Twitter is a great tool for connecting with people, finding out information and having conversations on an open network, but we’ve often wondered how to make effective use of it within a collaborative project for a smaller and defined group of participants.

Cue Shout’em, a new service that allows you to create your own ‘micro-blogging network’ (micro-blogging is the technical term for platforms like Twitter, which allow you to send instant and short status updates, e.g. 140 characters max, to people following you).

With Shout’em you can customize your design, invite people to your network and make it accessible only to selected contacts.  Once in use, you can choose to post text, links, photos or locations, and even access it from your mobile phone.

Shout’em could be great way of communicating within a project team to get a quick answer to a question, share an idea that pops into your head or for instant updates to an event that someone is attending.