Tools and Tech to Know About: CMS Collaboration Tools

What is the tool?

The CMS Collaboration Tools’ site provides employees: 

• with an overview of the collaboration and engagement tools available, 
• how to download and use the specific tools, and
• keep employees stay up to date on the tools’ capabilities to better understand how accessible they are.

The site categorizes the tools into primary/foundational, major, and limited categories, along with a breakdown based on the size of the targeted audience. The definition of the tools are listed below:

• Primary/foundational tools are automatically available to CMS employees.
• Major tools are automatically available to all CMS employees. CMS contactors (non-CMS employees require job codes to access these tools).
• Limited tools are currently being evaluated in a testing or pilot state.

What’s a use case for it?

Scenario #1 – You’re looking for the best tool to use to post updates to a project. This isn’t for a large audience, but you’d like to post content on a site that other OIT employees can refer to. You can explore available options (e.g., SharePoint or Confluence) on the CMS Collaboration Tools' site to determine which tool is best suited for your project. 

Scenario #2 – You’ve been tasked with organizing an OIT group brainstorm. You know CMS offers Zoom, where you can collaborate and come up with ideas on a call, but you need a visual platform to collect and organize ideas. You go to the CMS Collaboration Tools' site to see what tools are offered for design thinking. 

Where can you find it?

Visit the CMS Collaboration Tools at https://cmsintranet.share.cms.gov/CT/Pages/CMSCollaborationTools.aspx

Who can I ask for help with it?

Questions or feedback on the CMS Collaboration Tools? Contact CMS IT Service Desk at cms_it_service_desk@cms.hhs.gov