“A portal's journey: MSW” 🎙 – The Intrazone podcast
Published Apr 13 2021 07:17 AM 7,034 Views
Microsoft

Some start their workday in email. Some now in Microsoft Teams sifting chats. Either may define a person’s daily communication habits, but it’s the portal that is designed for everyone – the broadest, ongoing two-way dialog across your organization. It’s where people turn to find things like HR answers, IT help, or the latest company news. No matter, the company portal thrives and survives from the curated content top down and through dynamic creations from the bottom up and peer to peer. Let us explore this intranet communications end game and how it began.

 

In this episode, Chris and I talk with Sam Crewdson (senior program manager | Microsoft) about his role at Microsoft managing *Microsoft Web* (MSW) on SharePoint. MSW is Microsoft's internal company portal, built for 163,000 full-time employees. We dig into MSW over time - from on-premises to the cloud, from classic to modern, establishing it as a home site, and now its role within Microsoft Viva Connections inside of Microsoft Teams. Lots of learning and insight from over the years across UX, innovation and consistent listening to employee feedback.

 

By tuning in, the clarity of your intranet plans, by example, over time, come into 20/20 focus.


Note: Scroll below to see screenshots of what MSW looks like today in a Web browser and in Microsoft Teams leveraging the new Viva Connections technology.

 

Listen to this episode below:

 

Subscribe to The Intrazone podcast! And listen to episode 64 now + show links and more below.

 

Intrazone guests and co-hosts – clockwise, starting on the left: Sam Crewdson (senior program manager | Microsoft) [guest], Chris McNulty (director | Microsoft) [co-host], and little Mark Kashman (senior product manager | Microsoft) [co-host].Intrazone guests and co-hosts – clockwise, starting on the left: Sam Crewdson (senior program manager | Microsoft) [guest], Chris McNulty (director | Microsoft) [co-host], and little Mark Kashman (senior product manager | Microsoft) [co-host].

A look at MSW now – both from a modern Web browser and in Teams via our internal use of Microsoft Viva Connections:

 

The Microsoft Web (MSW) portal when accessed through a modern browser.The Microsoft Web (MSW) portal when accessed through a modern browser.

The Microsoft Web (MSW) portal when accessed from within Microsoft Teams enabled by Microsoft Viva Connections. Note how the Microsoft 365 suite bar experience adapts.The Microsoft Web (MSW) portal when accessed from within Microsoft Teams enabled by Microsoft Viva Connections. Note how the Microsoft 365 suite bar experience adapts.

Note: both above entry points to MSW also provide access to the SharePoint app bar with global navigation (not shown for company privacy). To access them, a Microsoft employee need only click one of the top left icons under the main Microsoft 365 app launcher (The 'Waffle') in the Web view, and the Microsoft logo from the Teams view. 

 

Links to important on-demand recordings and articles mentioned in this episode:  

 

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Be sure to visit our show page to hear all the episodes, access the show notes, and get bonus content. And stay connected to the SharePoint community blog where we’ll share more information per episode, guest insights, and take any questions from our listeners and SharePoint users (TheIntrazone@microsoft.com). We, too, welcome your ideas for future episodes topics and segments. Keep the discussion going in comments below; we’re hear to listen and grow.

 

Subscribe to The Intrazone podcast! And listen to episode 64 now.

 

Thanks for listening!

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Left to right [The Intrazone co-hosts]: Chris McNulty, director (SharePoint Syntex, Viva Topics – Microsoft) and Mark Kashman, senior product manager (SharePoint, Lists – Microsoft).Left to right [The Intrazone co-hosts]: Chris McNulty, director (SharePoint Syntex, Viva Topics – Microsoft) and Mark Kashman, senior product manager (SharePoint, Lists – Microsoft).

The Intrazone, a show about the Microsoft 365 intelligent intranet (aka.ms/TheIntrazone)The Intrazone, a show about the Microsoft 365 intelligent intranet (aka.ms/TheIntrazone)

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