Remote work has become a norm
Remote work has become a norm
With this shift, remote work has offered flexibility—but it’s also challenges, particularly with video calls and meeting controls. The pandemic exposed all of our struggles with mute buttons, camera toggles, and other meeting tools. While many people are now more comfortable with these controls, there’s still room for improvement to better align with today’s dynamic work styles.
With this shift, remote work has offered flexibility—but it’s also challenges, particularly with video calls and meeting controls. The pandemic exposed all of our struggles with mute buttons, camera toggles, and other meeting tools. While many people are now more comfortable with these controls, there’s still room for improvement to better align with today’s dynamic work styles.
Today, 14% of employed adults are working from home full-time and 41% are working remotely part-time in hybrid setups, according to the Pew Research Center.
People no longer sit at a desk for eight hours straight. Remote work means joining meetings from walking treadmills, multi-screen setups, or even while walking the dog. These varied environments create new challenges:
By 2025, more than one in five Americans will work remotely.
People no longer sit at a desk for eight hours straight. Remote work means joining meetings from walking treadmills, multi-screen setups, or even while walking the dog. These varied environments create new challenges:
Distractions and quick actions
Quick actions
Turning on a mic while juggling multiple windows, and multiple screens can be frustrating, especially when trying quickly jump into participate.
Turning on a mic while juggling multiple windows, and multiple screens can be frustrating, especially when trying quickly jump into participate.
Navigation challenges
Navigation challenges
When sharing your screen, it can be difficult to find controls like camera, mute, and especialy seeing the meeting chats coming through
When sharing your screen, it can be difficult to find controls like camera, mute, and especialy seeing the meeting chats coming through
As of January 2025, there were an estimated 455 million people worldwide who owned a smartwatch. That is expected to reach 740 million by 2029, according to Statista.
There’s an opportunity to adapt meeting controls to better support flexible, on-the-go work environments.
There’s an opportunity to adapt meeting controls to better support flexible, on-the-go work environments.
Building on existing behaviors and devices
Building on existing behaviors and devices
How can we solve this problem? People already use the Microsoft Teams mobile app, but there’s another device that’s both popular and widely used—smartwatches, like the Apple Watch.
How can we solve this problem? People already use the Microsoft Teams mobile app, but there’s another device that’s both popular and widely used—smartwatches, like the Apple Watch.
By leveraging a device people already have and use daily, we designed a solution that easily integrates into their workflow, using familiar and accessible controls.
As of January 2025, there were an estimated 455 million people worldwide who owned a smartwatch. That is expected to reach 740 million by 2029, according to Statista.
By leveraging a device people already have and use daily, we designed a solution that easily integrates into their workflow, using familiar and accessible controls.
The new ‘remote’ for remote work
The new ‘remote’ for remote work
The Teams Watch app acts as your meeting sidekick- It seamlessly integrates with your Teams calls, providing quick, easy access to key meeting controls wherever you are working from.
The Teams Watch app acts as your meeting sidekick- It seamlessly integrates with your Teams calls, providing quick, easy access to key meeting controls wherever you are working from.
Today, 14% of employed adults are working from home full-time and 41% are working remotely part-time in hybrid setups, according to the Pew Research Center.
Flexible control for flexible work
Flexible control for flexible work
Whether you’re at your desk, walking, or multitasking, controls for your mic, camera, reactions, and group chat are always at your fingertips.
Whether you’re at your desk, walking, or multitasking, controls for your mic, camera, reactions, and group chat are always at your fingertips.
Quick access
Quick access
No more scrambling to find the right window—your watch offers fast, effortless access to the controls you need most.
No more scrambling to find the right window—your watch offers fast, effortless access to the controls you need most.
Adapting Microsoft Teams for Watch OS
Adapting Microsoft Teams for Watch OS
We started with the Microsoft Teams design styles and adapted it to fit the constraints of the Watch OS interface.
We started with the Microsoft Teams design styles and adapted it to fit the constraints of the Watch OS interface.
