examines findings from a recent survey and asks whether in the two years since the launch of SharePoint 2010, how have document collaboration users expectations evolved as the platform’s use has become more prolific? Collaboration has become a buzz word, but what is the reality of document collaboration in the workplace? This presentation is based upon findings from survey conducted amongst SharePoint users to understand: - As growth in the tablet market increases, have mobile trends had an impact on the way in which key business documents are authored and reviewed? - How well placed is SharePoint to deliver against these key drivers? - What are the collaborative features of current tools and how do they meet requirements? - Where is the mismatch between demand and supply? To download the whitepaper, please visit http://www.pleasetech.com/download_whitepaper_sharepoint_2013_research_results.aspx

1. The Microsoft® SharePoint® Dichotomy
October 2013
Dave Cornwell
CEO
PleaseTech Ltd

2. Hello…
In 2012, PleaseTech published a Whitepaper entitled ‘Document Review and SharePoint
Document Collaboration’.
•
•
Based on research conducted during two major SharePoint conferences
Major findings:
• Respondents were broadly satisfied with their document review solutions, but
further questioning revealed many issues.
• Whilst the term collaboration was widely used, in reality expectations were low.
• This demonstrated that in the SharePoint community, education was still required.

3. We now ask…
What is the reality of document
collaboration in the SharePoint workplace?
Is there a mismatch between requirements and
provision?
Have opinions on SharePoint’s collaborative
capabilities changed?

4. The survey
In November 2012 and February 2013
PleaseTech attended two Microsoft’s SharePoint
Conferences as an exhibitor, where it also
conducted an attendee survey.
276
companies
completed
the survey
79% of
respondents
were from an IT
background
85% were
SharePoint
2010 users

5. What are we talking about today?
What the analysts are saying…
SharePoint collaboration – user confusion
Document collaboration – in more detail
A closer look at collaborative requirements v current provision
The final word
About PleaseReview & PleaseTech
Why?
“A firm’s ability to innovate is closely tied to its ability to
collaborate” Alan Pelz-Sharpe, 451 Research

6. What are the analysts saying?
According to Gartner, IT leaders have the opportunity to deliver business value in the
area of collaboration.
Research reports published by Forrester suggest there are gaps in the collaborative
offerings from the more established players in the market, such as SharePoint1.
Some people argue that SharePoint is just a glorified ‘network share’2.
Ovum writes, ‘document review is a specialist area and document management and
enterprise content management (ECM) platforms do not always include the required
level of management and control’3.
So the question is, are current collaboration tools delivering the value they
should?
1. Forrester, ‘SharePoint Enters Its Awkward Teenage Years’, Feb 2013
2. Dux Raymond Sy, CMS Newswire, Feb 2013
3. PleaseTech innovates in the review process, Ovum July 2013

7. Our survey said…

8. There’s confusion amongst users…
2/3rds of respondents agree that user adoption of
SharePoint is an issue
¾ say that SharePoint provides the document
collaboration requirements needed
There’s a 17% year on year increase in the number of
people stating they like SharePoint’s collaborative
capabilities

9. We asked: What are your perspectives on SharePoint’s collaborative capabilities?
72% say they like
SharePoint’s co-authoring
functionality
54%
44%
44%
90% of respondents believe
enhancing document
collaboration is important to their
organization
36%
24%
27%
22%
21%
9%
8%
1%
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
SharePoint is easy to use
I like the document co-authoring functionality available with SharePoint 2010/Office 2010
Enhancing document collaboration is important to my organization
0.4%

10. LOOKING AT DOCUMENT COLLABORATION IN MORE DETAIL…
For 63%, document creation and
review is a part or significant part
of their jobs
Q: WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF DOCUMENT CREATION & REVIEW IN YOUR JOB?
19.9%
17.4%
35.1%
27.5%
Not involved in the document production process
An insignificant part of the job
Part of the job
Significant part of the job

11. We asked: Typically, how many individuals are involved in editing/reviewing
documents (e.g. authors, reviewers, approvers etc.)?
56% of people have 6 or
more people involved in the
document review process…
18%
44%
6-10
0-5
27%
8%
11-19
27%
20+
For 27% of people, there are over 20
people involved in the reviewing and editing
of documents

12. The documents I work on are…
70% said the documents they work on
half
are business critical, with
agreeing
these documents are both large and
complex
52%
Complex and or large
64%
Time critical
71%
Business critical

13. How do you review and comment on content? Respondents could give multiple answers...
Many people involved in document collaboration are still using outdated
tools to review and comment on content…
56% email
47% ‘track
changes’
72% of respondents said they liked SharePoint’s coauthoring functionality, yet 2/3rds are not using it

14. A closer look at collaborative requirements v current provision
Only 35% have
this facility
82% think control
over who can do what
to where in a
document is
important
81% think
simultaneous access
to a document is
important
Less than 30% can
90% would like to be
able to see other’s
comments and
changes
85% think detailed
reporting is important
Only 15% have
access to reports
48% think it is critical
to work offline and
upload comments
when online again
88% think management
over the process is
important (automated
reminders & deadlines)
Only available to
31%
Less than 25% can
Only 16% can

15. Where existing processes fall short, the domino
effect causes poor
quality documents,
time delays and increased costs…
51%
of reviewers don’t give feedback
on time
35% 24% 26% 28% 13% 30%
Say the process
requires too much
time / effort
Proposed changes have
to be entered manually
Difficult to reconcile Reviewers overwrite
conflicting changes
other’s changes
Can’t capture review
metrics
Review cycles
delay publication
We asked: Which review issues does your organization face?

16. The final word
In 2012 only 42% of respondents were using SharePoint 2010. By the time
the 2013 survey was conducted, this figure had risen to 85%.
Evidence in the market corroborates this
There are still huge disparities between requirements and current provision.
Document
creation & review
plays a significant
role in 2/3rd of
respondents jobs
Less than 1/3
use SharePoint’s
co-authoring
tools
Over 90% work
outside their
‘collaboration
portal’
Respondents use outdated tools such as track
changes, hard copy format & email to collaborate

17. There is confusion over what SharePoint’s co-authoring platform delivers…
Document collaboration expectations remain
Real business value continues to evade many
User expectations have not evolved
low…

18. Need help to understand your document collaboration
requirements and to assess the processes your
organization currently has in place to meet them?
Take our document collaboration questionnaire…
http://www.pleasetech.com/collaborationquestionnaire.aspx

19. www.pleasetech.com

20. © 2013 PleaseTech Ltd. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced
or distributed in any form without quoting PleaseTech Ltd and linking to our website
www.pleasetech.com. The facts of this report are believed to be correct at the time
of publication. Please note that the findings, conclusions, and recommendations
that PleaseTech delivers are based on information gathered in good faith, whose
accuracy we are not always in a position to guarantee. As such PleaseTech can
accept no liability whatever for actions taken based on any information that may
subsequently prove to be incorrect.