Scrum Dynamics

#160. Hamish Sheild is a Microsoft MVP and Power Platform consultant specialising in applying Design Thinking practices to our apps and projects to make them more human-centred. Hamish and I discuss the different activities and artifacts we've experimented with before starting the delivery phase of our Power Platform and Dynamics 365 projects. Join us as we discuss:03:43 Design thinking exercises and goal setting08:45 Inclusion of developers in the discovery phase09:48 Importance of day in the life sessions11:59 Exploration of design sprints17:10 Creating customer and user journey maps18:48 Utilizing user story maps for clarity24:21 The role of prototyping in projects25:11 Developing solution blueprints with Dynamics 36530:18 Size and refinement of initial product backlog32:02 Establishing environments32:48 Business process maps35:35 Crafting stakeholder maps for project successHAMISH SHEILDHamish Sheild on LinkedInAppRisingDesigning Business Applications RESOURCESAvion for user story mappingStoriesOnBoard for user story mappingMiro for visual collaborationRECOMMENDED EPISODES130 Sprint 1 is Done!120 Defining Requirements for Complex Power Apps with Hamish Sheild

#159. Should you use a traditional, waterfall approach to build Power Platform apps? In this episode, I break down six situations when you might be tempted to use a waterfall method and share my thoughts on whether that's really the best approach.Highlights00:11 Everyone should try waterfall at least once.02:18 When to adopt a waterfall approach02:53 #1 Predictable and well-defined requirements04:19 #2 Regulated industries05:49 #3 Fixed-price contracts06:59 #4 Small or simple projects08:02 #5 No agile experience08:59 #6 Lots of dependencies10:09 Recap `ResourcesEstimating Agile Business Apps: learn how to quickly, accurately and confidently estimate how long it'll take and how much it'll cost to build your Power Platform or Dynamics 365 app. Cynefin Model: learn how to approach different problems from simple to complex.Successful Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps: learn the Scrum framework, prepare for certification and discover my proven practices for successfully applying Scrum for Dynamics 365 and Power Platform.Team Topologies: Matthew Skelton discusses how different team topologies can reduce the impact of dependencies across an organisation.Mentioned in this episode:My 50th Birthday Special OfferScrum turns 30 in 2025, but more importantly, I turn 50 this January! To celebrate, I'm offering my Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps course for just $50 for the Learning Plan (usually $399) and $250 for the Certification Plan (usually $499). All you have to do is be on my mailing list when the promotion launches later this month. Visit https://customery.com/neils-50th-birthday-party and I'll let you know as soon as the promotion goes live.

#158. It's 2025, and I still meet Power Platform and Dynamics 365 professionals that don't know what Scrum is or have an incomplete understanding of what Scrum is. Especially in job interviews!In this short episode, you'll learn:What Scrum really isWhy it's a framework and not a methodologyA simple hack for remembering the 18 components of Scrum

#157. Rethink the role of the scrum master. Two recent events—a thought-provoking article by agile coach Maarten Dalmijn and a leave of absence by Matthew, a beloved scrum master in my team—prompted me to question if scrum masters might be overrated.Comparing scrum teams to sports teams like Ultimate Frisbee, where players self-regulate without referees. Imagine a world where your scrum team operates the same way, holding each other accountable and mastering the game without a dedicated scrum master.You'll learn about Maarten's controversial stance: in startups and scale-ups with fewer organizational impediments, having a scrum master might be unnecessary overhead. Instead, Martin suggests that with a deep understanding of scrum, your team could self-manage effectively.I share my own team's bold experiment—replacing a traditional scrum master with a hybrid scrum master-developer. Spearheaded by Sapan, who has extensive experience in both development and scrum, this experiment offers surprising results. It's not a one-size-fits-all solution for all Power Platform teams. But it does highlight the importance of being open to new practices and continuous experimentation in agile development.Keep experimenting

