Social, collaboration and communication tools are valuable to improve internal communication, connection and experience. With a proliferation of tools, it can often become tough for communicators and leaders to appreciate the best platform for their staff, in office and remote.
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When I first logged into Viva Engage, I was curious about how it aimed to bring employees closer through communities, storylines, and knowledge sharing. What I found was a platform that holds promise but still feels like it’s trying to figure out what it wants to be.
On the home page, it’s unclear what the platform does or what users can expect. For a new user, even a short onboarding tutorial could make a big difference. The interface looks sleek but lacks the guidance that helps people make sense of where to start.
The Communities tab, for instance, appears twice on the left panel; once under ‘Explore’ and again as a separate list. That’s valuable real estate that could be better used for quick access to trending discussions, featured topics, or even learning snippets.
Clicking on ‘Create new’ presents three choices: Post, Community, and AMA. The Ask Me Anything feature sounds exciting but feels misplaced. Not everyone will feel confident hosting one unless they are seen as a subject matter expert. Maybe the platform could prompt AMAs for employees who already have strong engagement levels or recognised expertise. After all, isn’t that where AI could help?
Another observation: once a community is created, there doesn’t seem to be an option to evolve it into something else. Imagine being able to convert a high-engagement community into an AMA space when momentum builds — that would make the tool dynamic and responsive.
There are also a few UX quirks. The Teams logo on the top left looks like a clickable button but isn’t, which can confuse users who expect to return to Teams. And when clicking on Storylines, the navigation flow breaks, it loops back to Copilot instead of staying on the feed. It feels like the connection between Teams and Viva Engage is tenuous at best.
One bright spot is Viva Insights, which offers a glimpse into how we work and collaborate. The collaborators tab is particularly useful, though it could go further by highlighting who adds the most value and how to strengthen those relationships.
Small changes could make a big difference. For example, adding a quick reference guide or best practice box explaining when to use Discussion, Question, Praise, or Poll. It’s not that the features don’t exist; it’s that users aren’t always sure how to make the most of them.
Overall, Viva Engage has the right intentions. It’s built to connect, collaborate, and create belonging. But until it makes navigation intuitive and leverages its AI potential to guide and inspire users, it risks being overshadowed by tools that are clearer in purpose and more fluid in execution.
The foundation is strong. What it needs now is focus, feedback, and finesse.
What is your experience with Viva Engage?
Which other similar platform or tool is a better option?
#VivaEngage #MS365 #social #enterpriseplatform #engagement #experience #communication #teams
1. What is Viva Engage?
Viva Engage is Microsoft’s social and community engagement tool that helps employees connect, share knowledge, and build culture within organisations. It evolved from Yammer and now sits within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
2. What makes Viva Engage different from Teams or Yammer?
Teams is built for collaboration and task management. Viva Engage focuses on building connection and belonging through open dialogue. In practice, the distinction is not always clear, which can confuse new users.
3. Why does the article critique the AMA feature?
The Ask Me Anything option sounds exciting but can feel intimidating. Not everyone is comfortable hosting a session unless they are seen as an expert. Without guidance or context, the feature risks being underused.
4. How does AI fit into Viva Engage?
Viva Engage has the potential to use AI to suggest experts, communities, or trending conversations. At present, this capability is not fully realised, which limits how personal or dynamic the experience can be.
5. What are the biggest usability issues identified?
The homepage does not make its purpose clear, the Communities tab appears twice, and switching between Viva Engage and Teams can be confusing. These issues reduce overall ease of use.
6. What worked well in Viva Engage?
The Viva Insights section stands out for its focus on productivity and collaboration patterns. Features like Praise and Polls are useful when applied with intention and guidance.
7. What improvements are suggested?
- Introduce onboarding tutorials for new users
- Simplify the navigation layout
- Use AI to surface relevant features and communities
- Allow communities to evolve based on engagement
- Add best practice prompts for features like Discussion, Question, Praise, and Poll
8. How can organisations use this review?
This review can help teams reflect on their current employee engagement tools. It encourages a deeper look at how employees actually experience these platforms, beyond the technical features.
9. What is the main takeaway?
Viva Engage has strong potential but needs more clarity and consistency. With better design and smarter use of AI, it can become a stronger platform for connection, collaboration, and culture.
