{"id":7750,"date":"2021-12-21T11:36:23","date_gmt":"2021-12-21T19:36:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cm-edgetun.pages.dev\/insidetrack\/blog\/?p=7750"},"modified":"2023-06-13T15:39:15","modified_gmt":"2023-06-13T22:39:15","slug":"best-of-inside-track-deploying-inclusive-and-accessible-experiences-at-microsoft-in-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cm-edgetun.pages.dev\/insidetrack\/blog\/best-of-inside-track-deploying-inclusive-and-accessible-experiences-at-microsoft-in-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Best of Inside Track: Deploying inclusive and accessible experiences at Microsoft in 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This content has been archived, and while it was correct at time of publication, it may no longer be accurate or reflect the current situation at Microsoft.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"MicrosoftMicrosoft Digital, the organization that powers, protects, and transforms the company, continued its focus on building inclusive and accessible experiences internally at Microsoft in 2021.<\/p>\n

Employees in Microsoft Digital identified potential challenges to inclusive and accessible experiences that the company employees were having working in a remote and hybrid environment and quickly responded with practical solutions. The solutions ranged from automating user research, to rethinking simple face-to-face interactions, to identifying new workplace norms, to making Microsoft Teams meetings more accessible.<\/p>\n

For me, it\u2019s not just about making products accessible for Microsoft employees to help them get their work done. It\u2019s also about supporting employees with disabilities and ensuring that Microsoft builds a diverse and inclusive workforce across the spectrum of abilities.<\/p>\n

-Manish Agrawal, senior program manager, Accessibility team, Microsoft Digital<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

[Leading a successful adoption of Microsoft Teams<\/a>. When being \u2018selfish\u2019 about using Microsoft products gets personal<\/a>. How Microsoft is reimagining meetings for a hybrid work world<\/a>.]<\/em><\/p>\n

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Manish Agrawal helps teams in Microsoft Digital make sure the experiences they build for Microsoft employees are accessible. He is a senior program manager on Microsoft Digital\u2019s Accessibility team. (Photo by Marie Robbin)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Powering accessibility with inclusive design<\/h2>\n

Microsoft continued its focus on designing for accessibility in 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, it\u2019s not just about making products accessible for Microsoft employees to help them get their work done,\u201d says Manish Agrawal, a senior program manager for the Accessibility team within Microsoft Digital. \u201cIt\u2019s also about supporting employees with disabilities and ensuring that Microsoft builds a diverse and inclusive workforce across the spectrum of abilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more about Microsoft\u2019s fresh approach to accessibility powered by inclusive design.<\/a><\/p>\n

Solve for one, extend to many<\/h2>\n

Microsoft\u2019s internal push to build inclusive and accessible experiences got a boost in 2021 when it transformed the portal that Microsoft guests use to register their devices and connect to the internet when they visit one of the company\u2019s buildings.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t want to just guess what certain employees would want or face,\u201d says Faris Mango, a software engineering manager in Microsoft Digital. \u201cInstead, we wanted to have our employees use the portal so we could get feedback straight from them.\u201d<\/p>\n

The transformation of that app was fueled by collecting real-time feedback from users.<\/p>\n

\u201cEnsure that you\u2019re getting feedback from customers outside of your own team, discipline, or organization, bring in a diverse user base from the beginning, and really listen to what they need,\u201d says- Hope Idaewor, a user researcher on the Digital Studio team in Microsoft Digital.<\/p>\n

Read more about prioritizing accessibility at Microsoft with feedback from people with disabilities.<\/a><\/p>\n

Creating inclusive and effective meetings<\/h2>\n

The need to work remotely led Microsoft to focus on making hybrid meetings more inclusive in 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cInclusion is defined by the ability to feel comfortable contributing their ideas and perspectives,\u201d says Sara Bush, a senior program manager on the Seamless Teamwork team in Microsoft Digital. \u201cIn an inclusive and effective meeting, I can participate fully because I have access to all the relevant documents, content, and people before, during, and after. This allows me to engage and contribute from anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read these tips on holding inclusive and effective meetings.<\/a><\/p>\n

Staying productive in a hybrid world<\/h2>\n

With most of the world continuing to work remotely throughout 2021, Microsoft doubled down on helping its employees stay productive.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are stewards of the employee experience, and we obsess over every detail of the online and in-person meeting experience for our employees, from the physical spaces on campus, to the software that enables the experience, to the support model when employees need additional assistance,\u201d says Nathalie D\u2019Hers, Microsoft\u2019s corporate vice president of Employee Experience in Microsoft Digital. \u201cWhile reliable, easy-to-use technology is critical to a great meeting experience in this new hybrid world of work, so are the right behaviors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read D\u2019Her\u2019s tips for staying productive in an evolving hybrid world.<\/a><\/p>\n

Driving transformation with inclusive and accessible experiences<\/h2>\n

Microsoft Digital continued to lead the company\u2019s push to ensure the services it builds for its employees to use at work reflect the diversity of the company\u2019s employees, customers, and partners.<\/p>\n

\u201cBuilding inclusive, accessible experiences is a catalyst for digital transformation, because without accessible tools, people can\u2019t do their best work,\u201d says John Jendrezak, corporate vice president of Customer Experience in Microsoft Digital. \u201cAnd if people can\u2019t do their best work, the company, its culture, and its customers are directly impacted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read Jenderzak\u2019s perspective on building inclusive and accessible experiences.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Key<\/p>\n

Here are some tips for building and encouraging inclusive and accessible experiences for your employees:<\/p>\n