Imagine being able to watch your team's progress in real-time, seeing precisely how new tools or training sessions increase engagement and productivity. Microsoft is now doing exactly that by utilizing the Microsoft 365 Admin Center's innovative Experience Insights Dashboard.
In this article, we'll dive deep into how Microsoft leverages advanced tracking and visualization with its own tools. We'll explore how the company maps its workforce's use of Microsoft products like Viva Engage and Viva Connections to track, analyze, and maximize adoption. Plus, we'll tease out how this impacts businesses worldwide. Whether you're an admin, a strategist, or just a curious WindowsForum reader, you're going to want to keep reading—there’s a lot to learn (and plenty to geek out about).
Until now, this guessing game made it hard for IT teams and business leaders to measure the success of their enablement efforts. However, Microsoft has turned this on its head by introducing a new approach—overlaying data with actions. Sounds fancy, right? Let’s break it down.
For example, Microsoft recently tracked an internal Viva Engage promotion day. They saw a correlating spike of 33,000 users added to the DAU! Suddenly, their digital campaigns and enablement strategies weren’t just shots in the dark—they were measurable, actionable steps with data-backed results.
Amy Ceurvorst, Director of Business Programs for Microsoft Digital, noted, "We saw a huge spike in usage from focusing on a day of promoting Viva Engage. This kind of immediate analysis changes the game."
Thanks to the Actions Tab, Microsoft can now visualize events directly on its DAU timelines. Did a training session take place on Monday? If DAU rocketed upward on Tuesday, that’s not just a coincidence; it’s cause-and-effect in action.
And oh, does it get more granular. Beyond pure DAU:
Senior Product Manager Paul Chantakraiwat recalls the struggle: “If adoption spiked, I’d have to sift through emails and newsletters about the same time or guess if a holiday played a part.” With combined DAU tracking and event overlays, Microsoft pinpointed specific drivers—like training sessions, manager emails, or app updates—that corresponded directly to usage changes.
Microsoft is democratizing data within the Admin Center by creating roles like "User Experience Success Manager." These new roles allow adoption specialists and business strategists to leverage deep insights about product usage across organizations—not just IT folks.
Johan Bosch, a Senior Director at Microsoft Digital, explains it best: “It’s not just about tracking usage but figuring out what actions have the strongest impact. For example, can we say getting 20% more tool adoption translates into measurable business value? That’s the future.”
It’s like the future of enablement is not just being built—it’s being scripted in real-time.
So yes, while Microsoft might test-drive these advancements on its 220,000+ employees, the playbook they're building is available to all of us. The “Admin Center as a collaboration workspace” concept is a game-changer—not just for IT—but for anyone hoping to manage digital transformation effectively.
Now it’s your turn. How will you revolutionize your organization’s approach to adoption? Let’s hear it in the comments!
Source: Microsoft Measuring employee user enablement at Microsoft with the Microsoft 365 admin center
In this article, we'll dive deep into how Microsoft leverages advanced tracking and visualization with its own tools. We'll explore how the company maps its workforce's use of Microsoft products like Viva Engage and Viva Connections to track, analyze, and maximize adoption. Plus, we'll tease out how this impacts businesses worldwide. Whether you're an admin, a strategist, or just a curious WindowsForum reader, you're going to want to keep reading—there’s a lot to learn (and plenty to geek out about).
The Problem with Measuring Engagement
Ever sent out a company-wide email or rolled out a training session only to wonder if anyone cared? Figuring out daily active usage (DAU) for software tools is a struggle for every IT organization. Even harder? Pinning down why usage spikes or plummets at any given time. Was it the CEO's motivational email? The new mobile app? A free cupcake day?Until now, this guessing game made it hard for IT teams and business leaders to measure the success of their enablement efforts. However, Microsoft has turned this on its head by introducing a new approach—overlaying data with actions. Sounds fancy, right? Let’s break it down.
The Microsoft 365 Experience Insights Dashboard: What Is It?
The Experience Insights Dashboard, nestled within the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, is like a crystal ball for IT administrators and other key roles. With tools like DAU tracking and the Actions Tab, Microsoft’s IT arm can contextualize engagement metrics by overlaying key events—things like training, product launches, or even company-wide celebrations—on engagement graphs.For example, Microsoft recently tracked an internal Viva Engage promotion day. They saw a correlating spike of 33,000 users added to the DAU! Suddenly, their digital campaigns and enablement strategies weren’t just shots in the dark—they were measurable, actionable steps with data-backed results.