#156. Neil Benson dives into the essentials of continuously improving Scrum practices in this episode of the Amazing Apps podcast. Drawing on the book "Mastering Professional Scrum" by Stephanie Ockerman and Simon Reindl, Neil outlines critical areas for team success, such as creating valuable products and understanding organizational influences. He emphasizes five core capabilities needed for continuous improvement: teaching, facilitation, coaching, technical excellence, and servant leadership.Neil discusses the continuous improvement process recommended by Ockerman and Reindl, which includes self-assessment questionnaires and root cause analysis to address team issues. He highlights the importance of the Scrum pillars—transparency, inspection, and adaptation—and shows how sprint events like planning and review foster a culture of empiricism, allowing teams to run experiments and refine their practices based on real-world outcomes.Celebrating the traits of high-performing scrum teams, Neil underscores the significance of being cross-functional, self-managing, and collaborative. He touches upon practices that bolster collaboration within these teams, such as backlog refinement and pair programming, while also stressing the freedom scrum teams have to define their workflows within Scrum guidelines.Neil also addresses common challenges, such as the absence of key roles during refinement sessions, and recommends using the Five Whys technique to tackle root causes. He provides practical tips like conducting multiple short refinement sessions to prevent release delays.With actionable insights and a call to action to use the self-assessment questionnaire from the book, this episode is a goldmine for Power Platform and Dynamics 365 teams looking to elevate their Scrum practices. Tune in to learn practical strategies for continuous improvement and master the art of agile with your team.Don't miss out—subscribe to the Amazing Apps podcast to stay updated on more insightful episodes in the Mastering Professional Scrum series.RESOURCESSimon Reindl on LinkedInStephanie Ockerman on LinkedInMastering Professional Scrum from Amazon (affiliate)Mastering Professional Scrum audiobook on Audible (affiliate)Stephanie Ockerman's site, Agile SocksMastering Professional Scrum on InformIT

In this episode of Amazing Apps, host Neil Benson explores the importance of rethinking our approach to building business applications. Join us as we delve into the benefits of questioning our assumptions and adapting to new information in the dynamic landscape of app development.- Unpacking the concept of "thinking like a scientist" and its impact on creating agile business apps.- Understanding cognitive entrenchment and how it can hinder our progress in app development.- Examining how embracing new tools like Power Automate or Azure Data Factory can outdo outdated practices.- Learning from personal experiences and external experts to reassess long-held beliefs about health and productivity.- Discovering how to stay open-minded to new methods for building Power Platform and Dynamics 365 apps without losing sight of effective agile approaches.Keep experimenting

#154. Neil Benson takes us on a journey of learning through experimentation. Starting with the historical origins of smallpox inoculation, Neil discusses the importance of conducting experiments to drive innovation and problem-solving. Sharing personal experiences from his biochemistry studies to his current work in building applications with Power Platform and Dynamics 365, Neil emphasizes the value of agile software development and the significance of learning through short bursts of experimentation. He provides insights into real-world experiments with AI Builder and form processing models, highlighting the impact of these experiments on improving business processes. Neil also shares his experimentation with AI features in his own content creation and business operations, encouraging listeners to embrace the mindset of a scientist and continue experimenting. So, tune in to explore the power of learning through experiments and discover how it can accelerate your own journey in building amazing apps.Free Workshop: 3 Secrets to Building Business Apps with ScrumJoin this free interactive workshop to discover the three secrets to successfully using Scrum to build agile apps so you can deliver projects faster, under budget, have more fun, and get promoted.https://customery.com/3secretsMentioned in this episode:Subscribe to my new Estimating Business Apps podcast mini-seriesEstimating Business Apps is a five-part podcast that will help you quickly, accurately and confidently estimate complex Power Platform and Dynamics 365 apps in minutes. Listen now: https://estimating-business-apps.captivate.fm/listen

#153.  Neil Benson is joined by Keith Atherton, a proper pro developer. Keith shares his journey from developing custom apps using .NET, C# and SQL Server to embracing and mastering the development of enterprise business applications using the Power Platform.What do developers lose and gain using Power Platform compared to developing an app from scratch with .NET and SQL Server.The power of rapidly prototyping applications in Power Apps even compared to wireframing tools, like Basalmiq.How Keith decides when to use a low-code option or write code to meet a requirement.The value of documenting our own solutions and decisions, even if it's just for our own benefit later. Developers are used to unit testing, automated regression testing, AI-assisted programming. Do you miss those capabilities when working with Power Platform, especially Power Fx?  How Keith thinks about keeping his skills up-to-date and mastering so many competencies through a weekly learning routine.Why .NET and C# developers should start with PL-900 Power Platform Fundamentals as their starting point for learning how to transfer their skills to Power Apps development.If Keith had a magic wand, Microsoft would enable him to use C# in the Power Fx editor.Keith AthertonKeith Atherton on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-atherton/Keith's blog: https://www.keithatherton.com/Keith's podcast, On Air in the Cloud: https://onairinthecloud.com/ResourcesKeith's courses on LinkedIn Learning: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/keith-atherton PL-900 Power Platform Fundamentals training on Microsoft Learn: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/paths/power-plat-fundamentals/Real-world examples of Power Platform solution architectures: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/guidance/architecture/real-world-examples/overviewSupport the showCONNECT

