Learn More About Collaborative Whiteboard Software
What is Collaborative Whiteboard Software?
Collaborative whiteboard software, sometimes called digital, online, or virtual whiteboard software, provides a digital canvas that can be edited simultaneously by multiple participants. Collaborative whiteboards are outfitted with multiple features to support a user's ability to represent their ideas visually, including brushes, colors, shapes, images, and templates. These collaboration tools are incredibly flexible, and businesses can easily utilize one for a myriad of purposes. Popular use cases of this type of software include, but aren't limited to, project management, workflow visualization, meeting management, and brainstorming sessions.
What are the Common Features of Collaborative Whiteboard Software?
The following are some core features within collaborative whiteboard software that can help users collaborate simultaneously and remotely:
Freehand drawing: The staple feature of collaborative whiteboards is the ability for users to draw freehand. Most digital whiteboards allow users to modify their drawing tool by providing different brush widths, textures, and colors. Freehand drawing is the cornerstone feature within a collaborative whiteboard, and most businesses looking to leverage one have this feature in mind to facilitate real-time team collaboration.
Premade assets: The majority of collaborative whiteboard solutions provide preset assets for users to utilize on a canvas, including shapes, images, and emojis. Premade assets are helpful for allowing users to quickly represent an idea on a canvas without drawing it themselves.
Real-time chat: Some collaborative whiteboards are mainly intended for facilitating simultaneous remote collaboration as opposed to co-located collaboration. Remote solutions will often provide a real-time live chat that can be accessed by team members using the same canvas. This allows remote teams to communicate via text while using the whiteboard.
Commenting: Many teams leverage collaborative whiteboard software to facilitate asynchronous collaboration since whiteboards can be edited by multiple users at different points in time. One feature many online whiteboards provide to support this use case is the commenting capability for users. Virtual whiteboards with this feature give users the ability to leave annotations on parts of the canvas itself for their teammates to read later. Some whiteboards will offer a sticky note feature to achieve the same goal.
Templates: Some collaborative whiteboards come with premade templates for specific types of tables or diagrams, including mind maps, Kanban boards, and user story maps. Templates are useful for providing the framework for specific brainstorming exercises or project planning techniques.
Screen sharing: A few digital whiteboards will also include screen sharing capabilities within their offering. Users can leverage this feature to share information from an app or browser to their teammates without leaving the whiteboard. Screen sharing and collaborative whiteboarding can also be secondary features of video conferencing software and visual collaboration platforms, so buyers looking for both of these capabilities can also find potential solutions there.
What are the Benefits of Collaborative Whiteboard Software?
Collaborative whiteboards are flexible in nature which allows businesses to leverage them in many different contexts. Digital whiteboards are well suited to support multiple types of collaboration, so businesses can utilize them across multiple scenarios and use cases.
Flexible real-time collaboration: While many collaboration tools support real-time collaboration, virtual whiteboards uniquely fit a niche for flexible, open-ended collaboration. Since there isn't a strict use case for online whiteboards, teams can decide how they want to leverage one based on meeting type or activity.
Asynchronous collaboration: One key feature of online whiteboards is the ability for users to make changes or updates at different points in time. The ability to effectively collaborate asynchronously is useful for teams with varying schedules or those spread across multiple time zones.
Visual collaboration: Few collaboration tools provide the capacity for visual collaboration that digital whiteboards offer. While many solutions connect teams over text or voice channels, collaborative whiteboards allow teams to visually represent and record their ideas and thought processes.
Who Uses Collaborative Whiteboard Software?
Collaborative whiteboards do not have a set use case, and as a result, are highly flexible. Potentially any type of team could find a use for a digital whiteboard, whether it be for project management, meeting management, or to brainstorm. However, there are a few use cases where collaborative whiteboards are especially pertinent.
Creative teams: Within a business, the most obvious use case for a collaborative whiteboard is within creative teams. Creative departments including product design, user experience, and marketing teams are already handling visually creative tasks. Interactive whiteboards can be an effective tool for project planning, creating mock-ups and user story maps, and visually brainstorming.
Remote teams: Remote work is becoming more prevalent, and many in the workforce have the option to work remotely some or all of the time. While remote work comes with many benefits, the organic collaboration between co-located teams can be difficult to replicate in a virtual environment. Virtual whiteboards support team collaboration within remote teams by allowing them to collaborate visually. Many remote teams also employ collaborative whiteboards as a space to share ideas and provide updates in lieu of an office break room.
Classroom settings: Collaborative whiteboards can take the place of a physical whiteboard in both physical and virtual classroom settings. Physical classrooms can benefit from a digital whiteboard that students and teachers can contribute to and that can be saved for later reference. Some in-person classrooms also leverage a physical digital whiteboard as a hardware analog for a traditional physical whiteboard. Remote classroom settings are also becoming increasingly common; interactive whiteboards can help keep students engaged and provide a shared space to share ideas and brainstorm for class activities.
