In today's dynamic work environment, the concept of the office has evolved significantly. The need for a well-structured blend of office and remote work is evident now more than ever. Organisations across the globe are recognising the importance of reshaping their physical office spaces to be more functional, aesthetically pleasing, and technologically advanced.
At Generation-e, we are at the forefront of this transformation through our Workplace Technology Practice. Our role extends beyond simple Teams Rooms fit-outs to intricate workplace technology integration, combining sensor data from room systems and third-party real estate and facilities sensors to gain valuable insights. These insights, in turn, aid our customers in aligning their workplace strategies with their organisational goals, such as environmental sustainability and employee engagement.
Microsoft Places Unveiled
It has been nearly a year since Microsoft announced its intention to develop a revolutionary product known as Microsoft Places. However, details have been scant, with only a few public mentions in community posts on the Microsoft website. The driving force behind Places is Microsoft's commitment to helping organisations better comprehend and manage the shift toward hybrid workplaces. Many organisations are now adopting 3:2 or 2:3 work models, where employees work from home for 2-3 days a week and spend the rest of their time in the office.
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Exploring the Three Base Modalities
In early August, Tom Arbuthnot and I presented a 10-minute video that shed light on what we know so far about Microsoft Places. We introduced the three fundamental modalities of Places:
- Coordinate: This modality is designed for users who need to plan their work locations throughout the week. It's also valuable for team leaders who want to set policies for their teams' meeting schedules.
- Modernise: Geared toward all users, it helps individuals find the most suitable workspaces on the campus for any given day. A smartphone app accompanies this modality, offering wayfinding and potentially digital signage in the future.
- Optimise: This modality is tailored to real estate, facilities, and IT teams.
The Four Pillars of Experience
Within these modalities, Microsoft Places offers a rich experience with four pillars:
- Onboarding: Simplifying the process of introducing employees to their new hybrid workspace.
- Space Management: Efficiently managing and optimising physical office space.
- Space Analytics: Gaining valuable insights into how employees engage with their workspace.
- Space Insights: Using data-driven insights to shape workplace strategies.
Project Monarch and the Future of Outlook
Microsoft's Project Monarch aligns with the vision of "One Outlook," aiming to create a unified Outlook client for PC, Mac, and the web. At present, Microsoft offers several Outlook clients for desktop, but Project Monarch seeks to consolidate them into a single, web-based application. This transition to the new Outlook client becomes even more compelling with the introduction of Co-Pilot, which provides real-time location information for teams.
The transition to the new Outlook, especially in its web-based form, becomes a logical step in integrating it with Microsoft Places. This integration offers a comprehensive view of team location data, enhancing calendar management and meeting organisation. With real-time location information at its core, Microsoft Places promises to empower users by providing the most suitable meeting locations based on participant locations and meeting types.
The integration of Co-Pilot into Outlook, which can be embedded into Places, gives users a compelling reason to switch from Outlook Win 32 to Places. Furthermore, as real-time location information and messaging data are integrated into Places, Microsoft Graph can provide a deeper understanding of user habits and team dynamics, ultimately enhancing productivity.
As Places continues to evolve, with the ability to incorporate data from third-party integration sensors, it is clear that this project holds immense importance for Microsoft. The more data fed into Places, the more accurate the insights become, offering organizations invaluable information about their operations.
It is likely that Microsoft will offer Microsoft Places for free to users who adopt Co-Pilot as part of their M365 subscriptions at E3 or higher levels. The data gathered by Places is crucial for understanding the intricate functioning of organizations in a hybrid work environment, making M365 even more indispensable.
As the Practice Manager for Workplace Technology, my experience at Integrate left me fascinated by the potential of Microsoft Places. While Microsoft remains coy about when more information will be released, they've hinted that Ignite, taking place from November 14th to 17th, is where we can expect major announcements regarding the topics covered in this article. Stay tuned for more exciting developments!