Amy Ceurvorst, Director of Business Programs for Microsoft Digital, noted, "We saw a huge spike in usage from focusing on a day of promoting Viva Engage. This kind of immediate analysis changes the game."
The Power of Overlaying Actions on DAU Metrics
Let’s pause for a moment—why is this overlaying actions on DAU graphs such a big deal? Normally, metrics like DAU are tracked in isolation. Sure, you saw a bump, but good luck proving that it wasn’t because of a random office happy hour.Thanks to the Actions Tab, Microsoft can now visualize events directly on its DAU timelines. Did a training session take place on Monday? If DAU rocketed upward on Tuesday, that’s not just a coincidence; it’s cause-and-effect in action.
And oh, does it get more granular. Beyond pure DAU:
- Net Promoter Score (NPS): Gauge how employees feel about the tools they’re using.
- Product Feedback: Understand qualitative insights behind the metrics.
- Help Article Views: Identify what kind of support content is driving confidence... or confusion.
Case Study: Viva Connections’ Mobile Rollout
Before Microsoft introduced this advanced tracking, analyzing Viva Connections’ adoption was a challenge. The tool—an engaging internal hub for employees to check pay stubs, holiday schedules, and more—saw steady engagement increases when its mobile version launched. But understanding what drove that increase was the tricky part.Senior Product Manager Paul Chantakraiwat recalls the struggle: “If adoption spiked, I’d have to sift through emails and newsletters about the same time or guess if a holiday played a part.” With combined DAU tracking and event overlays, Microsoft pinpointed specific drivers—like training sessions, manager emails, or app updates—that corresponded directly to usage changes.
The Admin Center as a Shared Workspace: Introducing New Roles
Historically, the Microsoft 365 Admin Center was the IT crowd’s exclusive hangout. If you're not managing licenses, users, or security policies, you probably don’t need to poke around in there, right? Wrong.Microsoft is democratizing data within the Admin Center by creating roles like "User Experience Success Manager." These new roles allow adoption specialists and business strategists to leverage deep insights about product usage across organizations—not just IT folks.
Johan Bosch, a Senior Director at Microsoft Digital, explains it best: “It’s not just about tracking usage but figuring out what actions have the strongest impact. For example, can we say getting 20% more tool adoption translates into measurable business value? That’s the future.”
Beyond the Basics: Deeper Insights and Impact
The Actions Tab isn’t just a numbers game. Think behavior patterns, business insights, and decisions grounded in science. Microsoft is actively exploring how:- Training programs drive adoption effectiveness versus self-service documentation.
- Timing of internal communications affects DAU.
- Business value increases when reaching specific adoption percentages.
What’s Next? From Data to Prescriptive Actions
Here’s where it gets exciting. Microsoft envisions the Experience Insights Dashboard not only as a reporting tool but as a hub for integrating prescriptive best practices. Imagine this:- The dashboard detects low adoption rates for Teams.
- It recommends actions like scheduling a webinar or highlighting key features via Yammer.
It’s like the future of enablement is not just being built—it’s being scripted in real-time.
How to Get Started?
Convinced your team needs this level of insight? Here's a step-by-step roadmap for integrating the Experience Insights Dashboard into your workflow:- Secure the “User Experience Success Manager” role. Speak with your IT admin for access.
- Activate the Experience Insights Dashboard. Begin by logging actions, even small ones—training sessions, feature flag deployments, emails, or event days.
- Analyze past campaigns. Overlay graphs with historical actions to find patterns.
- Refine future adoption strategies. Base your approach on visible trends like spikes in help article views.
- Pilot and evolve. Test these tools on smaller initiatives before scaling company-wide.
The Big Takeaway for WindowsForum Readers
Microsoft’s scalability story starts with tools like Viva Engage and Viva Connections, but the potential of the Experience Insights Dashboard applies universally. Whether you're deploying niche proprietary tools, the latest Windows 11 update, or even Teams policy changes—a nuanced understanding of user behavior is the key to unlocking meaningful adoption.So yes, while Microsoft might test-drive these advancements on its 220,000+ employees, the playbook they're building is available to all of us. The “Admin Center as a collaboration workspace” concept is a game-changer—not just for IT—but for anyone hoping to manage digital transformation effectively.
Now it’s your turn. How will you revolutionize your organization’s approach to adoption? Let’s hear it in the comments!
Source: Microsoft Measuring employee user enablement at Microsoft with the Microsoft 365 admin center