Microsoft Mesh for Teams: what is it & how to use it

Microsoft Mesh for Teams is officialy available in private preview, and the Redmond-based tech giant will release it to a private preview sometime in October 2023.

Truth is, Mesh has been around for a while, but it seems that the platform has been flying under the radar. However, Microsoft wants to change that by using it to create immersive spaces in Microsoft Teams.

So what is Mesh?

Microsoft Mesh is a platform that allows developers and creators to build custom and immersive experiences for the workplace. It brings remote and hybrid workers together, in a shared space.

Even more, the new Microsoft Mesh for Teams aims to enhance these experiences with a VR world, where users can create virtual avatars and actually interact with each other virtually. Think of Metaverse but focused on a professional setting.

Here’s how to use Microsoft Mesh for Teams

Basically, Microsoft Mesh works as a mash-up of several Microsoft features. For instance, in order for you to be able to experience the immersive space, you’ll need to create an Avatar of yourself.

After you have your Avatar, you’ll be able to connect to immersive spaces for Microsoft Teams. These immersive spaces are built and they can be custom made to suit every organization’s needs.

For example, you can have a virtual work meeting, as in the picture below.

But you can also have fun, and meet your workmates at a virtual museum.

These immersive spaces can be accessed through your PC, and if you have a VR set, then it’s even better. For the experience to be truly immersive, a VR set is recommended.

The exciting part is that Microsoft Mesh for Teams allows developers to build custom experiences, meaning that your organization can build virtual spaces in-house, with all sorts of games and interactions.

The platform makes use of Unity for that. So you can build complex virtual spaces, with their own rules and fantastical approaches. And you can also add interactivity and access to all kinds of content to enrich the experience.

One of the most exciting parts about the custom virtual spaces is that they can host training sessions or meetings that deal with sharing a lot of information.

That means out-of-office and hybrid workers can easily accommodate as if they were at an offline in-office meeting.

What do you think about Microsoft Mesh for Teams? Can it be the next Metaverse? Let us know in the comments section below.