Note: This article was originally published on January 13, 2021.
This list is a product of curiosity.
As the year wound down, and I began reflecting on how far Google Workspace had come amidst adversity (during a year that at times felt like it would never end, and at others felt like it went by in the blink of an eye), I began looking back on my (many) LinkedIn posts announcing new Google Workspace features and enhancements and I began to wonder which features got more attention than others.
How I Made My List
Several posts later, I began noting the number of likes each post received. I emphasized the sentiment followers shared toward each new feature in the comments and communications with my clients. Then, I scoured media outlets to find out which ones fetched headlines and which fell flat. And finally, I took an inventory of the many features I didn't post about and reflected on how they integrated to drive productivity.
Some of these features - like dark mode - stood on their own two feet, while others like the many improvements to Office compatibility - combined like pieces of a puzzle to reveal opportunities to move Google Workspace and its users forward.
I stack-ranked my findings - based more on sentiment than science - threw together a slide for each, and hit record to share my thoughts and hear from others which features made the most significant impact on them.
Top 20 Google Workspace Features in 2020
Check out the list, and share with me your thoughts. I'd love to hear the C2C community's feedback and ideas on which of the top 20 pushed them forward most in 2020!
Strapped for time? Here's a quick capture of the list!
20. Dark mode
19. Google Workspace migrate
18. Remote-friendly Google Calendar settings
17. New Google Groups
16. Data Protection Insights Reports
15. Integrated Google Contacts
14. Better PDF import to Google Docs
13. Intelligent search in Gmail and Google Drive
12. Better Google Sheets chart formatting
11. Auto-everything (thanks to AI and ML)
10. Improved Google Drive sharing
9. New Apps Script Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
8. New Google Classroom Learning Management features
7. Google Meet attendance tracking and moderation
6. Google Voice in Canada
5. Upgrade to Google Chat
4. Add-ons
3. Better Microsoft Office compatibility
2. Powerful meetings and learning in Google Meet
1. One integrated workspace in Gmail
To understand the thought process behind these enhancements and features, we spoke with Javier Soltero, VP and General Manager of Google Workspace in December, check it out.
We also spoke with Diane Chaleff, Google Workspace Lead Diane Chaleff about the shift to the Google Workspace and latest developments. The product improvements made in 2020, as Chaleff describes in the Deep Dive, were focused on improving productivity, collaboration, and creativity, as many made the pivot to a fully remote workforce.
Next Up
Want to share your thoughts with Christian, or have other features and enhancements you'd put on your list? Bring it to his C2C Talks event later this month! You can also keep up with all his Workspace updates on his YouTube page.
Extra Credit
Looking for more Google Workspace news and resources? We got you.
1. Looking for ways to keep up with all the Google Workspace announcements? C2C founding community members, Steve Larsen and Jesse Nowlin have a Google Workspace Recap podcast, making it easy to keep up with the continuous improvements.
2. Rather read for yourself? Check out the Google Workspace blog. It is the official feed from the Google Workspace team provides essential information about new features and improvements for Google Workspace customers.
Want to contribute, too?
We would love to share your words, thoughts and musings on our blog! Email Sabina Bhasin, content manager, and let's get the conversation going.
