Threats vs. Chats in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams - Quick Tips for End Users

For an easier onboarding and understanding of Microsoft Teams, I’d like to share some quick tips to help the end user get around better. Advanced Use Cases are also available on my blog.

Tip 3: What is the difference between conversations and chats in Teams

Often, when colleagues want to discuss a topic, they create a completely new Teams. Because this is rarely the right way to do this, and how to bring structure into the information in Microsoft Teams, I've shown in Tip 2. In addition to conversations, there are also Chats for communication with colleagues. So where is the difference and when do I use what?

Conversations (or threads) are supposed to be structured and contiguous discussions about a subtopic in a Teams channel. For example, the knowledge exchange to a document or process. Such information is important for all participants in the team. As a result, it is also necessary to keep these conversations short and to the point.

A Chat – and it’s important to use this word and not conversation – can be seen more like a "kitchen talk" with colleagues. Or you met spontaneously in the hallway. "Where do we go for lunch today?" or similar are examples of topics that can be discussed there.

Sometimes you also want to meet one or few colleagues to briefly discuss a private or confidential subject. Chats are also made for these scenarios, without having to create a new team.

Summarized:

• Conversations in team channels are topic-related, durable and relevant to all team colleagues
• Chats can be informal and private, but also professional for a short coordination of individual topics and only with certain colleagues.

Team Up!

Further Tips:

• Tip 1: Structure of Microsoft Teams
• Tip 2: Information Architecture in Microsoft Teams
• Tip 3: Threats vs. Chats in Microsoft Teams
• Tip 4: Stay up to date with Microsoft Teams
• Tip 5: Search and Find in Microsoft Teams

Deutsche Versionen auf meinem Blog:

• Tipp 1: Aufbau von Microsoft Teams
• Tipp 2: Informationsstruktur in Microsoft Teams
• Tipp 3: Unterhaltungen und Chats in Microsoft Teams
• Tipp 4: Auf dem Laufenden bleiben mit Microsoft Teams
• Tipp 5: Suchen und Finden in Microsoft Teams