How to keep users engaged and up to date?

[KarolSurowka]

O365 is so dynamic environment that it's hard to keep users engaged and informed about the upcoming/recently introduced features especially in large organisations. How you deal with this? Is it worth to introduce e.g. bi-weekly calls with all colleagues invited? Has anybody already tried so and can share some experience?

[#2]

Hi @KarolSurowka 

For larger organisations, I've always tried get a enthusiastic "champion" from each team/division/area and interact with them so they can then pass along relevant information to their team. Especially in the larger organisations, different teams/orgs etc will have different ideas on what 365 features/updates are useful or interesting to them. Accounts, for example, may find that new Excel features are more relevant to them; your HR/legal Team on the other hand may be far more interested in compliance features that will be introduced.

We've always approached the use of champions as twofold - one to provide them with the information so they can filter and communicate what is useful to their wider team. Two; they are often used as test users for new features before rolling out to the rest of the org. They can provide feedback and help prepare the org for larger changes.

The biggest problem we have had with champions is finding them - they need to be enthusiastic, willing to try new features and above all be able to communicate with their relevant department. 

Sending information out to everyone may work in an organisation of a certain size, but remember that not everything will apply to everyone. You will also have to consider how you will deal with feedback from multiple people.

[#3]

Hello @HidMov, thank you for your feedback!

We have already group of champions onboarded however seems that it's still not enough. They come from specific functions, they don't know everyone in theirs affiliate so when they spread the knowledge they talk only to certain people. We would love to have champions in all affiliates and all functions but, like you said, how to find them? Users always consider such initiatives driven by IT as additional duties for which they will have to allocate additional time while currently they do not have time for their main duties - and the loop is closed ;)

Regarding feedback we consider to create Yammer space. Using this channel users can provide feedback or ask additional questions related to presented content (or anything else). From there we can also redirect them e.g. to proper champion in their affiliate who will help address the issue  (they may be not aware about existence of such function) or O365 Support Page created on SharePoint which contains a lot of info like FAQs, Tips&Tricks. 

[#4]

@KarolSurowka I have seen the same results and believe the solution to this is to talk to HR and/or management to encourage your Champions by including their work as a champion as part of their evaluation and performance review. Once this becomes part of their known responsibilities that are supported by management, then there is more incentive to actively help everyone in that department or group and to make time for it.