PROJECT TITLE: Skype for Business Broadcast
Skype for Business (SfB) was the communication and collaboration solution for O365 customers.
Problem: SfB online meetings allowed for up to 250 online participants. Companies increasingly wanted to host ‘Townhall’ and big event type meetings online, which needed to accommodate more than 250 participants. Additionally, it was apparent that controlling the message to an audience was an unmet need, regardless of audience size.
Approach: Understand how professionals plan, rehearse and broadcast events. Identify key roles and environments. We approached existing customers who created work around solutions with hardware to understand what would be ideal to suit their needs. We created prototypes and brought targeted users in for feedback on how successful our solutions were and compared to existing online streaming services as well.
From a practical standpoint, we prioritized for ‘Auditorium Events’. That was the primary target scenario. But it was apparent that the need to control a message to both a local and remote audiences, regardless of audience size, extended our scenario scope to education and sales scenarios.
Presentation slide outlining the complexities for an event.
Not sure why I had to put in the '(strong)’ bit. I think I was just pissed that I didn’t get exactly what I wanted. :-)
Solution: Microsoft built/extended SfB with SfB Broadcast. Event planners were given total control to schedule events to the event crew, as well as publish public announcements independently to the general audience. Event crews were able to rehearse the event locally and online.Final build being demoed with the lead PM I worked with.
This is an in-depth explanation of ‘Skype Meeting Broadcast’.