#152.  Host Neil Benson is joined by the talented Dani Kahil for an insightful discussion on managing backlogs and enhancing user stories in Azure DevOps and Jira. Neil shares his experiences with Jira, highlighting some configuration challenges, while Dani expresses a strong preference for Azure DevOps. They dive into the hierarchy of backlog items, including epics, features, user stories, and tasks, and explore different approaches to tracking progress on a Kanban board. Throughout their conversation, Neil and Dani discuss the importance of refining user stories, enriching them with acceptance criteria, and prioritising features based on their value to the team or users. They also touch on the significance of releasing value quickly and iterating on functionality. Join us for an engaging conversation packed with practical insights and tips for efficient backlog management. Let's get started!Dani Kahil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danikahil/Dani's blog: https://danikahil.comKahil Consulting: https://kahilconsulting.com/Support the showCONNECT

#151. Amazing Apps host, Neil Benson, dives into a case study from one of his team's own projects: "Member Super", a financial services organisation in Australia. With over a million members, they needed a CRM application that could handle their complex stakeholder relationships and provide exceptional service to their customers.Member Super's existing CRM app was limiting their capabilities and hindering their goal of achieving a single view of their customers. So, they made the decision to take control and build their own CRM application. Superware partnered with them to make it happen, and the results were nothing short of AMAZING!RESOURCESSuperware.ai website: https://superware.aiSuperware on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/superware-aiSupport the showCONNECT

#150. What does it take to have a successful go live event for your Dynamics 365 or Power Platform application. Neil Benson sat down with Andrew Bibby, a seasoned expert in Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Platform business applications. In this episode, Andrew shares his insights on the crucial process of preparing for and executing a successful go live. From addressing technical difficulties to promoting user adoption and measuring success, Andrew sheds light on the often-overlooked aspects of post-delivery project management. He also discusses the importance of training, involving change champions, and effective communication in ensuring a smooth transition. Don't miss this informative episode filled with practical tips for achieving a seamless go-live and maximizing return on investment!RESOURCESAndrew Bibby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewbibby/Proximo3 on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/proximo3/Proximo3 website: https://proximo3.com/Nordic Summit: https://nordicsummit.info/South Coast Summit: https://www.southcoastsummit.com/TIMESTAMPS03:26 Phased go-live events for Dynamics 36506:06 Effort in successful go-live leads to happiness08:34 Preparation and rehearsal lead to a successful go-live12:39 Prepare and do steps before go-live15:36 Early user involvement is vital for successful projects21:17 Insufficient thought put into IT project training25:45 Change management ensures successful projects and user adoption30:07 Change management enhances project success and communication33:02 Choosing a go-live day38:20 Metrics, monitoring, and justification are crucial42:30 The importance of getting across your message, and change managementSupport the showCONNECT

