Slack has emerged as the preferred instant messaging app for many creative teams, frequently taking the place of the traditional workplace for individuals who work remotely. The platform has been steadily adding new capabilities, but up until now, its user interface hasn’t altered much.
The platform, now owned by Salesforce, has launched a significant UI revamp after realizing that things were beginning to get a little cluttered. Unexpectedly, it resembles email more than any of the other media it was intended to replace (see our list of the top UI design tools for your own user interface work).
Like many other messaging programs, Slack strives to offer a growing number of features. In addition to channels, threads, and direct messages for chat, there is file storage, Canvases, a tool akin to Google Docs, and Huddles for voice, video, and screen sharing. As a result, the UI is beginning to feel bloated. Slack has therefore revealed its most significant overhaul to date, with a drastically altered style and layout that seeks to make items easier to discover.
The Slack redesign includes a new Home area that closely resembles the familiar Slack UI and displays channels, DMs, and apps. However, a significant distinction is that you won’t have to go between workspaces in order to view channels from various workspaces.
The new UI’s addition of a sidebar on the left is the most significant modification. This features a DM part that is reminiscent of email programs and, dare we say it, even Microsoft Teams, a competitor to Slack. An Activity pane that compiles messages, mentions, and responses from all of your Slack workspaces is located below that. The ‘Create’ button, denoted by a plus sign, offers a rapid way to complete a variety of tasks, including sending new messages, starting new chat channels, audio or video huddles, and opening new Canvases.
Huddles and Later, two features that many users probably haven’t even noticed up until this point (Later allows users to quickly save stuff and set a reminder), are made more visible by the sidebar. This gives the impression that the makeover is primarily intended for Slack users who utilize all of its features (and possibly to persuade those who do not to do so). Those who just utilize the fundamental communications features might think the move is pointless, and the makeover is already generating discussion.
Many people are pointing out the similarities to email and other messaging tools on Twitter. Someone described it as “basically a Gmail reskin.” One person questions, “Did they copy and paste the Microsoft Teams UI?!” Someone another made the joke that “Skype and Microsoft teams had a baby, didn’t you hear?”
There are opposing views on whether the likeness is positive or negative. While some people concur that it appears cleaner, others believe it to be more cluttered and challenging to use than previously. One user tweeted, , this is what happens when businesses are bought and the clean design team is replaced with MBA upper management decisions.” Someone else countered, “Feels Outlook, but I think I’m going like it.
Slack’s updated user interface is now available.
Slack’s revamped user interface is already going out to new accounts. The update should be delivered to current, paying clients in the upcoming months. More information is available at the Slack Help page.
