# Tools + venues we use

Last updated: 2024-03-22
URL for this page: https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/tools-we-use
URL for this site: https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/how-we-work

---

We've chosen a variety of tools for working individually and for collaborating with team members on shared projects. We rely on these tools and venues to do our work efficiently and productively.

We are especially committed to choosing tools and venues that reflect our values as an organization. Our choices are always subject to review.

Here's what we currently use. The list will continue to evolve, particularly as we grow as an organization and as we focus on new research challenges.

(For most of the tools listed here, we've included a link to the multilingual public knowledge base [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Main_Page) in order to provide basic facts, identifiers, and other contextualizing info).

---
## A-Z list of tools

### 1Password
For password management. We use 1Password's team function to share logins with different teams and workgroups and personal vaults for other sharing.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2150861)[color=#F4F4C0] + [instructional documentation](https://support.1password.com/)

### Airtable
For database and spreadsheet organization and functionality.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23016614)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Amazon Web Services
For database hosting of our previous Catalog of Open Infrastructure Services (COIs).
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q456157)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Asana
For coordinating tasks, projects, and strategic priorities within teams and across the organization. See our [Asana guide](https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/asana) for links to instructional documentation. Adopted 2023-05.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4468073)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Branding with Type
For font use licences.

### Buffer
For scheduling posts from our social media accounts, namely Twitter @investinopen and our LinkedIn page.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15633715)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Calendly
For scheduling meetings with external stakeholders and for hiring interviews.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111946817)[color=#F4F4C0]

### CiviCRM
For contact and relationship management, event management (e.g. registrations), and mass mailing.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q142028)[color=#F4F4C0] + [instructional documentation](https://docs.civicrm.org/user)

### Chronicle of Philanthropy
For information and resources in the nonprofit space.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7722802)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Dataverse
For storing data sets: https://dataverse.harvard.edu/dataverse/IOI
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55082981)
[color=#F4F4C0] + [instructional documentation](https://guides.dataverse.org/en/5.13/user/dataset-management.html)

### DigitalOcean
Used to build Infra Finder.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17052116)[color=#F4F4C0]

### DOI
Some IOI research outputs are assigned digital object identifiers.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25670)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Django
Used to build our previous Catalog of Open Infrastructure Services (COIs).
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q842014)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Dropbox DocSend
For secure file sharing.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q142539)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Feedly
For compliling relevant news.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5441251)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Ghost
Our website is hosted on Ghost. We use this for new pages, job ads, posts, and the like.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16251204)[color=#F4F4C0]

### GitHub
For versioning and hosting our open source projects.

URL: https://github.com/investinopen
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q364)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Google Chrome
Internet browser used by some of us.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q777)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Google Cloud
Data hosting and processing engine.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17054505)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Google Translate
Machine translator used by some of us.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q135622)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Google Workspace
We use Google apps for a variety of work processes.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q509284)[color=#F4F4C0] + [instructional documentation](https://support.google.com/a/users/#topic=11499463)

#### Gmail
For email correspondence we use investinopen.org email addresses managed through Google Apps.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9334)[color=#F4F4C0]

#### Google Calendar
For coordinating our schedules and creating recurring events with Zoom invites associated with them. We work in multiple time zones; the [World Clock feature](https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/9308969?hl=en) can be used to display the current time in each staff location.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q223563)[color=#F4F4C0]

#### Google Docs
Word processor.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9344)[color=#F4F4C0]

#### Google Drive
Most of our current document storage (both internal and external) is hosted via Google. See our guide to Getting Started in Team Drive (internal access only).
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9340)[color=#F4F4C0]

#### Google Forms
For questionnaires and polls.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q47014869)[color=#F4F4C0]

#### Google Sheets
For spreadsheets.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q46261310)[color=#F4F4C0]

#### Google Slides
For presenations.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q46272775)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Greenhouse
For hiring, recruitment.
> [Tool site](https://www.greenhouse.com/)[color=#F4F4C0]

### HackMD
For publicly visible documentation.

URL: https://hackmd.io/@investinopen
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q69861075)[color=#F4F4C0] + [tutorial](https://hackmd.io/c/tutorials)

