Mobile mayhem
Download and install a mobile application that looks interesting, spend some time using the app and write up a review. It must be 500 - 750 words in length and answer the following questions...
What is the name of the app?
Slack
Who is the publisher/creator?
Slack Technologies
What platforms is the app available on? (Android, iOS, etc)
Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows
Provide a brief description of the application’s functionality.
Slack is a communication tool developed for teams. Slack offers persistent public chat rooms grouped by topic, private group chat rooms, and direct messaging. Chats may occur synchronously or asynchronous and provides a rich-text editor, with link summaries, mentions, and emoji support.
What are your overall impressions?
After installing Slack on multiple devices I found the application offers a similar experience across platforms. The web based app offers the most functionality, while the Android and iOS come close, there are some features removed.
One such feature is the ability to remove the link preview. This is a minor feature removed, but can be distracting from the main message - especially when including multiple links. Outside of that, form factor is the only major change that I experienced.
Slack also includes indicators to show who is active online and who has notifications disable - adding a layer of transparency to messaging - as well as indicators of how is actively typing a message. Both these small features are incredibly helpful in maintaining a conversation. Additionally, it is easy to see when new notifications arrive in the topic menu, including mentions or reactions.
How usable did you find the application?
I’ve been using the application for about 7-weeks, and equally across devices. The Android and iOS application offer the same functionality and experience - so the only benefit from one to the other would be the form factor - tablet vs mobile, in my case. This mobile version works great for small group chats that are linear in nature, as Slack offers the ability to add replies to messages in the main thread. So, messaging can go two-layers deep - main and sub-thread.
When navigating multiple topics, main and sub-threads, on tablet or mobile, it is easy to lose track of which chat thread you are in. It also can quickly become overwhelming if the group chat is active (synchronously) with more than two members. Messages are also limited to your skill in typing on the device.
In cases where multiple team members are active, I found it necessary to switch to the desktop and use the web version. If only to see all the replies as they come in, and be able to use a keyboard to type longer responses. Another advantage to the desktop, is the ability to see the main thread and sub-threads at the same time. This is only possible because of the additional screen real estate that a desktop provides. Besides main and sub-threads, it is also possible to be in two topics at once, easing the ability to follow multiple discussions at once.
Overall, Slack is a very usable chat application that allows the user to follow multiple topics and threads with ease.
How could the app be used in an educational setting? In an education setting, the app could be used as a replacement to a standard discussion board. However, that would be limiting the application strength of real-time communication. This could easily be used in a synchronous online environment, substituting the live classroom to facilitate discussion. With Slack’s ability to support private groups, it could also be used to form working groups for project based learning.
Integrations are available, so expanding on the initial quality of the chat platform, integrations could provide additional opportunities for educational purposes. Incorporating polls, video platforms, or shared documents could provide a viable alternative to the traditional LMS.
Any additional thoughts comments concerns?
The login mechanism is odd and leaves a degree of confusion, at least for me. I never actually created a login or set a password. Instead I used something Slack calls auto-magically login. In essence, by submitting an email address sends a message with a login link. It works, but it's one of those things that you must retrieve the email on the same device that you are logging into, and that may not work seamlessly on a mobile or tablet, depending on what application you begin with. It also leaves the user feeling confused when reaching a login screen asking for a password, and one goes, “I don’t remember setting a password?”
Would you recommend the app?
At the end of the day, Slack is a full featured mobile and desktop communication application and it is easy to see why it is popular. Yes, I would recommend Slack for those looking for a tool to assist with real-time team communication.