An entire day on site, uninterrupted, with a promising architecture to test. That's a good opportunity to turn the investigation into a defensible recommendation.
I'd prepare two things: the explanation to the client and tomorrow morning's status update. The important distinction is that we're recommending an architectural direction, not claiming the implementation is already proven.
1. Client recommendation
SharePoint Online Playbook: Recommended Direction
Following an investigation of several approaches to rebuilding the Playbook system in SharePoint Online, I recommend pursuing a native Document Library architecture using Content Types, reusable content blocks, and metadata-driven navigation.
The investigation has identified limitations with previous implementations, particularly around navigation, usability, maintainability, and keyword search. Preserving the existing SharePoint Pages is not a business requirement. Delivering a functional, attractive, and maintainable Playbook system is.
Proposed design
The solution would use three Content Types: Public, Private, and Admin, assembled from five reusable content blocks.
|
Content Type |
Content blocks |
|---|---|
|
Public |
Play, Contacts, Deets |
|
Private |
Play, Contacts, Stuff |
|
Admin |
Play, Admin |
The flexible content blocks accommodate different Playbook structures without requiring excessive individual fields. Common metadata supports categorization, filtering, and navigation.
A dedicated SharePoint Communication Site would provide the Table of Contents, using native navigation, categorized library views, and visually formatted cards.
Why this approach?
- Uses standard SharePoint Online capabilities rather than introducing another custom application.
- Supports different Playbook structures through Content Types.
- Reduces unnecessary metadata complexity through flexible content blocks.
- Provides a manageable foundation for growth and maintenance.
- Supports category-based navigation and a more attractive browsing experience.
- Establishes a foundation for addressing keyword search separately.
A January 2024 Document Library-based Playbook implementation already exists in the sandbox, providing a useful reference for evaluating this approach.
Considerations
The principal implementation cost will be analyzing and migrating existing Playbook content. The reader and authoring experiences also require validation before full adoption.
Recommendation
Proceed with a focused proof of concept to validate the three Content Types, flexible content blocks, card-based Table of Contents, and end-to-end Playbook experience before committing to migration.
This approach offers the strongest potential balance of usability, maintainability, and native SharePoint functionality identified during the investigation.
2. Prepared status update for tomorrow morning
SharePoint Playbook Modernization: Status Update
October 27, 2026
Status: Investigation complete for current phase. Preferred architecture identified; proof of concept pending.
Progress
- Investigated multiple SharePoint Online approaches for the Playbook Table of Contents and navigation.
- Identified limitations of the existing Site Pages and Power Apps approaches.
- Located a January 2024 Document Library-based Playbook implementation in the sandbox.
- Identified a potential architecture using three Content Types and five reusable content blocks.
- Established native metadata filtering, categorized views, and card-based navigation as the preferred direction.
- Deferred keyword search improvements to a subsequent phase.
Recommended Architecture
A SharePoint Online Document Library using Public, Private, and Admin Content Types, with flexible content blocks and a Communication Site providing the reader-facing navigation.
Next Steps: October 27
- Examine the existing Document Library implementation.
- Confirm site-level Content Type permissions.
- Configure the proposed Content Types and content blocks.
- Test representative Plays and the authoring experience.
- Configure category-filtered views and card presentation.
- Connect the views to site navigation.
- Evaluate feasibility, presentation quality, and remaining implementation effort.
Key Risk
Content analysis and migration effort represent the largest anticipated cost. The end-to-end authoring and reading experience must be demonstrated before committing to the architecture.
Expected Outcome
A working proof of concept, or documented technical constraints, sufficient to determine whether the proposed architecture should proceed to implementation planning.
3. The decision you're actually testing tomorrow
It's not whether SharePoint supports Content Types. We know it does.
It's whether three Content Types, five flexible content blocks, and native library views can deliver a Playbook that looks good, works well, and is practical to maintain.
If they can, you have the architecture, the business rationale, and the beginnings of a migration estimate.
And there's something especially useful about having the whole day to yourself: you can follow the evidence without stopping every twenty minutes to explain what you're investigating.
Enjoy the uninterrupted sandbox archaeology. 🏺