SharePoint is an application platform that allows you to take control of the content and documents that you put on the Internet. Though the capabilities are present in SharePoint for use with external websites (like the kinds that your customers use to find out more information about your business), most companies have been using SharePoint for internal intranets.
SharePoint is great for tasks like collaboration on projects, document sharing and more. There are several trends with regards to SharePoint that you should definitely be paying attention to in 2014.
When you understand just what SharePoint is capable of doing, you’ll be able to fully understand just how much it will make your life (and the lives of all your colleagues) easier. SharePoint Consulting will help take you to the next level.
The SharePoint Mobile Experience
One of the major SharePoint trends in 2014 has to do with making sure that your content works well not only in all browsers that are available but on all types of devices, too. This can be overwhelming for a number of different reasons.
In years past, there was one major browser that everyone had to concern themselves with: Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. The web browser market has fractured in recent years with the appearance of serious competitors like Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Apple’s own Safari. To make matters more complicated, more users are now accessing online content on the go using devices like smart phones and tablets.
When focusing on branding and SharePoint in general, you need to make sure that your site functions equally well across the entire spectrum. If your site looks great on a desktop but runs poorly on an iPhone, you run the risk of alienating all potential users who fall into the latter category.
SharePoint & E-Discovery
One of the major SharePoint trends to watch out for in 2014 has to do with e-discovery. E-discovery is a term used to describe how an organization uses SharePoint to retain electronic records for their business. E-discovery is a feature that Microsoft’s SharePoint was notoriously bad at for many years.
With the release of the 2013 suite, however, a greater emphasis has been placed on making e-discovery easier and a more fluid experience than ever before. This is a trend that is expected to continue well into 2014 and beyond as it allows users to make their content global in a meaningfully arranged way that is easy to access.
HTML5
Another major trend with regards to SharePoint to watch out for in 2014 has to do with HTML5. HTML5 is the successor to traditional HTML and is a programming language that is designed to improve compatibility between the Internet and all types of devices. Instead of relying on Adobe’s Flash technology for streaming video content, for example, which is something that users of Apple’s products won’t be able to access, web developers can now give access to the same content using HTML5 and allow all users to enjoy it in an equal way.
HTML5 is integrated into the newest versions of SharePoint in a number of different ways. One of the biggest impacts of this change is that it gives users the ability to view content from Microsoft Office utilities like PowerPoint, Access, Word and Excel on their mobile phones – even if those phones don’t have the original Office applications installed.
Another major trend that is associated with HTML5 integration gives users the ability to set a different mobile view for different types of devices with regards to web content. You can have the same page display differently on an iPhone than it does on a Samsung Galaxy, for example. Both views can be fully customized to bring out the best in those respective devices.
Wondering how some of these tools can help your team? Sign up for our SharePoint Assessment today!