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

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.

Confluence

Confluence is a software that is used for group collaboration.  It helps groups working on common tasks reach their mutual goals.  Users have the ability to create, discuss, organize, and centralize their projects all on one common and easy to access platform.  Confluence is a paid software, although users have the option to try a free trial version.

How it is useful:

In the field of technical communication, there are many instances in which the technical communicator must work in a group or collaborate on a project.  Technical communicators may also have the opportunity to manage or lead projects.  During these occasions, having resources to collectively use as a group to store and edit content is essential.  A technical communicator is expected to know how to use a number of collaboration-oriented software, so having an understanding of Confluence will benefit the technical communicator.

Where to learn more about it:

To learn more about Confluence, visit the website at the following link:
https://www.atlassian.com/software/confluence
Try out a free trial in order to get hands-on experience with the software before buying it. To try out a free trial version, visit the following link:
https://www.atlassian.com/software/confluence/try

Similar Software:

Bitrix24 is similar in function to Confluence.  This is a more affordable software.  Users can download a free version, although it does not include all Bitrix24 features, or pay monthly in order to obtain the full version of this program.

Bitrix24 allows users to communicate and collaborate all in one location.  To access this software, visit the following website address:
https://www.bitrix24.com/