Social media has evolved from being a platform for personal communication to a powerful tool for businesses. Platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are commonly used by organizations to connect with their audience, build brand awareness, and promote their products or services. These platforms offer tools such as targeted advertising, analytics, and scheduling features, enabling businesses to strategically plan and execute marketing campaigns.

Beyond marketing, social media tools also enhance collaboration and productivity in the workplace. Platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams incorporate social media-like features such as group chats, video calls, and file sharing, streamlining internal communication. Additionally, tools like Hootsuite and Buffer help businesses manage multiple social media accounts efficiently, analyze performance metrics, and engage with customers in real-time. These applications demonstrate how social media tools have become unavoidable in modern business operations.

My Current Role and Use of Digital Tools

Presently, I am a full-time student pursuing a Master’s degree, where I actively engage in various academic and group activities that rely heavily on digital tools. These tools play a significant role in streamlining communication, collaboration, and the execution of assignments and presentations.

For group activities and discussions, our first step is to create communication WhatsApp or Telegram groups channels like . These platforms enable us to share information, ideas, and multimedia content such as images, documents, and videos quickly and effectively. They are ideal for informal discussions and staying updated on deadlines and tasks within our group projects.

For more formal collaboration, we rely on Microsoft Teams . This tool is indispensable for conducting online meetings, sharing screens, and delivering presentations. Microsoft Teams also provides options to create specific teams or channels for different projects, ensuring organized communication and file sharing. Screen sharing during meetings allows us to discuss documents, presentations, or concepts more effectively.

All our online classes are conducted through Zoom , which has become the primary platform for virtual lectures and webinars. Zoom’s features, such as breakout rooms, chat functions, and recording capabilities, enhance the online learning experience by fostering interaction and providing the flexibility to revisit recorded sessions for better understanding.

For assignments, both individual and group, we use Microsoft 365 (O365) tools extensively. MS Word is our go-to tool for writing and editing assignments. The real-time collaboration feature allows multiple group members to work on a document simultaneously. We use PowerPoint to design and deliver presentations. The templates and design options available help in creating visually engaging slides that effectively communicate ideas. All our documents, presentations, and assignments are saved automatically on O365 OneDrive , which ensures data security and accessibility from any device. Sharing files with group members through OneDrive is seamless and eliminates the need for external storage devices.

Certain courses encourage the use of creative tools like Instagram for practical assignments. For instance, we were required to present ideas in the form of Instagram reels, which allowed us to explore the use of social media in professional and creative contexts. These digital tools have greatly enhanced my efficiency as a student, enabling smooth communication, collaboration, and productivity. Whether it’s brainstorming ideas in a WhatsApp group, delivering an online presentation via Microsoft Teams, or creating a reel on Instagram for a class project, each tool serves a unique purpose and contributes to the overall learning experience. The integration of such tools into my studies has not only made the learning process more engaging but has also prepared me to use similar technologies effectively in a professional setting. 

Preferred Social Media tools & Utilizing them at daily work

Miro

Miro is a digital collaboration platform that allows teams to visualize and design ideas together in real-time. During my master’s studies, I used Miro extensively to create process maps for tasks such as service design and architectural design. It’s all-in-one diagram-making capabilities allow for the development of various diagrams, flowcharts, and process maps. Miro enables multiple users to collaborate simultaneously, making it an excellent tool for brainstorming sessions, project planning, and team workshops. Teams working remotely can use Miro to contribute to shared boards in real-time, improving collaboration and efficiency.Its flexibility allows professionals from different fields—design, IT, management, and more—to use the tool effectively for their respective tasks, ensuring seamless integration into various workflows.

Evernote

Evernote is a powerful tool for organizing all aspects of student life. We can use it to take lecture notes, create to-do lists, and organize assignments or research materials in neatly categorized notebooks. It allows us to clip articles or resources directly from the web, making it easy to gather information for essays or projects. With its robust search functionality, we can quickly find specific notes, even if they’re handwritten and scanned. Syncing across devices ensures our study materials are always accessible, whether we’re at home, in the library, or on the go. By using Evernote to keep everything in one place, students can streamline their workflow, reduce stress, and stay on top of deadlines and academic tasks efficiently.

Slack

Slack is an excellent tool for staying organized and connected as a full-time student, especially when managing group projects or participating in extracurricular activities. We can create channels for different classes, study groups, or clubs to keep conversations organized and easily accessible. It allows us to share files, links, and notes with classmates, making collaboration seamless. Direct messaging lets us quickly reach out to peers or professors for questions or feedback, and integrations with tools like Google Drive can simplify sharing documents. By using Slack, students can streamline communication, stay updated on group progress, and effectively manage our academic and social commitments in one centralized platform.

DeepL

DeepL is an essential tool for a foreigner in Finland navigating administrative communications and official documents often written in Finnish. It provides accurate, context-aware translations for letters from government agencies, local authorities, or organizations, ensuring clear understanding of important information such as tax forms, healthcare instructions, or bank letters DeepL also retains the original formatting of documents, making it easier to cross-reference with translated versions. This helps avoid misunderstandings in critical matters and enables more confident responses to official correspondence. By breaking language barriers, DeepL ensures smoother communication and integration into Finnish administrative processes.

