The Loop Scoop

What if a paragraph were portable and could be updated anywhere? It's possible with Loop.

Currently in "Public Preview", Microsoft Loop is a new productivity tool that allows users to collaborate and communicate more effectively in real-time,?seamlessly integrating?with Teams, Outlook and Office Tools (Online Only).

With Loop, users can create shared workspaces where they can collaborate on documents, and collaborate in real-time. If you have used digital whiteboard tools like Mural and Miro, or created content in SharePoint and OneNote, you have already worked in a similar experience.?Imagine a paragraph or a table or a list as a "portable piece of content" that you can embed in many apps, while still editing.

So, what makes Loop better??It comes down to AI and Microsoft Graph (naturally). Elements you create in a page can be displayed in Outlook,?Teams or Office tools.

Big deal, right? I would agree...

Except?anyone can update the content from where it was embedded, and it will update it EVERYWHERE.?In addition to collaborating on bits of content anywhere, the system can suggest related content in your page, helping teams collaborate better, without re-inventing a wheel made 3 months ago. It also fights the white page syndrome with great team collaboration templates like Meeting Notes and Project Planning.

How is the Loop app better or different than Teams or Miro??Miro and Mural are more freeform design tools, while Loop is more modular and structured. Both Loop and Teams applications are designed to facilitate collaboration, but Loop places a stronger focus on real-time collaboration and portable content. Both applications compliment each other, and my own team using them interchangebly as we collaborate. For example:

Our Microsoft Design and Development team uses Teams for conversations and meetings, but uses Loop pages and components to collaborate on content that needs to show up in multiple locations (a statement of work and a proposal deck, for example).

For things we use often, like Technical Assumptions, but tend to change based on the technology (i.e. SharePoint v.s. Teams), we can modularly "pop" the right list of assumptions into a new statement of work, making us more streamlined. Before, we may need to tweak an existing template or work from a previous copy that closely aligns. Now it is a standard piece of content that is always the latest and greatest. Anyone on the team can refine that list of assumptions, wherever they are working, making the next statement of work better reflect the lessons learned from the previous project.

What this means for our clients

Disruption Scale:?Medium to High. For those experienced with software development, modular components are easy to conceptualize and leverage. For workers outside of tech, the concept may be harder to grasp. With the right case studies and working through early adopter groups, companies can ease teams into new ways of working. The technology is still not in GA, so usability improvements for the tech-averse will likely be added.

Business Impact:?Microsoft Loop can dramatically streamline collaboration, reduce inaccuracies and foster more inclusive and effective teams. Do not be surprised when Copilot and Loop become very intertwined.?Loop is our first foray into a new way of working.

Ready to try out Loop for yourself? Your organization can turn on access to the public preview today for you to start using!