Blocks are taking over M365

We've all grown accustomed to working with Microsoft Teams over the last two years, and now with Microsoft Loop, we will take the next step in our collaboration. To understand why this step is so significant, we must look at how knowledge workers have worked over the last several decades. Prior to the advent of computers, information was recorded on paper. Large groups of typewriter data typists were transferring and copying information on paper. We intended to move towards a paperless office with the introduction of the computer, so we switched to .doc and .pdf files. We transferred our typewriting world to the computer and began sending documents as attachments via email programs.

With the introduction of mobile phones, the SMS function was introduced and lots of information now flows outside documents in chats. In Microsoft Teams we also have a chat function, and here information started flowing outside documents. The blocks of information are no longer formally in PDF or DOCX format, the blocks of information are small and freely flowing in MS Teams, in MS Planner, in SharePoint. This is a big thing. Documents are no longer dominating the information technology world. The smallest piece of information is a block. A block is either a simple text, an image or a short audio clip, a table, a task, a calendar item, a calculation, etcetera.

What is Microsoft Loop?

Microsoft Loop will be the app responsible for organising a collection of information blocks in a logical format. Loop is like a big canvas on which the user can arrange all these blocks logically in one single view. This has a significant benefit in that we will now be able to show specific information about a specific job that we need to do, all in one real-time updated overview.

Let me give you an example to make it more concrete. Your company presentation will most likely begin with a corporate overview, which will include some blocks of information that will change over time. For example, the number of employees, the number of clients in the previous year, or a block of text containing the corporate mission and vision. To present the most up-to-date information, always download the most recent PowerPoint version from the corporate communications SharePoint. Wouldn't it be great if all information blocks in your presentation were always up to date? Without constantly checking to see if the information is up to date.

Another example: if your team changes the date of the next upcoming webinar, it would be fantastic to change this calendar block only once and have it synchronised on all the places where that information was previously posted. Otherwise, you'll have to manually change the date in all the various places.

It is a big thing

As previously stated, this is a significant event. It will fundamentally alter the way we work. We'll stop working on documents and start working in blocks. Blocks are synchronized across all our work. Once you've created or changed something, you can post it anywhere. We'll have to adopt a network mindset. Our work on a single block will have an immediate impact on many different jobs performed by our network of colleagues, customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.

The best part is that we can keep doing what we've always done because Microsoft won't take away our documents or PowerPoint presentations. However, those people who will adapt to this networked, connected new way of working with blocks will be more productive and get more stuff done in the same amount of time and with higher quality.