Microsoft is going to introduce a new front-seat layout for users of its collaboration app Teams that will give hybrid work new meaning.
To give people in the room a greater sense of connection to remote participants and support collaboration before, during, and after meetings, Microsoft is introducing a new content layout called front row.
“Visually, this new layout moves the video gallery to the bottom of the screen so in-room participants can see remote colleagues face to face across a horizontal plane — similar to if they were in the same room,” the company said on Thursday.
Meeting content is surrounded by contextual fluid components like the agenda, tasks, and notes, which can be updated in real-time.
Additionally, the meeting chat is brought clearly into view so when in a room, you can easily see and engage in the conversation in real-time.
“This layout will be supported across both single and dual display configurations,” Microsoft said.
Turning on video is one of the best things you can do when joining remotely. With “new video layouts for Teams Rooms, we’ll maximise screen real estate by splitting the video gallery across all available displays when content isn’t being shared”.
With increased screen space, video of remote participants can be seen more clearly, bringing greater attention to the people who aren’t in the room.
Microsoft is also bringing popular features from the personal Teams meeting experience to Teams Rooms.
With the ability to pin or spotlight multiple video streams, you can maintain a clear view of the selected videos when in a room.
Remote participants can promote their presence in the room by engaging in the meeting, which doesn’t always require speaking up.
“Live reactions, now visible in a Teams Room, allows you to share sentiments, and when using the classic video grid layout, chat bubbles alert in-room participants to the conversation happening alongside the meeting, so nothing gets missed and all voices are heard,” Microsoft informed.
Microsoft is also working with certified OEM partners to deliver enhanced views of rooms that are optimised for remote participants.
“With new advanced camera capabilities, Teams Rooms devices from Neat, Jabra, Logitech and Poly help you feel even closer to the people in the room when joining remotely,” the company said.
