Tools I use as an ID

I should probably start by rephrasing that… I use the tools below “as an ID” because that’s what I do with 90% of my daily work. I don’t necessarily use these tools to design though… just to make it easier to do my job.

I regularly get the “what tools do you use???” question from my peers & managers. I usually answer with a standard “oh you know… the usual – blogs, wikis, email, SameTime (instant messaging).” But for some reason, I thought about it a little more this time…. and actually made a list.

The tools I use every day include:

• Twitter via TwitterFox
• Feed reader –> I use an internal IBM product so that I can track our internal blogs as well.
• Pass It Along –> Peer-to-peer learning tool
• Tommy! –> Firefox extension internal to IBM that displays a pop-up of the IBMer’s corporate directory profile
• Quickr –> An internal IBM team collaboration space with “connectors” that actually let me use the web-based tool directly from MS Office, my task bar, and Lotus Notes

Most of what I use is within the IBM firewall… why? Because I work for IBM. The tools I use help me work not only with my clients but also with my colleagues.

When I was explaining my list to my colleague, I realized that pretty much everything I use is embedded in something else. I’ve slowly passed over the tools that don’t enable me to work more efficiently for those that help me seamlessly.