Build Viva Connections

After deciding which tasks, audiences, and resources to promote using Viva Connections in the planning phase, you're ready to move onto the building phase.

You know you're ready to move onto the building phase if you've met the following requirements and have reviewed best practices:

• You’ve got a SharePoint home site, global navigation setup, and modernized sites (optional and only if needed.)
• The most valuable tasks and processes can be completed using Viva Connections.
• Considerations have been made for specific audiences.
• You have an adoption and launch plan along with success metrics.

Start by creating the Viva Connections dashboard. Then, select settings for the mobile app. Next, make sure content that’s on the organization's SharePoint home site, and linked to cards on the dashboard that can be accessed by the right audiences and offers the ideal viewing experience. Lastly, test and refine the experience before launching to the rest of the organization.

Step 1: Enable the Viva Connections app in the Microsoft Teams admin center and choose settings

Setting up Viva Connections creates a custom app in Microsoft Teams. Your organization’s custom app appears as a branded company app in the Microsoft Teams app center. Once the app is added, your organization’s icon appears in the Teams app bar in the desktop and mobile Microsoft Teams app. Make sure to pin the app so your users can find it.

Step 2: Customize the Viva Connections dashboard (if needed)

The dashboard brings it all together – it provides a personalized landing experience and is designed to be the central destination where everyone can discover your organization's resources and complete daily tasks.

1. Start by customizing the dashboard.

2. Next, apply audience targeting to dashboard cards to give your users an experience tailored to their role and interests.

3. Once you feel confident in the dashboard design,Preview it on all devices, and then Publish the dashboard.

   

4. Once you publish the dashboard, you'll be able to use the Dashboard web part on SharePoint home sites.

Step 3: Ensure high-traffic content provides an ideal viewing experience

For a smooth launch, you want to make sure information can be easily accessed and that high-traffic sites and pages are high-performing.

1. As a first step, test the performance of the SharePoint home site (for organizations that have one or add one later) to ensure an optimal viewing experience.
2. Then, check the performance for SharePoint sites that receive a high amount of traffic. For example, sites that relate to human resources, organizational news, and popular services like transportation or café menus.
3. Then, share the SharePoint home site with the entire organization (for organizations that have one or add one later) before launching. Next, make sure that the target audiences for the cards in the Viva Connections dashboard are shared with the right audiences.
4. Consider using the Portal launch scheduler to monitor performance for high-traffic sites that are being shared for the first time.

Step 4: Test and refine the Viva Connections experience

Before sharing Viva Connections with the rest of your organization, recruit a small group of users to test and refine popular workflows to ensure end-users have a great experience using Viva Connections for the first time. Consider recruiting specific people from different audiences to complete popular tasks. Make improvements until the experience is ideal for the rest of the organization.

Best practices for testing:

• Use the approved web browser for your organization
• Test Viva Connections on a desktop device and mobile device
• Make sure all the links are active and there aren’t any dead ends
• Pay attention to labels on dashboard cards and buttons – do they make sense to the rest of the organization?
• Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of icons and images
• Check for performance issues like slow loading times or missing images
• Ask testers about the navigation experience
• Test with early adopters and champions and capture their feedback

Next, launch Viva Connections for your organization

After planning, building, and testing Viva Connections, it’s time to let the rest of the organization know that it's available for use. Learn more about how to launch Viva Connections.