14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is planning a substantial facelift for the Office productivity suite, and some of the improvements in terms of user experience are detailed in a video that got leaked today.
Specifically, the clip posted by @h0x0d on Twitter shows how Microsoft rethinks usability in Office apps based on Fluent Design, the new design language that’s currently being implemented in Windows 10 and also expanded to other products.
Microsoft Office will thus get new animations that contribute to a more fluent and modern feeling, as well as redesigned key features for refined usability. There’s going to be a new ribbon in Office that will put the focus on the main features, with a simplified approach specifically developed to make it easier to access the productivity tools that matter the most for each user.
Better collaboration
The software giant is also focused on improving collaboration in Microsoft Office, and all users working on a document will be displayed in a much refined way right within the file. Modifications that they make will be highlighted in real-time with a different color, which makes it substantially easier to see the edits of each user.
At this point, it’s not yet known when these improvements are projected to become available for users, but given that Fluent Design is work in progress, it shouldn’t take too long before this happens.
Microsoft has already started work on Office 2019, and there’s a chance that at least part of these user experience refinements would be included in the productivity suite, though Microsoft could implement them gradually as part of Insider builds.
But needless to say, Microsoft overhauling Office and putting the focus on usability can only be a good thing, especially as this could bring the suite in line with other products. Fluent Design is without a doubt a welcome facelift, though until now, it has been implemented at a pace slower than the one expected by users.
pic.twitter.com/kxUtmWSoUW — WalkingCat (@h0x0d) June 13, 2018