Microsoft just released Sway, a next generation tool for creating engaging content.
From the perspective of Sway, there are a few problems with Word other document creation tools.
- They require the end users to have good taste and design skills.
- They were originally designed to produce print documents.
- They don’t read well on mobile.
- They simply aren’t designed to mesh with the modern way that we consume information.
Sway is different. Sway formats your information. You take the broad strokes; it handles the little things.
For now, Sway is still in Beta, but there are some interesting tools on the horizon. We currently have vertical or horizontal layouts, but non-linear layouts are coming. There are a few curious options for media layouts, but many more are coming soon.
The point of Sway is to abdicate design control to the software, but ironically, that’s exactly what I feel is lacking. I really like the way the slides? of Sway overlap and are revealed, but I want more control over that action. I imagine when the full product is released we’ll see more options for laying out content.
The Future
In the future, I’ll voice the command, “Create a presentation for the Vail Conference”, and my computer will do so. (Or better yet, my computer will hear me talking about the Vail conference on the phone and create an Outlook appointment with several options for presentations before I finish the call) Sway is a step in that direction. Simply drop in content and Sway will create something interesting.
See my Sway embedded below, or view it at this link
Steven A Nichols 