The future of work communication may lie not in emails, but in documents. Email, though ubiquitous, is a flawed tool for collaboration. It is linear, lacks context, and its threads can become confusing. The solution to these problems might be documents. Unlike emails, documents are non-linear, they can be edited by multiple people simultaneously, and they provide context. They also allow for asynchronous collaboration, meaning that all team members don’t need to be present at the same time to contribute.
Platforms like Google Docs and Dropbox Paper are leading this shift. These tools allow users to write, comment, and collaborate within the same document. They also offer features like version history, which allows users to track changes and revert to previous versions if necessary.
This shift towards documents as a primary communication tool is part of a larger trend towards asynchronous communication. As remote work becomes more common, teams need tools that allow them to collaborate effectively across different time zones. Documents, with their flexibility and context, might just be the solution.
While email is unlikely to disappear entirely, its role in workplace communication may diminish. Companies that want to stay ahead of the curve should consider how they can incorporate documents into their communication strategies.
Go to source article: https://workfutures.io/documents-are-the-new-email-7fd41d052b83#.o9d9wh2dm