By Steve Backman, President, Database Designs

To close out our month-long look at some of the best tools for nonprofits, Steve Backman tells you about some of his favorite day-to-day software.

Favorite software tools are all about managing processes fluidly. Essential categories need to be personal to the job – and actual choices, even more personal.

My weeks are all about writing, communicating with clients, staying in touch with project teams, being able to touch lightly many things, bear down and provide assistance on a few, all while keeping tons of things secure and backed-up. I also need to be able to work on the move: I need my "virtual desk" in front of me quickly, whether from my laptop or some other desk or smart device.

This may be you, or a bit of you; I'm often collaborating with folks, including other staff here at Database Designs, who slice up the tool pie differently. I'm not going to use anything that requires Windows and I favor things that work in any browser and sit in the cloud, are easy to get other people, including less technical working with and collaborating on.

OK, enough preliminaries. Here are my categories and choices.

Collaborative Files

I couldn't get through my day without Dropbox, which I have blogged about before. Dropbox continuously replicates local files to a personal cloud file space and synchronizes those folders across multiple computers and mobile devices.

Dropbox also has essential team collaboration built in. Within a personal file space, you can define shared folders with others. Now an entire team can enjoy continuous synchronization of a folder (and sub-folders) for a project. Dropbox also tracks versions of documents across the team. Anyone can start with a 2GB free account, which will do for most projects.

Dropbox sits nicely between formal, full featured project communications tools such as Basecamp (which we also use), Central Desktop, or Google Apps and Docs. Because it integrates tightly with your own desktop files, updates to documents are just there, almost immediately, whenever you need them. Box.net does a lot of this and is a worthy competitor. Google's new Cloud Connect is not ready for prime time. Central Deskop has also added a tool. For now, however, Dropbox's power and simplicity make it an essential for me.

Password Manager

I use and love Lastpass. Unless you think you're going to log into everything with Facebook or Gmail, lots of accounts and passwords are part of life – and using strong passwords should go with it. The bad guys are really smart. I like LastPass because it is a convenient, universally available cloud-based service, and I don't have to keep anything on any computer that might be compromised. Storing passwords in one browser or computer disk seems restrictive and not entirely safe.

Lastpass has add-ins to all browsers, on Windows, Mac, and Linux, and in the premium version, on mobile. Lastpass categorizes and tags your passwords. It will pop up choices if you have multiple accounts for the same website (such as multiple Gmail or Salesforce log-ins). It also includes related information, such as your password reminder questions, and general secure notes.

I have also used roboform and know Mac users like iPassword and there are dozens more. Some have team collaboration features,

At the very least destroy that Excel spreadsheet, throw away those 3x5 cards under the keyboard, and use a password manager.

Diagramming

If I have an idea to present visually at a meeting, Gliffy makes it a matter of minutes to quickly diagram it, share it with co-conspirators on-line to get their contribution, and then get a final copy for presentation. Though not Visio, it covers the basics and covers them well. Gliffy has smart-looking templates for flow charts, database diagrams, system, business processes, and so on.

In this general category, I also use Blueworks, now Blueworks Live from IBM. At $50 per user per month, Blueworks web service is pricey. Blueworks really works to capture organizational and business processes, and modify them interactively in a planning session. If it helps get through one planning exercise a month, it pays for itself.

Powerpoint? I have started diagrams there because I do appreciate its templates and color schemes. It usually runs out of steam and I start over. I have also used MindMeister – seems like it would help with really complex and multi-leveled diagrams.

Wireframes

If you have used Balsamiq, chances are you love it and come back to it. It runs on Adobe Air, so it works transparently and stays lightweight on Windows, Linux and Mac. Though not a web service, the diagrams store as XML files which can easily be shared. This start-up company is accessible and generous if you work for a nonprofit, and has a growing community library of starter templates. If you have seen a web presentation with a friendly wireframe using Comic Sans fonts, you have seen a Balsamiq diagram. Believe it or not, it makes preparing wireframes fun.

Documentation

Just recently I started using ScreenSteps from Blue Mango Learning Systems. Warning! Available without prescription, ScreenSteps is addictive. Use it only once, and it makes you want to create documentation. I am not sure I can or want to recover. Unlike other frameworks for documentation, it pushes you to think in web tutorial mode. Create a lesson, add a step, capture and annotate a screen, add notes, and on to the next step.

I still use TechSmith's Snagit for more complicated screen capturing and it does a nice integration with Word. TechSmith also makes cool free/paid video capture Jing as well more complex Camtasia – all good. For technical documentation and general specifications, I am in one or another Google Doc every day, may use Writeboard, or a real wiki, and these days maybe Salesforce Content. And BlueWorks could be transformed into an entire documentation system, if one could afford it. For step-by-step, go-at-your-own pace tutorial documentation, definitely try ScreenSteps.

Notes and Bookmarks

After starting and stopping for years, I have come to embrace Evernote. Evernote is a different way to bookmark sites than, say, Delicious. You can save the web url, or the page contents, or you can make your own notes and lists. It also syncs desktops and mobiles, works in multiple browsers, has free/premium version and all that. I still often prefer to take notes on paper in a meeting, but when on my own, Evernote is a great place to organize research: visit a site, grab some information, annotate it, and there you have it when you need to write something. It makes it easy to switch among desktops and browsers -- and will help you close browser tabs until you need them.

I could keep going, filling in data and design, screen sharing, media monitoring and so on. The ones here already are most useful – and the most fun – for me, day in and day out, working and planning with others, easy to try out and get started with. I look forward to hearing yours!

Steve founded Database Designs in 1989 to bring new, effective software development and technology strategy to nonprofits, small businesses and public sector organizations. Steve’s commitment was to "Making advanced technology affordable and accessible." Steve's own work has increasingly focused on strategic technology planning for sophisticated contact relationship management, community building and e-advocacy initiatives. He sees much of his work as a computer software consultant as an extension of his lifelong commitment to promoting civic and political engagement—not just as a technology provider—but as an activist and organizer. Steve enjoys speaking and teaching about the creative use of technology to clients and at conferences.