Why we recommend the Viva Connections mobile intranet experience

Organizations that use SharePoint for their intranet are always looking to figure out the best way to communicate with their mobile workforce. Should they use the SharePoint mobile app, a custom Teams app, Viva Engage or the Viva Connections app? While the mobile intranet experience is not always the primary focus when building a new SharePoint based intranet, it is becoming more and more important as organizations try to extend their internal communications reach across the entire organization. We often get asked if GO has a mobile app, or which option is the best to create an experience that is as close to parity as possible with the desktop experience.

In this post, we’ll explore the different needs of mobile vs. desktop users of your intranet and explain why Viva Connections is the mobile choice for your GO Intranet platform.

Mobile vs. desktop intranet users

Our research has shown us that mobile intranet users often have quite different usage patterns than desktop users, whether they’re working in offices or remotely.

In some organizations, mobile users are predominantly staff working out at remote worksites or in the field. They tend to be focused on operational announcements and accessing procedure-type documentation, if it’s accessible on their intranet. In other cases, we see the mobile user as a higher-level executive, often travelling and so making use of all the time they have to catch up on important reading and company updates. In either case, we recommend building an experience for mobile users that gets them to these specific types of content more easily.

Assessing your options

Our strategy has always been to provide organizations with options for how mobile users can access the intranet. GO is fully responsive so people can simply make use of the browser on their phone or tablet. We can also make use of the Connections Teams App and we have a custom GO Teams App as an option.

The decision for which experience is the best fit tends to depend on:

• How people use mobile in your organization
• What is technically allowed in your environment
• What effort you wish to put into maintaining the experience

Why we recommend the Microsoft Viva Connections app

Creating a differentiated experience specifically for your mobile users can be very valuable, so we tend to prefer the Microsoft Viva Connections app, and here are the top reasons why!

Aligned with Microsoft

One of the principles we adhere to with GO is we are not trying to do what Microsoft already does well. We build onto SharePoint, extending the base functionality where we can bring enhanced value and user experience. Microsoft’s Viva Connections app is designed to bring all your communications together in one place, whether you’re on a computer or mobile, so it’s a natural fit from a user experience perspective. We also know that Microsoft is actively investing in its future.

Intranet in Microsoft Teams

The Connections app is accessed through Teams so for people on the go, it creates a simple authentication experience. Once a user has logged into Teams with their business email, provided their password and multifactor authentication details, all the Microsoft tools are at their fingertips. So, people can open Microsoft Teams, see their OneDrive, Calendar and now get to their intranet from a single app. There’s no need to log in to or manage multiple apps on their device. This simply makes it easier for people to get to your intranet and all the great content you’re providing.

Social interactions

Using the Viva Connections app brings seamless social interactions to all content on your intranet. Whether you want to like or comment on news posts, share items with colleagues or save articles for looking at later, all of this is standard functionality and is supported in the app. It behaves as it would if you were interacting with the intranet on your laptop. Social interactions help employees become more engaged in your content and build a community around the things that are most important to your organization.

Differentiated mobile experience

Finally, it’s important to be able to create a specific experience for your mobile users. The Viva Connections dashboard brings an opportunity for a differentiated experience for your mobile users, which can be very powerful in making an intranet work for them. The dashboard starts by bringing upfront a few commonly used intranet features. There is a dedicated search experience, a news feed and access to the intranet’s navigation through the Resources tab immediately when you land in the Viva Connections app. But the power of the dashboard comes from the ability for communicators to build out specific cards to surface important messaging and get mobile users to the content that matters most to them. Adaptive cards are flexible and easy to create and there are many that come from Microsoft and other vendors. Habanero has built dashboard cards that work directly with GO to surface preference-driven news, announcements and events but these are just a start. Begin by getting in the shoes of your mobile users to understand how they wish the intranet could work better for them and then we can work to design Viva Connections dashboard cards help make that happen.

Tailoring the experience

Creating a compelling mobile intranet experience is not only about providing access but also about understanding the unique needs of mobile users and tailoring the solution to meet those needs effectively. By leveraging tools like Viva Connections, organizations can seamlessly integrate their intranet into the daily workflows of mobile users and enhance usability. With thoughtful design and a focus on user-centric functionality, your intranet has the potential to become an essential tool for both field staff and executives on the move, bridging the gap between operational convenience and strategic communication.