What does it mean to be 'Native' to Microsoft Teams

‍In today's digital landscape, software compatibility and native applications are crucial for seamless user experiences. At Sideways 6, we often describe our app as ‘native’ to Microsoft Teams. But what does that really mean? In this article, we explore this question and outline why being ‘native’ offers significant advantages for businesses looking to leverage the platform's full potential. 

Understanding Native Applications 

Before delving into the concept of being 'native' to Microsoft Teams, let's first understand what native applications are. A native application is specifically designed and built for use on a particular platform or device such as Windows, iOS, or Android. In the case of Microsoft Teams, being native means the application is developed to seamlessly integrate with the platform, leveraging its features and functionalities to deliver the best possible user experience and performance. 

Native applications can build on top of all of the experiences available within Teams; like push notifications, a great mobile experience, a familiar user experience, no need for signing in and 'app' functionality.

Alternative applications might employ a variety of integrations that use hybrid functionalities, allowing them to be compatible across platforms and systems. While these solutions may offer flexibility in terms of cross-platform compatibility, they also see a drop in adoption as the user experience is less tailored (by definition).As a result, user experience in non-native apps is greatly diminished since they have to adapt to multiple platforms, is not always optimized for mobile or require users to have additional separate logins (see table below for more feature comparison). 

Microsoft Teams: A Thriving Ecosystem 

Microsoft Teams has grown into a thriving ecosystem, offering a wide range of native and third-party applications and integrations. The platform provides developers with a robust set of tools and resources to build and deploy native apps, ensuring a seamless and integrated user experience. 

Microsoft Teams offers an extensive marketplace, where businesses can discover and access native apps developed by Microsoft and other trusted partners. These native apps cover a wide range of functionalities, including project management, HR tools, customer relationship management, and more. By leveraging these native apps, businesses can enhance their collaboration and productivity within the Microsoft Teams environment.  

The Power of Being Native to Microsoft Teams 

For businesses looking to leverage Microsoft Teams as their collaboration and communication hub, being native to the platform is crucial. Being native means developing applications and tools that are specifically designed to work seamlessly within the Microsoft Teams environment. 

So using a native app ‘feels’ like using an extension of Microsoft Teams, with processes we know instinctively across the user experience, including collaboration and engagement functionalities or push notifications, reducing the learning curve to its minimum, and as a result, maximizing adoption and engagement. Users can access and utilize native apps directly within the Teams interface, eliminating the need to login again or switch between different platforms or applications. This seamless integration not only saves time but also increases productivity and streamlines workflows. 

Native apps within Microsoft Teams can also leverage the platform's security features, ensuring data and information remain protected. Additionally, native apps can take advantage of Teams' rich collaboration and communication features, such as chat, interactions, likes and comments and file sharing which provide an interactive and integrated user experience. 

Sideways 6: A Native Idea Management Platform for Microsoft Teams 

At Sideways 6 we’ve helped some of the world's best and biggest companies listen to over half a million employee ideas by building a native solution people instinctively use and enjoy using within Mirosoft Teams. Sideways 6 is designed to help businesses capture, manage, and find the best employee ideas at scale, directly within the Teams environment. 

This native integration ensures maximum adoption and engagement, as employees can easily participate in idea management activities within the familiar Microsoft Teams interface. 

Sideways 6 leverages Microsoft Teams' security features, ensuring that confidential and sensitive information remains protected. The platform also takes advantage of Teams' collaboration and communication capabilities, enabling users to discuss, refine, and implement ideas without the need for additional tools or platforms. 

Maximizing Adoption and Engagement 

In conclusion, being 'native' to Microsoft Teams is vital for businesses looking to leverage the platform's full potential. By developing and utilizing native apps, businesses can enhance collaboration, streamline workflows, and maximize adoption and engagement among their employees. With a thriving ecosystem and a wide range of native apps available, Microsoft Teams offers businesses a powerful platform for seamless communication, collaboration, and idea management. 

To learn more about how Sideways 6 can help you maximize idea management on Microsoft Teams, check out the Ultimate Guide to Idea Management on Microsoft Teams or request a FREE demo to have a look around our app.