Phil is a Training and Performance Consultant, and director of Optimum Learning. He blogs at Phil Green.

Phil's Top 10 Tools as 28 March 2008

1. MindManager: Still the place where my brain lives – I draft and organise everything here and then export to any office application - fantastic

2. WebEx (or Centra, Interwise or Adobe Connect): How else can I teach and tutor live online?

3. Blackboard/Moodle: OK – I cheated by naming two tools but it is the genus rather than the individual example that gets my vote and I use both equally depending upon what the client has. For me and any online learners it I support it is the pigeonhole, staffroom, water-cooler, examination room, library, debating chamber…..

4. I-tunes: Because I’ve got an Ipod now!

5. Adobe Acrobat 8 Pro – Incredible that they managed to squeeze even more power and functionality into this tool. The integration of Adobe Connect and Presenter and the like promotes Acrobat right up the order of my favourites and elevates it almost to the status of desktop portal for all my standard tasks (You can easily build a pdf from a blank sheet now and type into it just as if in Word.)

6. Google Search - especially Google Desktop: Another annus domini means I routinely forget which of the 10 million files I’ve saved over the years is the one with the word “dementia” in it. I also love Google Maps on my mobile phone with GPS built-in I can always find the nearest Tesco when I’m on the road and breakfast beckons.

7. Ning: A brilliant social networking tool and entirely free of course

8. WebQuiz XP: Still less than 100 USD to download – idiot-proof tool for creating quizzes, tests and assessments on Internet, to a network or CD-ROM

9. USB Condenser Microphone: Yes I know it’s not a piece of software but it’s changed my life! I really can achieve near broadcast quality sound using this mike with a “pop stopper”. For narrated PowerPoints, virtual classrooms and even Skype it makes a difference far beyond the £100 investment.

10. PowerPoint: I love it even more now that it has become even more powerful and versatile. I create handouts, storyboards, presentations, job aids etc., and (dare I say?) snippets of interactive e-learning.

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Phil's Top 10 Tools as at 3 August 2007

1. MindManager: This where my brain lives – I draft and organise everything here and then export to any office application - fantastic

2. Skype: My mouthpiece

3. Unyte:  A clever little device that lives inside Skype and lets you share desktops while "skyping"!

4. Dogpile: Lord knows who dreamed up the name but the fastest and best megasearch engine I’ve used

5. Google Search - especially Google Desktop:  Because sometimes I forget which of the 10 million files I’ve saved over the years is the one with the words “lost my file” in it.

6. Ning: A brilliant social networking tool and entirely free of course

7. G-Lock Easymail: Takes the pain out of emailing to groups

8. WebQuiz XP: Still less than 100 USD to download – idiot-proof tool for creating quizzes, tests and assessments on Internet, to a network or CD-ROM

9. Audacity: I adore free stuff – this is a sound recorder and precision editor – nothing more, nothing less

10. PowerPoint: Is there anyone in the Universe who doesn’t use it? I create handouts, story-boards, presentations, etc., etc