#149. Andrew Welch is the Chief Technology Officer at HSO. Andrew is an expert in IT strategy and has a wealth of experience advising customers on their big strategic technology decisions. He is also an author, Microsoft MVP, and a regular presenter at conferences. Joining us today, Andrew shares valuable insights on the importance of IT leadership, cloud ecosystems, data platforms, artificial intelligence, and the future of innovation in technology. We dive into the concept of the "Tyranny of the Deliverable" and how it relates to IT organizations organizing themselves into technology-focused teams. Andrew also discusses the need for a holistic approach to digital transformation and the role of a cloud strategist in piecing together various technical components to drive business value. If you're an IT leader, architect, or consultant, this episode is packed with valuable perspectives and tips from Andrew Welch. Don't miss it!TIMESTAMPS02:09 Importance of CIOs leading technology ecosystem integration.04:48 Enterprise architects focus on specific workloads. Another architect, a cloud strategist, is needed for building capabilities and driving business value.07:55 Microsoft's platform is versatile for mix and match.11:11 Lunch with Ana Demeny, discussing Microsoft versus Google.16:09 AI investment: data consolidation for value-delivery.20:26 Tyranny of the deliverable: siloed teams, wrong solutions, budget incentives, counterproductive. Solution: subscription as a service model. Move away from hourly charges and fixed scopes.24:55 Andrew presenting 5 strategies at Nordic Summit.RESOURCESAndrew Welch on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewdwelchAndrew's blog: CloudLight.House: https://CloudLight.houseDynamics 365 and Power Platform UK User Groups: https://d365ppug.comNordic Summit, 23 September 2023: https://nordicsummit.infoForeceworks Services-as-a-Subscription: https://forceworks.com/the-works-from-forceworksSupport the showCONNECT

#148. Get ready for another captivating episode of Amazing Apps! In this episode, Neil Benson engages Shawn Tabor, Director of Consulting Services at Hitachi Solutions, in an insightful conversation about the dynamic realm of Microsoft Business Applications and its role in the manufacturing and service industries. Explore Hitachi's product landscape, investment strategies, and the art of identifying patterns to create accelerators for efficient project estimations. Discover Shawn's podcasting journey, collection hobbies, and upcoming conference plans. Timestamps05:40 Improving customer experience for manufacturers07:36 The power of strategic planning09:56 The challenge of implementing Microsoft ecosystem10:59 Microsoft investment strategies14:06 Simplifying field service applications15:07 Streamlining field service20:59 Significant implementations across manufacturing, services, and healthcare21:37 Integration challenges in the field service business23:34 Power Platform innovations24:55 Agile methodology RESOURCESShawn Tabor on LinkedInHitachi Solutions websiteCommunity Summit NA: 15-20 October in Charlotte, NCSupport the showCONNECT

#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 CourseResourcesOverview of Power Platform pipelinesMore power with pipelines in Power PlatformEasyRepro test frameworkPlaywright test frameworkPower Platform server on DiscordConnect with BenediktBenedikt on LinkedInBenedikt on GitHubBenedikt on TwitterBenedikt on Twitter Support the showCONNECT

#146. In this episode, we're thrilled to have Martin Hinshelwood from naked Agility join host, Neil Benson. Martin shares his perspectives on improving the success of agile engagements through the role of a consulting product owner, and why you should build your own business applications rather than buy Dynamics 365 if you're looking for competitive advantage. Hit the play button and dive into this insightful conversation between Neil and Martin!Timestamps02:46 The importance of unique capabilities in a competitive market06:09 The power of vertical integration11:58 Outsourcing core business practices16:37 Risks and rewards in business21:02 The incompetence of business31:38 The role of a consulting product owner33:44 The role of a scrum master in the professional services world36:56 Using APIs to drive innovation RESOURCESMartin Hinshelwood on LinkedInMartin Hinshelwood on Twitternaked Agility websitenaked Agility on TwitterSupport the showCONNECT

145. We're back with another incredible episode of Amazing Apps, and this time we have an amazing guest on board. Neil Benson is joined by the Low Code Lead & Platform Evangelist at ANS Group, Chris Huntingford. Chris spills the beans on citizen developers, he talks about the concept of ecosystem enablement, the potential of low code platforms, the importance of enabling everyone to build apps and flows, hackathons, and more. Hit the play button and dive into this insightful conversation between Neil and Chris!TIMESTAMPS00:03:39 The importance of citizen developers00:07:24 The power of fusion teams00:09:09 Building skills with hands-on experience00:13:30 All about hackathons00:16:38 The importance of ecosystem enablements00:18:16 The importance of people in digital transformation00:20:31 Customer shift in app development00:22:09 The future of Dynamics and Power Platform00:26:07 What it's like to work for Microsoft or a partner00:32:13 The impact of timing on conference attendance00:34:00 Tips for effective learning and building solutions with DataverseRESOURCESChris Huntingford on LinkedInChris Huntingford on YouTubeThat Platform Guy on TwitterANS Group on LinkedInSupport the showCONNECT