### Jotform
For research form and survey creation.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q24959818)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Jumpshare
For video messaging.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q22095636) [color=#F4F4C0] + [instructional documentation](https://support.jumpshare.com/)

### Jupyter Notebook
For reproducing code work.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105099901)[color=#F4F4C0]

### LinkedIn
For disseminating news.

URL for IOI's company page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/69534884/

> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q213660)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Mastodon
For disseminating IOI-related news, we have an account on the Mastodon instance indieweb.social: https://indieweb.social/@investinopen

We also have a Mastodon account for our Open Infrastructure Tracking Project: https://indieweb.social/@oitp_ioi

> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q27986619)[color=#F4F4C0]

### MastoFeed
Tool for sharing RSS feeds to Mastodon.
> [Tool site](https://mastofeed.org/)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Matomo
For new webiste anlytics.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34162) [color=#F4F4C0]

### Moa Bridge
For connecting and crossposting IOI's Mastodon and Twitter (@investinopen) accounts.
> [Tool site](https://moa.party/)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Mosaico
For creating email templates.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q114457596)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Mural
For whiteboarding.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q113449543)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Namecheap
For registering and managing the investinopen.org domain name.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6544704)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Open Grants
We share many of IOI's grant proposals via Zenodo. We then add the Zenodo link to the Open Grants website: https://www.ogrants.org/.

> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109929664)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Ramp
For processing expenses. See Ramp's [instructions on submitting expenses](https://support.ramp.com/hc/en-us/articles/4417618448403-Submitting-Reimbursements) and CS&S's [Ramp User Guide](https://www.codeforsociety.org/resources/ramp-credit-card-user-guide).

> [Website](https://ramp.com/)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Rebrandly
Tool for shortening and rebranding URL addresses.

### Ruby on Rails
Used to build Infra Finder.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q190478)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Signal
For calls / texts / video chats 1:1. (Slack + email preferred).
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19718090)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Slack
We use this as our group chat tool and always-on back channel.

Public IOI Slack channels:
- #**events-and-conferences**: To announce events related to open science, scholarship, libraries, and other related topics.
- #**general**: Open conversation about related topics.
- #**introductions**: For new individuals to introduce themselves to those in the IOI Slack.
- #**jobs-and-opportunities**: To announce employment opportunities in the space.

Internal IOI Slack channels:
- #**ioi-breakroom**: An open channel for posting work-irrelevant content, including articles, blogs, tweets, cat-pics, fawning child/pet photos, skiing action shots, etc. to help round out our human existence.
- #**ioi-discussion**: An open channel for posting work-relevant content, including articles, blogs, tweets, etc, and discussing key topics, issues, and other items of concern.
- #**ioi-leadership**: To coordinate internal leadership conversations around personnel, planning, and strategy.
- #**ioi-research-coord**: To coordinate activities of the research team, including full time staff, contractors, and other internal partners.
- #**ioi-team**: To share general work-related updates and all-hands announcements to everyone on the team.
- #**ioi-tech-planning**: To discuss the development and improvement of our technology tools and internal infrastructure.
- #**ioi-steering**: A channel for governance members to communicate.

See also: [IOI Slack onboarding process for external members](https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/slack-external-onboarding).

URL: http://investinopen.slack.com
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17130715)[color=#F4F4C0] + [instructional documentation](https://slack.com/help)

### Stacker
For hiring, recruitment.

### Sync
For encrypted data storage of sensitive research data and/or big files (interviews, videos). As of 2023-04, we store content in the following folders:
* Calls
* CRMData
* Events
* Operations
* Research

See also: [IOI privacy guideline for research data](https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/standards#Research-data).

> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q93748315)[color=#F4F4C0] + [instructional documentation](https://www.sync.com/help/).

### Twitter
For disseminating news. Some of the hashtags we use on Twitter include [#openinfrastructure](https://twitter.com/hashtag/openinfrastructure), [#openscience](https://twitter.com/hashtag/openscience). We also use Twitter's built-in analytics tool, and an IFTTT-hosted [RSS-to-Twitter app](https://ifttt.com/applets/dHV7dYiz-rss-to-twitter).

