Home / Technology / It Consulting / Slack

Technology

Slack

Slack is a collaboration hub enabling better connections for working teams through a searchable platform for messaging, content sharing, and integrations. CHS is launching Slack for all employees in Summer 2019 and it is also available to instructors in their courses.

The video below is an overview of slack.

Slack Overview

Slack also provides a Slack Demo to learn more about the product - https://slackdemo.com/ (scroll down to view the demo)

Why Use Slack?

While email is still the official form of communication at ASU, Slack is being positioned as a complementary communication platform focusing more on collaboration, informal conversations, and integrations with other platforms (e.g., zoom, outlook, google drive/calendar, dropbox, etc.). Yes, Slack is another communication platform but this one has the potential to transform the way people at ASU communicate and collaborate.

There are three platforms besides our enterprise systems that ASU has procured licensing for faculty, staff (including student workers), *and* students: Google Apps (gmail, calendaring, drive, docs, sheets, slides, etc.), Zoom, and now Slack. This licensing indicates how much the university is invested in making Slack successful and UTO is pushing all units at the university to adopt the platform.

The initial drive to implement Slack was through inclusion by faculty in the online component of courses to increase the collaboration between instructor and student and amongst students. There was a successful pilot done in Fall 2018 with Engineering and Slack was introduced to all ASU faculty in Spring 2019 to include workspaces in their classes.

Career Edge Trainings

Slack End User Training - ASU Staff Version

Slack End User Training - ASU Staff Version 2

Learning Slack

Onboarding

To access Slack please follow these steps

  1. Go to http://asu.edu/slack, click the Sign in with your ASURITE ID button, login with your asurite id, password, and duo two factor authentication if prompted.

    • slack button to sign in with asurite id

  2. Review the terms of service and click the I Agree button ( First-time only )

    • slack terms of service i agree button

       

  3. You will then come to the Workspaces at Arizona State Unviersity page. You should already be onboarded to College of Health Solutions which should show under Your Workspaces. Click the Launch in Slack button to go to the CHS Workspace.


    • CHS Launch in Slack button

  4. Congratulations, you are in Slack now! Below is an example of what you might see after logging in for the first time.


    • slack initial screen

Install the Slack App

Installing and using the Slack desktop app is highly recommended. This can be installed on Windows, Macs, and phones.

Windows - https://slack.com/downloads/windows (click the Download 64-bit button)

Macs - https://slack.com/downloads/mac (click the Download button)

iPhone - https://slack.com/downloads/ios (click on the Download on the App Store button)... or search for Slack on the App Store

Android - https://slack.com/downloads/android (click on the Get it on Google Play button)... or search for Slack on the Google Play Store

After downloading and installing the app, you will be prompted for a workspace URL. Please type in asuchs and click the green continue button.


slack workspace url

You may be prompted to login with your asurite id, password, and duo two factor authentication information.

If you have any problems with getting the slack application installed or configured, please submit a ticket to CHS IT Consulting.

Channels, Integrations, and Conventions

UTO has provided some Slack terminology and general etiquette on their Slack 101 page.

CHS has a Slack workspace which contains channels (both public and private) as well as integrations (apps) like Zoom, Outlook calendaring, Google Drive, Google Calendaring, Dropbox, and more.

Public channels are for anyone in the college to use for communications or to ask questions of specific groups (if they are available). Private channels are for internal group communications and are by invitation only.

Current Public Channels

  • #annoucements (general college-level announcements)
  • #general (place to ask general questions - Slack default and subject to removal)
  • #help_canvas (place to ask canvas questions - monitored by Learning Innovations team)
  • #help_it (place to ask IT questions - monitored by CHS IT Consulting)
  • #help_slack (place to ask Slack questions - monitored by CHS IT Consulting but open to anyone who wants to answer)
  • #random (a place to post random stuff or to have fun - Slack default)

Current Private Channels

  • team_antt (affinity networks and translational teams internal working team)
  • team_businesssolution
  • team_downtownadvising
  • team_engageretention
  • team_evt
  • team_gradsupport
  • team_grandchallenges
  • team_learning_innov
  • team_marcomm
  • team_onlineadvising
  • team_recruitment
  • team_research_success
  • team_scistarter
  • team_shs_clinic
  • team_student_success
  • team_studentfrontdesk
  • team_studentsuccess
  • team_veteran_programs

To request a new channel (public or private), please submit a ticket to CHS IT Consulting. A naming convention has been established:

  • public help channels - help_<topic> (e.g., help_it)
  • private team channels - team_<team name> (e.g., team_evt)
  • private project channels - proj_<project name> (e.g., proj_convocation2020... these channels are more transient in nature where team channels are more permanent)

Integrations

Integrations with other applications can make Slack very powerful and allow for slack to be a focal point for messaging from those applications. Current integrations in the asuchs workspace include:

  • Asana
  • Dropbox
  • Giphy
  • Google Calendar
  • Google Drive
  • Microsoft Power Apps + Flow
  • monday.com
  • Outlook Calendar (integrate calendar free/busy time into Slack status automatically)
  • Polly
  • Simple Poll
  • Slack for Outlook
  • Slack Foundry
  • Wrike
  • Zapier
  • Zoom (can launch zoom meetings directly from slack)

Resources

Last page update: December 27, 2019 - 11:26am