Microsoft Ignite 2019 Announcements: Microsoft Teams: Part 2

As the day progresses and the sessions continue, there are more announcements for Microsoft Teams. Just as exciting as discussed in the previous article, the new additions and enhancements in this article are just as exciting! As mentioned previously, Teams is utilized by users and organizations in many ways and Microsoft not only recognizes this, but it encourages and has focused on these aspects.

Conduct Inclusive and Effective Meetings

1. Microsoft Whiteboard: Whether in the same room or working remotely, Teams participants can collaborate and ideate on a digital, never-ending digital canvas. Microsoft Whiteboard is available from the Share Tray in Teams Meetings;

2. Live Captions: Users and participants have different needs, and with Live Captions, differences in hearing and language proficiencies are addressed. This provides an alternate way to follow along and participate with the conversation;

3. Presenter and Attendee Controls: Meeting organizers will be able to pre-define roles for participants as presenters or attendees. Participants designated as presenters will have full control over the meeting. Participants designated as an attendee will not be able to take control, share content, admit people waiting in the lobby, remove other participants, and start/stop recordings;

4. Citrix: Microsoft Teams Calling and Meetings for Citrix virtual environments will be optimized, allowing the delivery of high-fidelity Teams experience for users who are on-prem or for users who are Azure-hosted by a virtual desktop or application;

5. Cloud Video Interop (CVI): The latest partner to the CVI partnerships, Cisco is enabling customers to use Teams meetings with the use of Cisco Webex Room devices and SIP video conferencing devices in the meeting rooms;

6. Direct Guest Join Capability: Working together with Zoom and Cisco, Microsoft is trailblazing a new approach that will enable Microsoft Teams Rooms devices to connect to meeting services through browser-based technologies. As this technology is developed, additional vendors will be added;

7. Collaboration Bars for Microsoft Teams: Working with partners to convert small spaces into online meeting and collaboration spaces, this new category of device is affordable and can be installed and managed with ease. These video conferencing collaboration bars attach to touchscreens, displays, or TVs and provide experiences such as one-touch and proximity join, Microsoft whiteboard, and content sharing. The first two partners to launch are Poly and Yealink;

8. Microsoft Teams Speakerphones: These new speakerphones have a dedicated Teams button that provides seamless interaction with Teams. The first peripheral partner, who also has the first certified speakerphone, is Yealink; and

9. Enterprise Phone System Capabilities: New enterprise-wide phone system capabilities will include emergency calls, administrative control, call queue functionality, call delegation, voicemail management, and music on hold. The Enterprise Phone System also performs Compliance Recording and coupled with the Contact Center, it is suited to be a cloud phone system solution for enterprise clients.

Firstline Workers and Ease of Access to Teams

1. SMS Sign-In: With their phone number and a one-time SMS passcode, Firstline Workers can easily sign into Teams on their personal device;

2. Off Shift Access: IT Administrators will be able to enable this new setting. By enabling this setting, Firstline Workers, when outside of their payable hours, will receive a notification when they access their Teams app on their personal device. The Firstline Worker must provide consent to the notification before they can access their app;

3. Global Sign-Out: It is not uncommon for Firstline Workers to be using shared devices. By providing a global sign-out where the user is signed out at once from all the apps they use on their shift, it secures their sessions while saving time;

4. Delegated User Management: To reduce the burden of identity management on IT, Firstline managers will be able to manage user credentials and approve password reset requests via the My Staff portal; and

5. Graph API: Enhancements will provide a two-directional communication flow between a workforce management system and Shifts to enable enterprise configuration. Customers will be able to integrate Teams with Kronos and JDA with the open-source integration templates on GitHub.

Enable Industry-Specific Scenarios in Healthcare and Other Industries

1. Virtual Consults: B2C virtual consultations can be easily scheduled and conducted via Microsoft Teams and attendees can join through their Teams mobile app or from their web browser. Conducting healthcare consults with patients, conducting interviews, or holding meetings has never been more convenient or easier; and

2. Patient Coordination: Providing health care to patients and patient-centered care requires a secure platform for physicians, nurses, health aides, and other care team members to communicate clearly. In Teams, Patient Coordination is HIPAA compliant with enterprise-grade security. Meeting HIPPA compliance means that patient care can be streamlined by centralizing and digitizing patient information that is accessible to the patient care team for multi-disciplinary meetings, rounding, handoffs, and huddles.

Communication and collaboration are strongly emphasized in this set of enhancements and features for users within a Team, potential Team members, and clients. Super exciting! And we have more announcements in the next article.