Every day, millions of office workers still create memos and reports using scissors and paste and store data on floppy disks, despite having ample digital memory on their computers and in the cloud. Smartphone-wielding executives have their mail piled up in inboxes, one corporate message atop another. However, these physical objects are not being used; instead, individuals are clicking on their digital representations in popular word-processing programs like Microsoft Word or Google Docs. These icons persist like remnants of an outdated office culture, a style of office software developed when the desktop computer was a new and unfamiliar concept, a legacy that endures 31 years after IBM’s personal computer ushered in the software age.
The traditional desk-bound office is no longer the norm; workers are now equipped with laptops, tablets, and smartphones, turning every place into a potential workplace. Consequently, office software is undergoing a transformation. Collaboration, small screens, quick turnarounds, social media, and, above all, mobility have become the focal points. Bret Taylor, CEO of Quip, a startup offering document-writing software, emphasizes this shift, stating, “The way people use things is fundamentally changing.”
In response to this change, companies like Box and Evernote are adapting to the evolving needs of users. Box recently acquired Crocdoc to facilitate viewing Microsoft Word documents and other file formats across various devices. Evernote allows users to write, edit, and share notes collaboratively, eliminating the need for multiple versions of Word documents sent via email.
Major players like Microsoft and Google are also adjusting their products to align with the modern work environment. Microsoft offers a mobile version of Office, including Microsoft Word, although its functionality for certain document types is limited, and collaboration features are constrained to some extent. Microsoft acknowledges the challenge of adapting to new user behaviors, especially when catering to a vast user base of one billion Office users.
Mobile design emphasizes simplicity, with keyboard commands often preferred over icons to maximize screen real estate. Quip, for example, incorporates fewer font choices and formatting options compared to Microsoft Word and Google Docs, promoting a more streamlined user experience. The focus is on functionality and aesthetics across different devices.
The shift towards mobile-friendly design is not just a matter of convenience but a response to the realities of small, touch-based screens and the demands of a virtual office. Google Docs, integrated into Google Drive, is continually evolving to better suit mobile platforms.
While the giants of word processing have the resources to adapt, smaller players like Quip are also making an impact by reflecting changes that have already occurred in the modern workplace. Workplaces are evolving, and expectations are shifting towards more collaborative, flexible, and mobile-friendly solutions.
