We already know how online collaborations work and what are the various tools available for it. So, in this section, let’s get down to important features needed in an ideal online collaboration platform!
Features of a really good collaboration platform
Ease of use tops the list. A great online platform would have smooth user interface. The process of posting a project, applying for it, creating a team, communication between the team members, sharing of files, and payment transactions shouldn’t be complicated.
Secondly, the platform should be secure. You don’t want anyone to crack your account and steal your project. The payment gateway should also have high security. It would be a disaster if someone else gets access to your bank account details, wouldn’t it?
Trust would be the third factor. Imagine you paid an advance for getting a project done, but the person who was assigned the work deletes the profile and leaves with your money. On the other hand, imagine having worked on a project and submitted it, but the project owner refuses to pay you. Another scenario is when you have difference in opinion with the teammates you have never met, and there is no way to find a solution. A good online collaboration platform should have measures to prevent such fraudulent activities and to democratically solve issues between the team members.
Drawbacks of existing systems
Security is a major issue many collaboration portals face. There are chances of someone having unauthorized access to your project or loss/leak of data while in transit. Third party payment gateways also pose a threat.
Another problem is that the terms and conditions agreed upon by the collaborating parties are arbitrary. A freelancer might have promised four hours every weekday to work on a project. Once the project starts, the client may see that the freelancer is not giving that much time to the project, or the client may insist on getting more time for the project. There is no governing body to ensure these terms and conditions are met.
This brings us to the next issue. As the project scales, it is prone to disagreements between team members. There is no way to resolve these issues in a democratic and fair way.
The freelancer portals don’t allow more than one person to work on the same project. Each work is treated as a different project. If you want to bring a group of people together, you will have to use group collaboration platforms. But you should have an existing team for that. You don’t have an option to find new people on the portal who would be interested in your project.
Cost is another major drawback. If you are looking for group collaboration platform, they can be pretty costly. They usually charge for a fixed number of members, even if you don’t have that many. If it is a freelancer portal, they take a cut from the budget. On top of it, you will also have to pay to the bank or services like PayPal every time you send/receive money through your account.
The rules and regulations imposed by the government varies with each state/country. If your team is not confined to the borders of a particular country, the laws regulating your team members, and thereby your project, become more complex.
Solving these issues
The need of the hour is a global collaboration platform that is secure, trustless, democratic, cheap, and uncensored.
But wait, we now have a disruptive technology that encompasses all these features — blockchain. Can we address the existing issues with online collaboration platforms by incorporating blockchain technology?
Clue: The answer is, “YES!”
We can say it confidently because Enkidu is already doing that.