Mobiilivarmenne

Mobiilivarmenne is a valuable tool for secure digital identification in Finland, serving as an alternative to traditional bank credentials for accessing government services, insurance portals, and financial systems. With Mobiilivarmenne, users can log into essential services, sign contracts, or authenticate their identity directly through their mobile phone, eliminating the need to rely on physical bank credentials or online banking details. This service ensures both convenience and security, as it uses two-factor authentication and complies with Finnish regulations for online identification. For foreigners or residents without easy access to bank credentials, Mobiilivarmenne offers a seamless way to interact with local authorities and essential services, streamlining digital interactions in daily life while minimizing the risk of fraud or credential misuse.

 

Review the use of Social Media

Tools Chosen & Why

As a full-time student, Slack is invaluable for group projects and staying connected with classmates and study groups. It helps organize discussions through dedicated channels for each subject or assignment, making collaboration seamless. File sharing, instant messaging, and integrations with tools like Google Drive simplify teamwork and ensure everyone stays on the same page. Evernote, on the other hand, is perfect for managing class notes, research, and assignments. Students can organize their materials into categorized notebooks, clip articles directly from the web, and sync everything across devices, ensuring access anytime, anywhere. Meanwhile, Miro provides a visual platform for brainstorming ideas, mapping out study schedules, or collaborating on creative group projects, making it easier to plan and organize complex tasks in a visually engaging way.

For a foreigner in Finland, Mobiilivarmenne is a credible tool for accessing government services and managing daily administrative tasks. It acts as a secure alternative to bank credentials, allowing users to log in to essential portals, sign documents, and interact with authorities directly through their mobile phone. It simplifies identification processes and provides peace of mind by reducing the reliance on bank credentials. DeepL is equally essential for navigating life in Finland, especially when dealing with letters from government agencies, local authorities, or other official communications written in Finnish. Its accurate and nuanced translations ensure a clear understanding of critical information, enabling users to respond confidently and integrate more smoothly into Finnish society. Together, these tools make administrative and communication tasks much more accessible for foreigners.

Positive

Mobiilivarmenne provides a secure and convenient method for digital identification in Finland, allowing users to access various services without relying solely on bank credentials. DeepL is renowned for its high-quality translations, offering nuanced and contextually accurate results, which is particularly beneficial for understanding complex documents in different languages. Slack facilitates seamless team collaboration through organized channels and real-time messaging, reducing email clutter and improving communication efficiency. Evernote excels in information management, allowing users to capture, organize, and retrieve notes effortlessly, supporting both personal and professional tasks. Miro offers a dynamic platform for visual collaboration, enabling teams to brainstorm, plan, and execute projects interactively, which enhances creativity and engagement.

Negative

Despite their benefits, these tools have certain limitations. Mobiilivarmenne may face adoption challenges among users unfamiliar with mobile-based identification methods, and its functionality is contingent on mobile network availability. DeepL, while proficient in many languages, may not always handle highly specialized or technical translations accurately, necessitating manual review. Slack can become overwhelming due to information overload, as the abundance of channels and notifications may lead to distractions and reduced productivity. Evernote has been criticized for its complex interface, which can present a learning curve for new users, and its premium features come at a cost that may not be feasible for all. Miro, though powerful, may experience performance issues with large, complex boards, and its extensive feature set can be difficult to understand for beginners, potentially hindering its effective utilization.

 

Elements of successful use of digital application

Developing a successful digital application involves several critical elements that ensure usability, performance, and user satisfaction. A user-centered design is paramount, focusing on creating intuitive interfaces that cater to the target audience’s needs and preferences. This includes implementing intuitive navigation, which allows users to find information and complete tasks effortlessly, thereby enhancing the overall user experience. Performance optimization is also crucial; applications should load quickly and operate smoothly to prevent user frustration and abandonment. Security measures must be robust to protect user data and maintain trust, incorporating features like data encryption and secure authentication methods. Additionally, scalability ensures that the application can handle increased user demand and feature expansions without compromising performance. Regular updates and maintenance are essential to keep the application relevant, fix bugs, and improve functionalities over time.

Furthermore, understanding and prioritizing customer needs through the creation of detailed customer personas can guide the development process to align with user expectations. Analyzing the competitive landscape helps in identifying gaps and opportunities, ensuring that the application offers unique value propositions. Incorporating user feedback during development and after launch allows for continuous improvement and adaptation to changing user requirements. By focusing on these elements, developers can create digital applications that are not only functional but also provide meaningful and engaging experiences to users.

 

Self Evaluation

In this assignment, I learned the importance of selecting and evaluating digital tools based on their functionalities and how they can be utilized in different contexts, such as for a full-time student and a foreigner in Finland. I explored the positive and negative aspects of various tools like Mobiilivarmenne, DeepL, Slack, Evernote, and Miro, and how they can streamline processes like communication, collaboration, organization, and navigation of administrative tasks. This exercise deepened my understanding of how digital applications can be tailored to meet specific needs and highlighted the elements necessary for successful tool adoption, such as ease of use, security, and performance.

 

References