What are the Alternatives to Collaborative Whiteboard Software?
Alternatives to collaborative whiteboard software can replace this type of software, either partially or completely:
Diagramming software: Diagramming tools are very similar to online whiteboards in the features they provide. However, the former is more concerned specifically with the creation of diagrams while whiteboards offer more freeform idea expression.
Mind mapping software: Mind mapping software is intended specifically for the creation of mind maps. Like diagramming software, mind mapping tools support a specific type of visual collaboration. Businesses should consider the breadth and depth of what they expect to create in a visual collaboration-type tool before deciding on a category of software to pursue.
Visual collaboration platforms: Visual collaboration platforms take the base features of collaborative whiteboards and expand upon them by adding built-in communication channels and deeper integrations with other software solutions. While visual collaboration platforms provide all the features of a digital whiteboard, not all businesses are looking for the extended functionality provided by a visual collaboration platform.
Video conferencing software: Like visual collaboration platforms, some video conferencing software solutions include a whiteboard feature within their offering. However, since these whiteboards are built into larger video conferencing platforms, users may not have the ability to access them unless they are in a video chat. Additionally, these built-in whiteboards may not provide as extensive functionality as standalone whiteboard solutions.
Challenges with Collaborative Whiteboard Software
Software solutions can come with their own set of challenges.
Requires a solid implementation plan: As mentioned previously, collaborative whiteboards are open-ended in how they can be used. While this allows them to be leveraged in many contexts and by different types of teams, businesses without a concrete implementation plan for one might find themselves wasting capital. Without a specific use case, employees may abandon the tool altogether if they don't find their own personal use for it. To avoid this, businesses should build use of a collaborative whiteboard into their processes and workflows to ensure adoption of the software solution.
Which Companies Should Buy Collaborative Whiteboard Software?
Since collaborative whiteboards do not have a set intended use case, virtually any company or business could find a use for one within their processes. There are specific teams or types of businesses that may have a more obvious need for virtual whiteboards, but these solutions are open-ended enough in nature that businesses could easily find a use for one.
How to Buy Collaborative Whiteboard Software
Requirements Gathering (RFI/RFP) for Collaborative Whiteboard Software
While the majority of collaborative whiteboard options provide the same basic features, there are still a few considerations businesses should evaluate when deciding which products they should pursue. In particular, businesses should consider the following questions specific to collaborative whiteboards:
- Are we looking for a standalone tool or are we open to virtual whiteboards built into other solutions like video conferencing software?
- Could our needs be met with a more focused solution like a diagramming or mind mapping tool?
- Are our requirements broad or deep enough that our needs would be better met with a larger visual collaboration platform?
- What key features are must-have features for us outside of freehand drawing (screen sharing, premade templates, etc.)?
Apart from these questions, businesses should also evaluate common software purchasing considerations like the number of seats required, pricing, and payment model.
Compare Collaborative Whiteboard Software Products
Create a long list
Based on the requirements gathering, companies must put together a list of no more than 10 products that qualify. Using G2 is a great way to narrow down which products in a category fit a business's requirements. Users can filter down products in a category by the features they provide, pricing availability, and the business size of reviewers.
Create a short list
After creating a long list, buyers should create a short list to narrow down the business's options. One way to start is by eliminating options that are out of budget or don't provide must-have features. This is also a good point to start reaching out to vendors with an RFI, and their responses can narrow down the options further if vendors don't provide satisfactory information or otherwise can't meet particular business needs.
Conduct demos
Once a business has a short list of products that meet their requirements, they can begin reaching out to software vendors for demos of their product. Demos provide key insight into the viability of a software solution within a business, so buyers must take notes on the demo and think critically about the software's strengths and weaknesses. In the case of a collaborative whiteboard, it is crucial to make note of the product's ease of use and any limitations the product might have (limited number of saved boards, admin controls, etc.).
Selection of Collaborative Whiteboard Software
Choose a selection team
A selection team should start with an executive sponsor to provide buy-in from company leadership and a project manager to handle the logistics of the software buying process. This team should also include subject matter experts within the organization as well as those who will be using the software as part of their work.
For organizations looking to leverage collaborative whiteboards in a classroom context, it can be helpful to lean on user reviews from students for a product to inform that perspective. If possible, it can be helpful to let students demo a whiteboard product to ensure the selection team has as much information to work with as possible.
Negotiation
Before signing a contract, it's beneficial to check if any discounts are available. Buyers must explore payment options and implementation and onboarding services as well, during this time.
Final decision
After a business finds their whiteboard solution of choice, the next steps can vary depending on the vendor. Some vendors require their customers to sign a contract along with the purchase of their solution. However, many collaborative whiteboards are available as lightweight SaaS solutions, and many of these products won't require a customer to sign any lengthy paperwork. In fact, some solutions in the space are available for free as either a browser application or open-source software.
