Ignite 2021 - BRK202 - Microsoft Teams: Thrive with hybrid work

Presented by: Nicole Herskowitz

Session summary: Many organizations are wondering "What is our path forward?" as we enter the hybrid work era. A big part of that answer is Microsoft Teams. Join us for a session that explores the upcoming landscape for Microsoft Teams, as we outline why Microsoft Teams is the place to be for hybrid work.

 

My Notes: 

Nicole started with describing how she looks - to be inclusive. The agenda will revolve around three main concepts: Connect, Collaborate and Context.

 

Connect (on your terms)

Microsoft Teams is where 250 million people come to work, and currently some 80 million people are also Teams phone users. Post-pandemic 70% of workers want flexible remote work options to continue and 65% also want more in-person time with their teams. So, workers want flexibility of where and how they work, and that is where hybrid work enabled by Microsoft Teams comes in.

 

Microsoft recently added

• Cameo in PowerPoint and the AI-driven Speaker coach in Teams 
  (good demos in this session)
• Apple car play for Teams calls & meetings
• Front row display in Teams Room Systems

Mesh for Microsoft Teams will enable 2D and 3D meeting experiences with personal avatars. Immersive spaces will resemble physical spaces such as conference rooms, design canters and networking lounges. These meeting spaces will work well with your existing laptop or phone but will also be open for virtual reality headsets. Mesh will enter preview in the first half of 2022. For more information: Mesh for Microsoft Teams aims to make collaboration in the ‘metaverse’ personal and fun

The 2D version of Mesh with an Avatar - or "foreground blur" as I call it.

Meeting improvements

• Ordering of raised hands
• Mute notifications
• Hide your own video stream
• Roles in the meeting invite
• The menu in Teams mobile meetings improved

 

Conference Rooms / Microsoft Teams Rooms

Today only 8% of the 90 million conference rooms in the world are video enabled. Microsoft Teams Rooms are designed for the people NOT in the room, meetings should be inclusive.

Intelligent Speakers - Speakers that recognize who is talking.

Intelligent Cameras - Camera  that recognize people

• AI powered speaker tracking
• Multiple video streams
• People recognition

Teams Rooms are now available on Surface Hub, and soon Surface Hubs will be manageable from the Teams Admin center. Hotdesking on Teams displays are coming soon to various hardware.

Intelligent cameras will know who is in the room and add them to the roster.

 

Collaborate (new Teams innovations that help you work better together)

85% of business decision makers regularly collaborate with customers, partners and vendors.

 

Teams connect features (coming in preview early 2022)

• Shared channels for internal / external users and teams
• Add people in Teams via phone number or personal email

 

Webinars

• Green room - a virtual backstage
• Bring presenter on screen (and off screen)
• Co-organizer for webinars is now Generally Available
• QnA for webinars now in preview
• Integration with Dynamics 365
• Integration of Cvent and Teams (November 2021)

 

Chat improvements

• Reactions now have 800 new 3D emojis
• Drafts on Teams mobile
• Peoples time zone visible in contact cards
• Delayed delivery of messages
• Compact setting to see more messages

Delayed delivery

Teams phone

• Dynamics 365 customer service is expanded into the Microsoft all-in-one contact center
• Connected Contact Center Program - testing of Contact Centers on top of Teams phone
• Operator Connect is now Generally Available - 22 global operator partners in >50 countries

 

Context (task switching is one of the most draining things we do nowadays)

• Dynamics 365 + Teams integrations - chats and calls inside of Dynamics 365
• Send a record as a Loop component
• Teams + Azure Communication Services (APIs and SDKs) - create custom web portals connected to Teams (coming in December 2021)
• Power Virtual Agents - build bots for common scenarios
• Embed Teams chat in power apps
• The Power BI app for Teams is now Generally Available

 

Demos of several Teams (Meeting) Apps

• SAP
• Atlassian - Jira
• ServiceNow virtual agent
• Custom built mobile app

For more info: Stay in the flow of workwith new collaborative apps for Microsoft Teams

An improved Teams app store with app categories is coming in November 2021, Admins can now purchase 3rd party App subscriptions via invoice billing.

 

Customer demos / testimonials of

• Teams Rooms systems
• Teams Realwear integration
• Video from drones into Teams