As a Millennial, I have been fortunate enough to reap the benefits of the invent of the internet for basically my entire life. While I do know of a world without the internet, smart phones, and Jimmy Johns online ordering system, I recognize the value that these seemingly small conveniences add to my life.

Flashback to the fall of 1997. It’s an ordinary Monday morning and my mom’s getting me ready for my first day of Kindergarten. How will she know exactly what time it’s going to rain today? Will I need my rain boots for recess? Will she know what time to leave to beat the traffic and ensure that I’m not late for my very first day as a kindergartener? After all, Waze won’t be invented for nearly another decade! If we get a flat tire on the way to said school, how will she call for help without the Progressive roadside assistance app, let alone, a cell phone?

The truth is, she managed. And everything was fine…

We often take for granted the incredible conveniences that technology bestows on our lives — the apps that are dedicated to simply making our lives easier. Helping moms prepare their kindergarteners for Mother Nature’s afternoon plans and helping business teams like ours operate more efficiently.

This year, Elliance is embracing the small conveniences that design and project management apps can offer our processes. Introducing Basecamp, SlickPlan, Sketch and inVision has already improved our team’s internal effectiveness.

Like a new puppy, I am embracing each of these apps with open arms. Here are a few of my favorite conveniences:

• Most of these apps are entirely web based. This means I can access them from anywhere I have an internet connection. Which is pretty much everywhere these days, except maybe Cherry Springs State Park, which has horrible cell service, btw.
• They’ve thought about your clients too! Apps designed by people like us, for us means that they’ve thought about the same things we think about. How can this app that improves my workflow also benefit my clients? SlickPlan and inVision offer read-only options that are great for sharing with external audiences.
• Low learning curve. These app are incredibly easy to use. I mastered most of them in a few days of use. Although Sketch, the most complex of the four, is still teaching me things after a couple months of use. It’s so easy, a caveman could do it.

Elliance offers a few products that may be able to provide your business some convenience too. Ask us about how our Ennect suite could improve your processes.