#InsideIT

At KAUST, we collaborate across time zones, disciplines, and departments. Whether you are a researcher sharing experimental results, a professor coordinating with students, a staff member planning events, or an executive needing timely updates, communication is the backbone of everything we do.

And let’s face it: email threads, scattered Zoom chats, and lost attachments haven’t exactly made things easier.

That’s where Microsoft Teams Channels and Chats come in. They are not just another place to message your colleagues. They are the central nervous system of your team’s work. Since Teams is already part of our Microsoft 365 platform at KAUST, there’s no extra cost, no new account to set up, and no separate tool to manage.

So how do Channels and Chats actually help us work better at KAUST? Let’s take a closer look.

What’s the Difference Between Channels and Chats?

Chats are like direct messages. You can chat one-on-one or in a small group. Think of it as a conversation you’d normally have over email, WhatsApp, or a hallway chat.

Channels live inside a Team, which is essentially a digital workspace for your department, project, research group, or class. Channels are topic-based spaces that keep discussions, files, and meetings organized around specific themes.

At KAUST, this structure means you can go from a side conversation to a full-blown collaborative space without switching apps, hunting through emails, or duplicating effort.

For Researchers: Replacing Email Chains with Clear Project Channels

Old way: A PhD student emails updated data to three supervisors. One replies with feedback. Another misses the thread. A postdoc starts editing the wrong version.

New way with Teams:

• The research group has a Team
• Each project has a channel, such as “Coral Growth 2024” or “Sensors Pilot Study”
• The student drops the Excel data file into the channel
• Supervisors open it directly, comment, or @mention the student for clarification
• The whole group sees the file, comments, and latest version. No duplication. No confusion.

Channels let the entire collaboration history live in one place. Chats, files, meeting recordings, even shared notes are all available to the full team.

“It’s like a digital lab notebook that everyone can contribute to. We’ve caught errors faster and sped up our paper submissions just by keeping everything in the open.”

For Faculty and Students: Office Hours, Group Projects, and Persistent Q&A

Whether you are hosting a seminar, meeting with thesis students, or running a hybrid class, Channels and Chats offer flexibility, especially when paired with Teams meetings and file sharing.

Faculty Use Cases:

• Set up a channel for your course assistants to track grading progress
• Use Teams chat to schedule last-minute office hours or answer student questions
• Tag students with @mentions so they get notified only when needed

Student Use Cases:

• Create a group chat for your team project to share files, jump on calls, and track revisions
• Start a private Team for your study group. Use the General channel for announcements, add a Q&A channel, and share reference materials

“I stopped emailing my professor 10 times a week. I just ask questions in our thesis channel, and everything’s there for both of us to look back at.”

For Staff and Admin Teams: Structure Conversations by Purpose

With Teams Channels, KAUST staff can structure their communications logically:

• Create a Team for your department, such as “Graduate Affairs” or “Finance and Procurement”
• Use channels like:
  • General – weekly updates and announcements
  • Onboarding – shared docs and checklists for new hires or students
  • Budget 2025 – discussion and document collaboration
  • Events – coordinate logistics and vendors

Each channel becomes a dedicated home for messages, files, and meetings related to that topic. Anyone joining late can catch up without endless forwards.

You can also pin your most-used channels or chats to the top of your Teams app. No more digging through folders or chat histories to find updates.

For Executives and People Managers: Stay in the Loop Without Inbox Overload

Persistent chats and focused channels mean:

• Real-time updates from your team without needing to check in constantly
• One-click meeting joins from chat or channel threads
• Visibility without micromanagement

Your assistant can @mention you in a private channel or in the “Executive Summary” channel for your division’s Team when something needs attention.

Everything is searchable. Past discussions, files, and meeting notes are all accessible. If you are on the move, the Teams mobile app keeps you up to speed without digging through email.

“I love that I can open one app on my iPad and see the week’s meeting outcomes, check on a report draft, and message my comms lead. All without switching tabs.”

Tips for Using Channels and Chats Effectively at KAUST

Do:

• Name your channels clearly. Example: “2025 Budget Planning”, “Course Coordination”, “Thesis Submissions”
• Use @mentions to notify a person or entire team when input is needed
• Pin important channels and chats to the top of your list
• Keep replies in thread in channels. This keeps conversations organized
• Share files in the channel rather than attaching in email. Teams keeps everything versioned and in one place

Avoid:

• Starting a new chat for every topic. Group related conversations in a channel
• Uploading files in one-on-one chats if they are meant for the whole team. Use the Team's Files tab instead
• Leaving important updates only in meetings. Post summaries in the appropriate channel so others can stay aligned

Real-Time Meets Long-Term Memory

Chats and Channels are persistent. That means:

• You can pick up a conversation from last semester and it’s still there
• You can scroll back to check decisions from last week’s meeting
• You can catch up on a thread you missed without needing someone to forward you an email chain

Teams Makes Collaboration Across KAUST and Beyond Easier

With guest access in Teams, you can invite external collaborators to a Team and they will only see what they are allowed to. They can:

• Join meetings
• Chat with your team
• Co-author documents
• View and contribute to files in select channels

Everything is in one place, managed and secured by KAUST IT.

Final Thoughts: Channels and Chats Are the Foundation

If Microsoft Teams is the digital workspace for KAUST, then Channels and Chats are the floors and walls where we meet, talk, decide, and move forward.

They are a smarter, more structured, and more human way to collaborate, whether you are in Thuwal or halfway around the world.

So before you send your next email, ask yourself:
“Should this live in a channel?”

Want to Get Started?

• Visit the KAUST IT Training Academy for upcoming Microsoft Teams sessions
• Explore Microsoft Teams Essential Training on LinkedIn Learning
• Watch this quick Microsoft Teams overview for beginners (YouTube)
• Learn from this in-depth Microsoft Teams demo for new users (YouTube)

Let’s move from scattered tools to shared understanding, one channel at a time!