. → 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗨𝗽 - Custom workflows for different project types. What works for software development doesn't work for marketing campaigns or facility upgrades. → 𝗝𝗶𝗿𝗮 - When you need serious issue and change management. Bug tracking, change requests, and technical project coordination that scales. → 𝗔𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 - Database power without complexity. Resource management, vendor coordination, and project portfolio tracking that makes sense. → 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗹𝘆 - Eliminated scheduling ping-pong with busy stakeholders. Meeting coordination went from hours of back-and-forth to automatic booking. → 𝗭𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗿 - Connected everything together. Project data flows automatically between tools, eliminating manual copying and spreadsheet updates. The breakthrough wasn't using more tools. It was using the right tool for each specific challenge. Task management, stakeholder communication, time tracking, documentation, and team collaboration all require different approaches. If this sounds familiar, I put together a simple guide that shows what each tool does best and when to use them. Because the right tool at the right moment can transform project chaos into smooth execution. Follow Brian Ables, PMP, for practical tips and strategies to grow your career. ♻️ If this changed how you think about PM tools, share it with other PMs.