IBM Connections 2016 focused on integrating Connections and Verse into a single interface, bringing key features from each to a unified experience. New features included a card-based mail interface, persistent calendar access, and the ability to see interactions across the social platform. Cognitive computing through Watson added capabilities like tone analysis to emails. The conference also previewed Project Toscana as a potential Slack competitor and outlined roadmaps for Notes, Domino, Verse and Connections to incorporate latest technologies and improve support for modern devices and platforms.

1. Conference
Summary
IBM Connect - 2016
Orlando

2. Connections Next

3. Consistent header
for quick access to
important people
and groupsMail moves
to a card
interface
Persistent access
to calendar
Connections
and Verse now
integrated into
a single
seamless
interface
Available On-
Premise 2nd Half
2016

4. Quickly see all your
interactions with
specific people
across the social
platform
Actions and
follow-up items

5. Action Center
An IBM Connections version of
notifications

6. Cognitive Watson Adds Tone Analysis for Verse
Demonstrates one of many ways in which cognitive
computing (Watson) can be applied to add value to mail.

7. SmarterCalendars
Analysis of meetings
and their health
accompanied by
recommendations

8. PersonalAssistant
Recommendation on
how best to handle
meeting conflicts
based upon an analysis
of attendees

9. PersonalAssistant
Identification of key
text turned into
single click actions

10. PersonalAssistant Identifies potential
matches stored in
cloud file store
Message text linked
to a potential action
Message text linked
to a potential action

11. CalendarIn-box
Invitations ordered
by date of event not
time of arrival

12. Mobile
Many of the same
features and look
and feel brought to
native mobile
applications

13. 3rdPartyIntegration
Integration with BOX for Cloud Storage.
IBM may struggle to establish a market position
that ensures Connections Files gains widespread
support an integration. Integration with BOX and
others may reduce the risk of building data silos.

14. 3rdPartyIntegration
This list alone is
pretty impressive if
IBM can deliver

15. Project Toscana

16. Project Toscana is potentially
IBM’s answer to slack.

17. Road Map

18. Improved touch support
Support for retina displays
Windows 10
Java 8
Improved calendar interoperability
(with winmail.dat)
Template updates
Notes 10
2nd Half 2016
Support for modern
devices is a game
changer keeping Notes
client applications usable
for a few more years.

19. IBM Mail support for Outlook GA
(aka Project Hawthorn)
Store database views outside NSF
Support Microsoft file types
(e.g. winmail.dat, message, mail)
JVM 8
Domino 10
2nd Half 2016
A few nice
enhancements. The big
news is the expansion of
Domino to provide on-
premise Verse.

20. Java 8 and latest versions of
Bootstrap, DOJO, CK Editor, ACF, OSGI
Document encryption and signing
Relational data sources
Responsive Design (Bootstrap)
Integration with Bluemix
(Deploy directly to Bluemix)
Open sourcing of (most) code
Domino
Designer 10
2nd Half 2016
Some much needed
catch-up to incorporate
the latest versions of
other products now
integrated into Domino.

21. Verse Offline
IBM Mail support for Outlook
(aka Project Hawthorn)
Safari on El Capitan
Edge on Windows 10
Improved interoperability
with Exchange calendar
Administrators Can Control
ACLs of mail files
Connections
Cloud
1st Half 2016
Will be useful to more
people with Outlook
client and access from
Mircrosoft and Apple’s
browsers.