Amazing Apps - learn how to build agile Dynamics 365 and Power Platform business apps using Scrum

103. The Microsoft FastTrack Success by Design implementation guide was first published in May 2021 and has refreshed this month (October 2021) in the 2021 Wave 2 update .
What is Success by Design? Is it the latest incarnation of the Dynamics SureStep methodology or is it a new framework that all Dynamics 365 partners should consider adopting for their enterprise projects?
To find out, I'm joined by Seth Kircher. He's the Principal FastTrack Solution Architect Manager for Microsoft FastTrack's solution architects in the Americas.
We dig into the role of FastTrack, the origins and benefits of Success by Design and its future.
Resources

• Seth Kircher on LinkedIn
• Success by Design Implementation Guide
• Success by Design on Microsoft Docs
• Success by Design on Microsoft Learn
• Success by Design recorded training workshops
• Rachel Profit's Success by Design Nuggets playlist on YouTube

CONNECT
🌏 Amazing Apps website
🟦 Customery on LinkedIn
🟦 Neil Benson on LinkedIn
MY ONLINE COURSES
🚀 Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps
🏉 Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps
📐 Estimating Business Apps
Keep experimenting 🧪
-Neil

#127. Do you really have to estimate the effort of building the Dynamics 365 or Power Platform apps you've been asked to build? If you work for a Microsoft partner, you probably do -- unless you work for a customer who doesn't care how much it costs or how long it takes.

Find out how I approach estimation:

• How much and how long?
• Why estimates are notoriously inaccurate
• Estimating time doesn't work
• Estimating t-shirts doesn't either
• Estimates, forecasts and commitments

This episode is the first of three episodes taken from my new course: Estimating Business Applications. You can join for free today and get access to the first three sections containing 17 video lessons and 3 quizzes to test your understanding.

Support the show

CONNECT

🌏 Amazing Apps website

🟦 Customery on LinkedIn

🟦 Neil Benson on LinkedIn

MY ONLINE COURSES

🚀 Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps

🏉 Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps

📐 Estimating Business Apps

Keep experimenting 🧪

-Neil

#141. In this episode of Amazing Apps, podcast host Neil Benson is joined by Allan de Castro, a senior technical consultant for the Power Platform at Avanade France.

They discuss their experience applying Scrum to recent projects, including the role of an architect in the Scrum framework. The episode covers key challenges such as the importance of ensuring clarity in the backlog, prioritization of sprints, and addressing technical requirements while focusing on business and added value.

[00:06:23] Allan, an architect and technical lead, discusses the challenge of finding their place in a team using the Scrum framework for the first time, and navigating discussions related to technical requirements and architecture while also focusing on business requirements and added value.

[00:10:15] Focus on delivering continuous testing value during sprints, even if it means sacrificing some business value.

[00:11:56] Agile and Scrum framework used for new project, integrating systems and iterating for development. Customer familiarity with Agile important.

[00:13:12] Capture project requirements early to avoid issues in development.

[00:16:36] Business analyst helps product owner with basic questions on application building, including object lifecycle. Dynamics 365 provides out-of-the-box features, such as bulk edit mode, without development needed. It can be demonstrated in demo instead of user story.

[00:19:10] To successfully execute a Dynamics 365 project using Scrum framework, it is important to ensure technical requirements are included in the backlog and fully estimated. It is also important to train the customer on Dynamics 365 and focus on prioritization during sprints. Custom development must fit into the security models provided by Dynamics. Workshops may be needed to refine new business requirements.

[00:24:06] Team delivers daily or every two days into the UAT environment, with testing by a quality insurance person and a dual check by the project owner or business analyst before marking as done. UAT phases were conducted initially, but now testing is continuous without UAT phases.

[00:26:13] The architecture and requirements were complicated due to unclear data sources and ongoing system construction. Agile methodology requires clear definitions before development, and cultural differences affect analysis phases. Workshop and design are necessary for identifying potential risks and managing sales territory was a major concern.

[00:31:14] Ensure clear backlog, communicate dynamics to team and stakeholders, define sprint process, architect advisory role, avoid influencing sprints.

[00:32:34] Dev team used Azure DevOps for backlog management, linking work items to pull requests and builds for easy tracking and communication with end users. They also suggest creating automatic task generation for consistent task patterns.

Support the show

CONNECT

🌏 Amazing Apps website

🟦 Customery on LinkedIn

🟦 Neil Benson on LinkedIn

MY ONLINE COURSES

🚀 Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps

🏉 Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps

📐 Estimating Business Apps

Keep experimenting 🧪

-Neil

#147. When should you use Power Platform pipelines and when should you use Azure DevOps pipelines to deploy your Power Platform or Dynamics 365 applications? That's the question that Benedikt Bergmann answers in this episode of Amazing Apps.

Benedikt is a Power Platform consultant known for his expertise in Application Lifecycle Management (ALM). Neil and Benedikt delve into the world of ALM, discussing its importance for small and enterprise teams alike. From tools and environments to testing and components outside of solutions. Whether you're a low code app builder or part of a large development team, this episode has something for everyone. Join us as we explore the intricacies of ALM and discover how to deploy and maintain applications in a secure, efficient, and repeatable manner.

Register for Benedikt's ALM Training Course

Resources

Overview of Power Platform pipelines

More power with pipelines in Power Platform

EasyRepro test framework

Playwright test framework

Power Platform server on Discord

Connect with Benedikt

Benedikt on LinkedIn

Benedikt on GitHub

Benedikt on Twitter

Support the show

CONNECT

🌏 Amazing Apps website

🟦 Customery on LinkedIn

🟦 Neil Benson on LinkedIn

MY ONLINE COURSES

🚀 Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps

🏉 Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps

📐 Estimating Business Apps

Keep experimenting 🧪

-Neil