 Collecting information Gathering and storing information traditionallyIn a traditional setting, team members may gather information by studying reports, surfing the Internet, holding brainstorming sessions, and conducting meetings and interviews. The collected information may have been compiled and stored in a binder or word processing document until needed. The problem with this method of gathering information is that one person would be responsible for keeping it safe, and it may be difficult for others to review it. Another potential problem is that team members might each be responsible for their own sections, but if somebody is unavailable when the project is being compiled, this can set the group back.
FirstClass can solve these issues by centralizing the location of all the information. Information is stored within the project conference, so all of the team members have access to it.
FirstClass is an information organizerFirstClass is an excellent means of storing information, regardless of where or how it was collected. Members can post all of their information in one location as it is gathered using a series of FirstClass documents. As they gather the information, they can:
� paste information from the Internet into a document or message
� subscribe the conference to a newsgroup so it is automatically populated
� type information into a document or message from materials gathered from books, interviews, or other sources
� photocopy material and fax it to a Mailbox, then drag it into the conference
� call into a Mailbox and leave a voice message containing information, then drag the message into the conference.
This conference shows the various types of input that can be collected.
 The next stepDepending upon the requirements of the project, team members may need to produce an end result, such as a proposal, business plan, white paper, and/or a presentation. FirstClass can help with all of these components.
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