So before I let you know what it is I need to give you some backstory.  This goes way back to early Windows day.  From the start I have always been trying to organize my apps (programs).  In early Windows it was Norton Desktop then is was constantly managing my Start Menu and eventually this spread to bookmark madness.

At some point search engines and browser bars came along and they worked so well that you really stopped worrying about bookmarks because search can just find what you need.  At this point on my desktop I really don’t care where my apps (programs) are; key ones are in my dock or page one of the start screen, and for others, I just use search to open them.

But the on my mobile device things have been a bit of a mess.  Until recently I had pages of apps and folders (100’s of apps).  Many of these I hardly used but did not want to uninstall; and when I needed one that I did not use often I would have search each screen and folder until I found it.  In iOS 7 they made a simple change to spotlight search making is accessible from any page with just a ‘pull down’ on the screen.

This has completely changed the way I use my phone and tablet.  First off no folders on the first 2 pages, just the apps I use most often.  Really the apps on my first page cover 90% of my use, and I rarely have to search.  For other apps, new ones, and ones I rarely use; they just go anywhere and when I need them I just pull down and search.  What a relief to not have to deal with shaking icons, folder naming, and trying to move items around only to realize I just have too many apps.

This also applies to how I get to my BI content.  I use search all the time and really never browse for content.  I am often connecting to servers that have, frankly, out of control catalogs, and this make it even more valuable. Really, the same concept as above applies.  Key reports I use all the time will be in ‘Recent’ or ‘Favorites’, and aside from that I will just search.

Goodbye folders.