Microsoft showcased a string of important new updates and features for its Teams Collaboration app at the Virtual Ignite 2020 conference. These not only included user facing features such as new Together Mode backgrounds but also Teams Management capabilities that are useful for IT professionals. Here, let’s take a look at some of the Microsoft Teams features and updates coming out of Microsoft Ignite 2020:
1. New together Mode Scenes in Meetings
The feeling of isolation when working remotely can sometimes hamper productivity. Because of this, the new Together Mode scenes is designed to help participants feel closer together even when joining remotely. Using this feature, you can transport your team to a variety of settings thereby setting the tone and create good experiences for the meetings. The new together mode scenes are coming this calendar year.
2. Custom Layouts for Content
Custom layouts are designed for dynamic content viewing and providing immersive experiences for participants during the meetings. Through custom layouts in Microsoft teams, the participants will be able to see the presenter’s video feed transposed onto the foreground of the slide they are showing. These new layouts will be available later this year on Teams.
3. Meeting recap
Microsoft is elevating how participants keep a track of the work done through the meeting recap feature. Later this year, a recap with the meeting recording, transcript, chat, and shared files will be automatically shared in the meeting Chat tab and viewable in the Details tab for each meeting. The recap will also be available in the meeting event in the Outlook Calendar.
Apart from these features, Microsoft Teams will also be stacked with important well-being features and productivity insights through Workspace Analytics. Workspace analytics provide an overview of employee’s work and communication patterns to help identify actionable insights into managing their role. Incrementally, Teams will also receive emotional check-in experience and integration with Headspace, a meditation guidance app, next year. With these important changes, the personal workspace on Microsoft Teams is bound to become a little bit better.
