Usability Evaluation of Microsoft Teams: Focusing on Text Chats and Video Meetings

 By Behrad Moeini

Microsoft Teams: Crucial for Remote Collaboration

In today’s era of remote work and virtual classrooms, tools like Microsoft Teams have become indispensable in bridging the gap between colleagues and classmates worldwide. Despite its widespread adoption, there's always scope for enhancement in such platforms. In this blog post, I have assessed Microsoft Teams using Nielsen's heuristics, a set of established usability principles, to identify areas where it can evolve to more effectively meet our changing needs. This evaluation spans from the intuitive ease of text chats to the seamless flow of video meetings, with each facet offering potential for refinement. My exploration is not merely a critique but a pathway to improvement, guided by the principle that our digital tools should not only meet but anticipate and adapt to our evolving demands. This approach offers a structured and systematic analysis, ensuring that the critique is grounded in proven usability standards.

Text Chat: Finding and Fixing Issues

Issue

Fig 1 –  Inefficiency in Message Retrieval on Microsoft Teams

My analysis of Microsoft Teams' text chat functionality uncovered a significant discrepancy in the search feature. As demonstrated in Figure 1, a search for '512' reached no results, suggesting an absence of relevant data. However, a following search including an additional digit, '5122', surprisingly retrieved messages containing '512'. This inconsistency in search results can lead to missed critical information and unnecessary time expenditure, pointing to a need for a more robust search mechanism within the platform. Given the obscured visibility of system status in search functionality, I rate this issue a 3 out of 5 for its moderate impact on user efficiency and confidence.

Suggestion

Fig 2 - Refined Search Capabilities in Microsoft Teams (Visualized with DALL.E)

Acknowledging that Figure 2 may not precisely mirror the current aesthetic of Microsoft Teams, it serves as a conceptual illustration to underscore my proposed enhancement. This visual representation depicts an advanced search algorithm, potentially incorporating elements of natural language processing. The key focus here is on a search functionality that transcends mere exact word matches. Instead, it intelligently identifies and suggests content that is contextually related to the user's query. By integrating such a sophisticated search mechanism, we aim to significantly reduce the time and effort users spend sifting through chat histories. This advancement is not just about finding exact phrases; it's about intuitively connecting users to the information they need, thereby refining the overall user experience and efficiency on the Microsoft Teams platform.

Video Meeting: Interface Challenges

Issue

Fig 3 – Navigational Difficulties with Video Meeting Controls in Microsoft Teams

In our exploration of Microsoft Teams' video meeting interface, as showcased in Figure 3, we encounter a layout that can be confusing, especially during critical meeting moments. The current design places various controls - like 'Dial pad,' 'Hold,' 'Transfer,' 'Chat,' and others - together in a single toolbar. This setup often makes it difficult for users to quickly locate and access specific functions, such as the 'Mute' button. In fast-paced or large meetings, this can lead to unnecessary delays and even disruptions. The confusing layout of video meeting controls, which impacts user control and freedom, merits a rating of 2 out of 5 for its potential to disrupt user experience during important meetings.

Suggestion

Fig 4 – Proposed Notification Interface in Microsoft Teams

The suggestion for improvement, as we can imagine in Figure 4, involves redesigning the video meeting controls to be more intuitive and user-friendly. The focus here is on rearranging the existing controls so that key functions like the 'Mic,' 'Camera,' and 'Leave' button are easy to find and use. We could group similar controls together and even introduce a customizable toolbar, allowing users to organize the functions they use most frequently in a way that best suits their needs. Testing different layouts with actual users and applying their feedback would be crucial in achieving an interface that not only looks good but also feels right to use. The goal is to make the video meeting experience on Microsoft Teams smoother and more efficient, reducing the time users spend searching for controls and increasing their focus on the meeting itself.

Notification Overload: Balancing Alerts and Attention

Issue

Fig 5 – Excessive notifications disrupting a user in Microsoft Teams.

A significant challenge identified in Microsoft Teams is the management of notifications, as illustrated in Figure 5. The issue arises from an influx of repetitive alerts from a single contact or thread, which can clutter the user's workspace. This excess of notifications not only hinders productivity but also risks important messages being overlooked or ignored, as the user may become desensitized to the constant stream of alerts. The problem with notification overload in Microsoft Teams, primarily violating the heuristic of aesthetic and minimalist design, receives a rating of 2 out of 5, reflecting its impact on user focus and screen clutter.

Suggestion

Fig 6 – Customizable notification interface in Microsoft Teams  (Visualized with DALL.E)

To address this, as conceptualized in Figure 6, a redesign of the notification system is suggested. The focus of this redesign is on simplicity and user control. One approach is to group similar notifications, thereby reducing the number of individual alerts. The system could also offer features like a 'snooze' option, enabling users to pause notifications for a set period. Additionally, customization settings could allow users to prioritize notifications based on their relevance or urgency. Such enhancements aim to not only declutter the notification area but also empower users to tailor their notification settings to their specific workflow needs. Implementing these changes can significantly improve focus and efficiency by ensuring that users receive only the most pertinent alerts, allowing them to maintain their concentration on the task at hand.

Incorporating Authentic User Feedback for Practical Enhancements

To ensure that the proposed changes truly resonate with the needs of Microsoft Teams users, I integrated direct feedback from actual users into my evaluation process. This approach was complemented by a structured heuristic analysis, aligning with Nielsen's Usability Heuristics. By combining real-world insights with established usability principles, I was able to identify a range of usability challenges – from clear-cut functional issues to more subtle user experience obstacles. This blend of authentic user input and expert analysis forms the cornerstone of my recommendations, ensuring that the suggested improvements are not only theoretically sound but also practically relevant to everyday users.

Conclusion

Microsoft Teams, as a vital tool in our remote work and education era, has several areas primed for improvement to enhance its overall utility. By addressing the specific concerns highlighted in text chat functionality, video meeting interfaces, and notification management, we can significantly improve the platform's usability. These enhancements, rooted in genuine user feedback and expert analysis, are geared towards creating a more intuitive, efficient, and user-friendly experience. Such continuous evolution is essential in keeping pace with the dynamic needs of modern communication and collaboration, ensuring that Microsoft Teams remains a robust and reliable tool for users worldwide.

Acknowledgements

I used Grammarly to check and correct grammar in this blog post, ensuring the writing is clear and accurate. This helped improve the overall quality of the content.

References

[1] Nielsen Norman Group - 10 Usability Heuristics for User Interface Design: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/

[2] Nielsen Norman Group - How to Rate the Severity of Usability Problems: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/how-to-rate-the-severity-of-usability-problems/

[3] Microsoft Teams admin documentation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/

[4] Grammarly - English Grammar Check: https://www.grammarly.com/grammar-check