Microsoft shares its secrets for perfect Teams meetings

What you need to know

• Microsoft recently shared a list of suggestions for how to organize and run a meeting on Teams.
• The list includes both technical suggestions, such as pre-configuring devices, as well as general advice, like structuring a meeting.
• The guide also highlights features that enhance the experience of large meetings and webinars.

As the general trend to hybrid and remote work solidifies, it becomes increasingly more important to have efficient and effective meetings. Many calls, meetings, and webinars will be held on Microsoft Teams, which is used by over 270 million people each month. A new Tech Community document from Microsoft lists some guidelines and best practices to help people get the most out of their meetings.

The post includes both technical advice and general advice for how to efficiently run a meeting. For example, hard muting video for attendees can dramatically reduce the bandwidth of a call or meeting. Cutting down the number of people with a live video feed can help ensure a smoother experience for those that are presenting or speaking.

Microsoft recommends establishing presenters, designating co-organizers, and pre-configuring devices before a meeting starts. This should get rid of the awkward start of calls in which people ask if others can hear them. It also makes it easier to stick to a schedule, as roles are defined in advance.

IT admins have a variety of tools and tests that they can use to help meetings run smoothly. For example, real-time data telemetry can be used to spot issues as they occur. The post also shares a list of options that can be used for large meetings, webinars, and Teams Live Events.

Even if a meeting runs well on a technical level, that doesn't guarantee a productive discussion. Microsoft suggests making meetings interactive through polls, chats, and Q&As. Using different views, such as Dynamic View, Together Mode, and Presenter mode, can stop meetings from growing stale.