Simplified UI and interactions
Simplified UI and interactions
Camera and microphone controls:
Camera and microphone controls:
Design details
Design details
The interface is intentionally simple and focuses on one interaction at a time. A carousel design allows users to easily navigate between microphone, camera, and reactions.The microphone and camera are larger, centered icons for quick and intuitive access. They default to the “off” state, represented by muted colors and a strikethrough.
The interface is intentionally simple and focuses on one interaction at a time. A carousel design allows users to easily navigate between microphone, camera, and reactions.The microphone and camera are larger, centered icons for quick and intuitive access. They default to the “off” state, represented by muted colors and a strikethrough.
On-state feedback
On-state feedback
When activated, the icons brighten in hue and feature a thicker stroke, clearly indicating their “on” state. Supporting text accompanies each icon to guide users on how to interact with the buttons and reinforce the current state.
When activated, the icons brighten in hue and feature a thicker stroke, clearly indicating their “on” state. Supporting text accompanies each icon to guide users on how to interact with the buttons and reinforce the current state.
Weekly Sales Syn...
Tap to mute
Weekly Sales Syn...
Tap to turn camera off
Interaction design
Interaction design
To avoid accidental activations, we introduced a “press and hold” interaction with a radial loader animation for turning on the microphone or camera. This ensures that the action is intentional- especially important for turning on a camera or microphone.
To avoid accidental activations, we introduced a “press and hold” interaction with a radial loader animation for turning on the microphone or camera. This ensures that the action is intentional- especially important for turning on a camera or microphone.
This interaction is present across other experiences, like in Map My Run’s app, where users press and hold to complete a workout- ensuring it’s not an accidental action while running.
This interaction is present across other experiences, like in Map My Run’s app, where users press and hold to complete a workout- ensuring it’s not an accidental action while running.
Turning these controls off remains quick and easy with a traditional tap interaction- as that action might be needed more quickly, for an oncoming cough or sneeze for example.
Turning these controls off remains quick and easy with a traditional tap interaction- as that action might be needed more quickly, for an oncoming cough or sneeze for example.
Reactions and hand raise
Reactions and hand raise
Flexible engagement
Flexible engagement
Adding reactions, including the hand-raise feature, provides flexibility and ensures users can always quickly engage during meetings.
Adding reactions, including the hand-raise feature, provides flexibility and ensures users can always quickly engage during meetings.
Weekly Sales Syn...
Raise hand
Lower hand
Weekly Sales Syn...
Weekly Sales Syn...
Tap to turn camera off
Seamless integration
Seamless integration
Emoji reactions are designed to work in tandem with the desktop app, with animations flowing upward through the Watch screen and seamlessly continuing from the bottom of the desktop screen. This creates a fluid, cohesive visual experience.
Emoji reactions are designed to work in tandem with the desktop app, with animations flowing upward through the Watch screen and seamlessly continuing from the bottom of the desktop screen. This creates a fluid, cohesive visual experience.
Group chat
Group chat
Dedicated chat screen
Dedicated chat screen
Group chat is a vital addition for meeting engagement, addressing a common issue where chats are often missed during meetings on the desktop app. Chats expand into their own screen to provide more space for reading and responding.
Group chat is a vital addition for meeting engagement, addressing a common issue where chats are often missed during meetings on the desktop app. Chats expand into their own screen to provide more space for reading and responding.
John S.
Possible to have those research reports by EOW?
ok sounds great
Yes! We are wrapping the last study up today.
Type a message
Chat
6
Notification alerts
Notification alerts
The app keeps the chat persistent at the top, with a notification indicator and haptic feedback for new messages.
The app keeps the chat persistent at the top, with a notification indicator and haptic feedback for new messages.
Cheers to flexible and adaptable work environments!
Cheers to flexible and adaptable work environments!
While 2025 has seen the pendulum swing back slightly toward in-office work, we’ll keep having fun designing solutions that evolve with the ever-changing way we work!
While 2025 has seen the pendulum swing back slightly toward in-office work, we’ll keep having fun designing solutions that evolve with the ever-changing way we work!