Navigator is a Teams adoption enablement tool by Microsoft consultancy firm FiveP. It helps Teams users learn about the platform while they use it and connect with team members more effectively.
FiveP was founded in 2012 by a team of three Microsoft specialists with over a decade of experience in SharePoint implementation. It is based out of Melbourne, Australia, and caters to major local clients like Australia Post, Austin Hospital, Telstra, etc. It offers professional services and bespoke products to help you make the most of your Microsoft investments, spanning SharePoint, Dynamics 365, and Teams. Companies rely on FiveP to build custom solutions that align Microsoft 365 tools with their unique business requirements.
Last year, during COVID, FiveP was instrumental in helping implement Teams for an 8,500-strong workforce at an Australian healthcare institution. Navigator is the company’s proprietary app that aids in large-scale Teams implementations.
Navigator is a Teams-native tool that streamlines the learning curve for new Teams users. When you first install Teams, users can be overwhelmed by the sheer number of features, different groups to which they belong, regularly updated conversation streams, content buckets, etc. Navigator segments all of this into an easy-to-understand UI so you can get the job done without sifting through Teams’ many features.
That, in a nutshell, is the app’s core value proposition. Let us review it in detail.
Inside Navigator for Teams
You can think of the Navigator app for Teams as a simplified UI that allows users to get started with the platform without delving into all of its features.
Specifically, it tries to guide users through existing teams and conversations so that new ones aren’t created, adding to the clutter. To install the Navigator app, head to Microsoft AppSource and look for Navigator by FiveP. Remember that it is a paid platform starting at $8850 per year, including many planning, deployment, adoption, and change management services and tools.
Here are the features you can expect with Navigator for Teams:
- Team suggestions – Once you have installed Navigator, you will be greeted by cards depicting the teams most relevant to your role. Navigator scans the entire Microsoft Teams implementation to surface the lists of teams associated with the tasks, projects, and departments to which you belong.
- Comprehensive “Your teams” lists – Here, you can view all the teams you belong to. When a user is onboarded to Microsoft Teams for the first time, an administrator may assign them to multiple relevant teams based on their job role. This list gives you a comprehensive view of the teams you belong to without going through the entire interface.
- Team search and classification – From the “Discover Teams” tab on top of the Navigator app, you can browse through a full list of available teams, aided by search and classification capabilities. You can search for teams simply by name. Or, you can filter the available teams by tags and classification. For example, you can assign a team with tags like Project, Human Resources, Delivery, etc., to make it searchable for relevant users.
- Content discovery – Along with Team Discovery, Navigator also comes with Content Discovery capabilities. You will find the Content Discovery tab next to the Discover teams tab, giving you a full list of content assets shared with the teams to which you belong.
- Content search and classification – Like teams, you can zero in on specific content assets using search and classification capabilities. Navigator displays a list of content assets, complete with the file name, associated team, region, and department, and the date and person who last modified it. Content assets are tagged (like teams) for easier classification.
- Ancillary services – Here’s where Navigator truly shines. By signing up for a Navigator account, you get access to the Teams app and a full set of services and tools that ease Microsoft Teams implementation.
Why the Navigator App a Difference
Navigator’s biggest USP is that it is an end-to-end Teams adoption solution beyond streamlining the initial learning curve. Navigator, powered by FiveP, will look after the entire Teams implementation roadmap over 2-3 weeks, 4-6 months, or 6-8 weeks (depending on the size of your company).
What We Think
Navigator could be an intelligent investment for companies getting started with Microsoft Teams. Download the app here.