URL for news from IOI: https://twitter.com/InvestInOpen
URL for Open Infrastructure Tracking Project: https://twitter.com/oitp_ioi

> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q918)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Unsplash
We sometimes reproduce openly licensed images from the Unsplash website.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q28233552)[color=#F4F4C0]
>
### Wayback Machine
For preserving web content.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q648266)[color=#F4F4C0] + [instructional documentation](https://help.archive.org/help/category/the-wayback-machine/)

### Wikidata
For publicly recording basic facts on subjects we study.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2013)[color=#F4F4C0] + [instructional documentation](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Help:Contents)

- We also sometimes use Thomas Steiner's handy Wikidata-related [tool for Google Sheets](https://workspace.google.com/marketplace/app/wikipedia_and_wikidata_tools/595109124715).

### Wikimedia Commons
A repository of publicly useful images and other media.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q565)[color=#F4F4C0]

### YouTube
For posting video content (webinars, calls, conference sessions). Includes options for public or semi-public visibility. See also IOI's [video sharing procedures](https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/video).

URLs:
https://www.youtube.com/@InvestInOpen
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCegwdeQCanqiMoZTsp4__2g
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q866)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Zenodo
For publicly sharing research outputs. See also: IOI's [guide to Zenodo](https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/zenodo).

URL: https://zenodo.org/communities/investinopen
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q22661177)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Zoom
This is our main video chat client for individual and group meetings (Google Hangouts is also available).

Zoom offers a variety of useful features, including one that automatically generates [audio transcripts for cloud recordings](https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/4409311220621-Enabling-or-disabling-audio-transcription-for-cloud-recordings-).

See also: IOI's [Public session organising process](https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/public-session-organizing).

> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q94979732)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Zotero
For managing bibliographic citations, especially anything we might potentially cite in our research (as in a working paper or case study).

Some of us also use assorted [Zotero plugins](https://www.zotero.org/support/plugins) such as [Cita](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Zotero/Cita), [Zotero Connector](https://www.zotero.org/download/connectors), and [Zutilo](https://github.com/wshanks/Zutilo).

IOI's group library is visible to all; participation is restricted to [invited](https://www.zotero.org/support/groups#public_closed_membership) group members.

See also: IOI's [Zotero guide](https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/zotero) + IOI's [citation style](https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/standards#Citation-style).

URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/4377072/invest_in_open
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q226915)[color=#F4F4C0] + [instructional documentation](https://www.zotero.org/support/start)

---
## Tools by function

### Communication tools
- Buffer
- CiviCRM
- DOI
- Ghost
- Google Docs
- Google Translate
- HackMD
- LinkedIn
- ORCID
- Plausible
- Signal
- Slack
- Rebrandly
- TagTeam
- Twitter
- Wikidata
- Wikimedia Commons
- YouTube
- Zenodo
- Zoom
- Zotero

### Development/analysis tools
- Amazon Web Services
- Django
- GitHub
- Google Cloud
- Jupyter Notebook

### Project management tools
- 1Password
- Asana
- Google Chrome
- Google Workspace
- Gmail
- Google Calendar
- Google Drive
- Google Forms
- Google Sheets
- Google Slides
- Mural
- Sync

---
## Infrequently used tools + venues

The list below includes tools and venues we use from time to time.

### ChatGPT
For exploring potential ways of thinking about processes, topics, etc.

> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115564437)

### DOI citation formatter
Maintained by CrossRef: citation.crosscite.org.

### Microsoft Excel
For preparing and analyzing data.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11272)

### Figma
For creating graphics.

> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q96186334)

### GoFullPage
Browser extension for capturing snapshots of a computer screen.

### Google Jamboard
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q27630596)

### Inkscape
For creating vector graphics.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8041)

### Loom
For asynchronous video messaging.

### Mentimeter
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q110921129)

### Notion
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60747998)

### Tenzing
We aspire to use [Tenzing](https://rollercoaster.shinyapps.io/tenzing/) for coordinating CRediT (classification scheme for contributior roles in scholarly authorship) information in some projects.

