Blogs

Is this the right invoice? Is it paid in full? Where did that contract go? Did you follow-up on that email? So what if you're not in the office, pull it up on your smartphone. You can, right?

Have you heard things like this lately?

Contextual Data

If so, then maybe there is too much data, documents and processes in your organization. And things are only getting worse. As storage gets cheaper and the cloud evolves, the sheer volume of information that we produce and consume will continue to grow exponentially. Given that, finding the right information and content will also get much harder if information is not presented in context. The comparison of a needle in a haystack is not only relevant, but also inevitable if you cannot sort and distinguish hay from a needle.

As a result of that, I think we may see the pace and style of the human experience of collaboration change as a result of the data and content floods. Collaboration will quicken in every sense, from the words we use, to the messages we send.

Vertical Communication

We will learn to communicate more concisely and more specifically because of an instinctual reaction to avoid the overdose of data. This is why email has one inbox in the grave: it's too superfluous — it allows team members to extrapolate and speculate. Instead, collaboration will all be within the context of the project. Collaboration will become vertical.

Make it Simple

Experience management will also be do or die. Communicate benefits quickly or lose market force rapidly, as today's user has no patience for complexity. If it's good, it should be easy to use. Hello? Apple? We need not wonder what makes them such a groundbreaking company…it is because of how they handle the user experience, from their tools to their retail efforts. I literally cannot spend money fast enough with them sometimes: they make it so easy to do business with them. Look no further than the "Genius" feature in iTunes that can examine your existing apps and music and create personalized recommendations based on your habits. That's easy. And when a child under five can turn on an iPad and find their favorite video, you're managing the human experience better than anybody.

Assuming the world doesn't end, 2012 is going to be an exciting year for technology. What I’m looking forward to most is helping make information available in context to help people find the information they are looking for, and have it in context to increase the relevancy. As vendors continue to focus on the user experience and ease of use, I feel confident that the future of content management is brighter than ever.