Google Drive

Google Drive provides access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more. Besides providing access-anywhere file storage, Drive is also your main access to the Google Suite of tools, including Docs, Slides, Sheets, Forms, and others.

How it is useful to technical communicators:

Google Drive is a great file storage system. However, its value to technical communicators comes from its capability for supporting real-time collaboration and editing. Multiple users can be given access to view, comment on, or edit files, thus enabling a great method for collaboration when users are in disparate geographic locations.

Learn more:

When signed in to a (free) Google account, you can access Google Drive for that account on any web browser at https://www.google.com/drive/. You can also access Drive from the mobile app available for free on app stores.

Other software like it:

Dropbox, OneDrive

GoTo Meeting

GoTo Meeting allows video conferencing, screen sharing, and recording of virtual meetings.

How it is useful to technical communicators:

Technical communicators might use GoTo Meeting to communicate with team members and clients, especially if they are not located in the same area.

Learn more:

GoTo Meeting is available on web browsers or mobile devices via an app. For a fee, users can subscribe to a plan that best fits their needs.

Other software like it:

Google Hangout, Skype, WebEx

Toggl

Toggl is a time-keeping app for logging one’s hours spent on projects (or anything, really).

A technical communicator may juggle a variety of roles as an independent consultant for multiple clients as well as a full-time student. You might need something to track your billable hours, as well as to record how much time you spend on schoolwork, so you can prioritize better and make time to have a life.

Similar apps that may be found on the Google play store include Timesheet, aTimeLogger, Time Tracker.  But I really love Toggl; I’m toggling right now.

Pinterest

Pinterest is a virtual bulletin board on which users can collect, organize, and store images that link to online content.

How it is useful to technical communicators:

Pinterest is often associated with recipes, craft ideas, and hobbies, but it can also be useful for organizing online material for classes and internships. Pinterest boards can help visual learners more easily keep track of online resources because images are paired with the content.

Where you can learn more about it:

Pinterest

Pinterest Help Center

Other software like it:

Pinterest is similar to a web browser’s “Bookmarks” folder, but it is organized visually.

Pocket allows users to store internet content to access later. It has a visual interface similar to Pinterest’s.