### Tito
Event ticketing (when appropriate, used for JROST 2020).

### Zoom Whiteboard
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q114895041)

---

## Formerly used tools + venues

### Cobudget
For participatory budgeting.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115010482)

### Expensify
Formerly used for managing some business expenses. Closed account in summer 2022.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21178592) + [instructional documentation](https://community.expensify.com/categories/expensify-classroom)

### Humanities Commons
For sharing information and research outputs.

Previous URL: https://investinopen.hcommons.org/
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q28123024)

### IFTTT
Used breifly to explore potential app integrations.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5970871)

### Lucidchart
Infrequently used for flowcharts and diagram creation.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3265224)

### Mailchimp
Used until 2022 for managing group email lists.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6735673)

### Otter.ai
Until 2023-08-16, we used Otter to transcribe team meetings.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q65172862)

### Plausible
Until 2024-1-29, we used Plausible for web analytics.
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105731934)[color=#F4F4C0]

### TagTeam
A social tagging platform for news, commentary, events, announcements, etc. that helped us and IOI's public stay abreast of developments in the open infrastructure ecosystem. No longer a maintained project, the TagTeam-based Open Infrastructure Tracking Project (OITP) aimed to increase the visibility of open infrastructure efforts across the scholarly research landscape, and tracked their progress over time. See our previous OITP [documentation](https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/oitp).

(Compare with [Zotero](#Zotero), which we use for managing bibliographic citations intended for inclusion in our reports, working papers, and other publications).

URL: http://tagteam.harvard.edu/hubs/investinopen/
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q50242902)[color=#F4F4C0]

### Trello
Until 2023-05, we used Trello for task tracking and project management. See our [Trello guide](https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/trello) which includes a list of IOI's Trello boards.

URL: https://trello.com/investinopeninfrastructure
> [(?) basics via Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7838011) + [Getting started guide](https://trello.com/guide)

### Qualtrics
Until 2022-3-24, we infrequently used Qualtrics free version for surveys.

---
## Other lists of tools

### Assorted other lists
* Foundation for Public Code's [Tool management and guidance](https://about.publiccode.net/activities/tool-management/)
* IIIF’s [list of tools](https://github.com/IIIF/awesome-iiif/)

### Wikidata queries
* List of [bibliographic management software](https://w.wiki/4zi$), via Wikidata
* List of [collaborative real-time editors](https://w.wiki/4$ks), via Wikidata
* List of [customer relationship management (CRM) software](https://w.wiki/4zp5), via Wikidata. See also Wikipedia's [Comparison of CRM systems](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_CRM_systems)
* List of [distributed social networks](https://w.wiki/572t), via Wikidata
* List of [domain name registrars](https://w.wiki/59Xq), via Wikidata
* List of [email systems](https://w.wiki/4zj3) and [mailbox providers](https://w.wiki/4zj4), via Wikidata
* List of [file hosting services](https://w.wiki/59YA), via Wikidata
* List of [image hosting services](https://w.wiki/5jA8), via Wikidata
* List of [instant messaging clients](https://w.wiki/4zj6), via Wikidata
* List of [knowledge management software](https://w.wiki/57iC), via Wikidata
* List of [machine translation software](https://w.wiki/4zjD), via Wikidata
* List of [news aggregators](https://w.wiki/6pyq), via Wikidata
* List of [office suites](https://w.wiki/4zjB), via Wikidata
* List of [password managers](https://w.wiki/4zjA), via Wikidata
* List of [presentation software](https://w.wiki/4zjU), via Wikidata
* List of [productivity software](https://w.wiki/4zjS), via Wikidata
* List of [project management software](https://w.wiki/4zjW), via Wikidata
* List of [server software](https://w.wiki/4zjG), via Wikidata
* List of [social cataloging applications](https://w.wiki/4zjH), via Wikidata
* List of [social networking services](https://w.wiki/4zjF), via Wikidata
* List of [spreadsheets](https://w.wiki/4zjK), via Wikidata
* List of [video-conferencing software](https://w.wiki/4zjL), via Wikidata
* List of [video hosting sites](https://w.wiki/4zjM), via Wikidata
* List of [web browsers](https://w.wiki/4zjJ), via Wikidata

---
## See also
* IOI's [Standards + best practices we use](https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/standards)
* Archived copy of this page (via the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine): https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://hackmd.io/@investinopen/tools-we-use

---
This page first published: 2022-02-02

###### tags: `about-us` `tools`

---
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