Teams overview

Introduction

• Successful use of MS Teams is not only about MS Teams application proficiency, but also about:
  • your creativity
  • the art of using other digital tools
  • processes and MS Teams settings in your organisation
• More complexity and more tools in a meeting always mean more places where you can potentially face difficulties – I recommend most simple solutions

What is MS Teams

• MS Teams is the gateway to the Office 365 eco system
• MS Teams runs in your organization’s cloud and are constantly updated by the manufacturer Microsoft
• New features are constantly being added to the system
• Your IT controls features you have or do not have available
• MS Teams is accessible from your laptop or from your phone
• Main functions are:
  • Video calls and chats (Chat section)
  • A space for cooperating people / teams (Teams section)
  • Calendar

Main/ most used options in the meeting at the top of the bar

• List of participants
• Chat
• Reactions
• Apps (adding more features into the meeting)
• Turn the camera on / off
• Turn the microphone on / off
• Content Sharing
• Leave the meeting

Other options under the three dots

• Recording and transcript
• Timer
• Video effects and setup
• Audio setup
• Language and speech setup
• Meeting settings

Further options in a meeting

• Whiteboard for drawing (Under content sharing)
• Breakout rooms (Top of the bar)

Further tips

• Rules of use / netiquette
  • Microphone muted when I’m not talking or can be disabled in a meeting setting for all participants by default – great for events with bigger audienceAsk your participants directly by nameCamera on / off (It depends on the situation)
    • Smaller meetings and in the team – Recommended for better atmosphereMore people with the turned-on camera mean more distractions
  • Recommendations for interactivity and questions
    • <10 participants – Use audio
    • 10 – 50 participants – Use chat
    • 50+ participants – Use Mentimeter, Slido, etc (https://www.mentimeter.com/, https://www.slido.com/)

• Timer
  • MS Teams has it in the meeting options under the three dots
  • I use Timer function in Windows 10

• Use the Search button in the top bar of MS Teams

• If you have multiple accounts (work, private, school, etc.), you can switch between them (Top right in your Profile)

• You can find your account settings (Notifications, sounds, photo, notify when a colleague is online, status change, etc.) at the top right in your Profile

• External monitor from your tablet https://www.duetdisplay.com/

• Mute channels that don’t interest you – you won’t be interrupted unnecessarily

Microsoft Teams – 10 practical tips

• Use @mentions to alert a specific person or an entire team
• Pin important conversations or channels for quick access
• Use chat for quick communication, channels for structured work
• You can watch the recording of the meeting later with the transcript
• Share documents directly in chat or with your team—everyone can see them
• Use emoticons and reactions for quick feedback without distractions
• Use bookmarks like Planner or OneNote to manage tasks and notes (Under + icon)
• Schedule a meeting directly in Teams — everything will be saved to Outlook
• Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + E for quick search