Google before you Tweet is the new Think before you speak – LeMasney Consulting
I talk about Google Drive a lot
So I recently gave a class at Princeton Public Library on Google Drive. I speak about it often to organizations and internal groups as well. It is a topic that is nearly as close to my heart as visual literacy, and one that strongly affects the way I learn, work, and live. The accompanying presentation is at this link on Google Drive. And that, in effect, is part of the power of it. I can control who gets what kind of access to all of my documents going back to my first digital document, and can grant access or editing rights with a link.
Let’s talk about the various things that I’d like you to know about using Google Drive:
1. What is Drive?
Google Drive is a cloud storage and productivity system from Google that runs on phones, tablets, and desktops. Let’s take a look at it! It’s Google’s version of cloud storage, like iCloud, Dropbox, etc. but more than that: It is a way for you to store your life online.
2. What can I do with it?
Collaborate with other Google account holders, or share your work with anyone. Make documents just as if you were working in Microsoft Word. Make presentations as if in PowerPoint. Make drawings as if in a very light version of Inkscape. Make spreadsheets as if in Excel. Store and convert other documents, like Office documents from collaborators. Work with third-party cloud services like one that allows you to digitally sign PDFs.
3. How do I manage my stuff?
Folders exist in drive, and each folder and file can have different authentication and ability options. For instance, this is a folder of all of my public presentation files:
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/0B9-YsRMv5bPqQkhTdDRNLTVkZ00
And here is my rates policy document:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1trir4rpKcTeK0xBWZcEPbE9cGcv6S5ycB18yEK36-5Y/pub?embedded=true
Google drive makes it easy for me to create, save, backup, share, collaborate and publish all from one interface, accessible from any Internet connected computer, even one I’ve never seen before.
4. Access Methods
You can use apps, applications, and browsers: Google Drive is available from your phone, tablet, desktop/laptop, Chromebook, or any OS that supports web browsing
5. Collaboration
Drive can be used for massive but organized collaborations, and it allows for real-time viewing of changes as they are made by anyone who is connected at the time. This means no more email based confusion of flow or changes or edits or versions, because you always work with one canonical document
6. Spreadsheets
Most of the same formulas you’d expect in Excel exist in Google Sheets. Here is a document that discusses the long list of functions in Sheets: https://support.google.com/docs/table/25273?hl=en&rd=2
You can import and export Excel spreadsheets using Drive, and it can be used in most of the same ways you’d expect: making charts, graphs, etc.
7. Word Processing
Google Docs allows for commenting, sharing, and versioning in docs. All of the WYSIWYG features you’d expect are present.
8. Presentations
You can create, save, and present using Google Slides. Collaborate on slidedecks the same way as everything else in Drive.
9. Organize your stuff
Use Drive’s folders to manage your history and hierarchy of documents. There’s no more worrying if everything is saved or backed up, because it happens automatically.
10. Be safe and secure
Two factor authentication provides an amazing protection against unauthorized access. Learn more about Two Factor Authentication here: https://www.google.com/landing/2step/
Drive backs up and saves everything as you type, import, and otherwise edit. Further, version history allows for easy recovery from disaster.
There are many other reasons why Drive is a good choice for cloud storage and productivity, but this is a pretty good start. if you have any questions about using Drive, I’d love to hear them!
This content is published under the Attribution 3.0 Unported license.