#144.  Neil Benson is joined by Matthew Venamore, a scrum master with extensive experience coaching Dynamics 365 teams. Matthew shares valuable insights into the challenges faced by new scrum masters when joining existing teams and emphasizes the importance of empowering the team. He advises taking a standoffish stance initially, observing the team and their work before making any changes or adding value. Matthew shares his personal journey, starting as a software delivery manager and eventually becoming a scrum master. He highlights the importance of coaching and guiding a team towards self-management and offers insights into handling various challenges, such as developers working on product backlog items that are not ready. He discusses the benefits and potential drawbacks of having a definition of done and a definition of ready, emphasizing the need for flexibility and open discussions within the team.Tune in to this enlightening episode of Amazing Apps podcast as Matthew Venamore provides valuable insights and practical advice for both new and experienced scrum masters, shedding light on the importance of empowerment, simplicity, and continuous improvement within agile teams.Matthew VenamoreMatthew Venamore on LinkedInResourcesAmazing Apps 45: Live inside my Daily ScrumScrum GuideI've just registered for Microsoft Power Platform Conference in Las Vegas from 3-5 October. I'd love to see you there. Visit customery.com/mppc for a $150 discount voucher to register.Support the showCONNECT

#143. On this episode of Amazing Apps, we discuss resourcing agile teams using the Scrum framework. Neil Benson talks about who we should have on our teams as product owner, developers and scrum master. Should Microsoft partners offer to provide a consultant for every role on the team? Listen in to find out.Timestamps(02:04) Product owner maximizes value, sets goals.(03:02) Product owner orders backlog, ensures focus.(07:52) From business analyst to product owner.(09:32) Ideal product owners.(14:07) External stakeholders.(16:37) QA pros are devs in Scrum teams.(21:30) Scrum master's role and boundaries in coaching.I've just registered for Microsoft Power Platform Conference in Las Vegas from 3-5 October. I'd love to see you there. Visit customery.com/mppc for a $150 discount voucher to register.Support the showCONNECT

#142. Neil Benson discusses the challenges of organizing a large Scrum team to maximize efficiency. He suggests rotating developers between teams and organizing teams around specific components or external systems they need to integrate with. Neil also recommends self-organizing teams and coaches teams to create their own code of conduct and establish expected behaviors. He shares his experience of organizing teams by components in the past at RACQ and why it wasn't the best approach. ResourcesScaling Scrum with Nexus on Scrum.orgRichard Hundhausen, co-creator of Nexus, on Amazing Apps #136Timestamps(02:52) Large team split into component-based teams for Scrum framework. (04:49) Organizing teams by component creates interdependencies and hinders productivity; a better approach is having a team with all the necessary skills. (08:27) Allowing developers to form their own teams empowers and trusts them to be accountable for their work, rather than having a manager organize teams. (11:16) Amazing Apps Retrospective: behind the scenes.Support the showCONNECT

#141. On 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.I've just registered for Microsoft Power Platform Conference in Las Vegas from 3-5 October. I'd love to see you there. Visit customery.com/mppc for a $150 discount voucher to register.Support the showCONNECT

#140. Today, it's just me, and I'd like to discuss what EMPIRICISM means to teams building complex, enterprise Dynamics 365 and Power Platform applications.In this episode, I'll break down what empiricism is and its importance in Scrum, provide examples of work that would benefit from an empirical approach, and share insights on how we can use empiricism to build better business apps and improve our processes, tools, and techniques.HIGHLIGHTS[01:45] Why Scrum is based on an empirical process[05:01] Example of how empiricism works[06:21] Why the defined process control is the opposite of empiricism[10:01] The importance of empiricism in Scrum[10:53] Examples of simple work where Scrum is unnecessary[11:42] Examples of more complex work that would benefit from an empirical approach[14:07] What I love most about Scrum[15:50] Lessons that my business apps teams and I learned from our experiments[17:27] My challenge to you RESOURCESWhat is the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle? OODA Look by John Boyd explained: the processGrinding It Out: The Making of McDonald's by Ray Kroc Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) in Aquorea Victoria EmpiricismThe Scientific MethodSupport the showCONNECT

#139. Today's guest is Emma Beckett, an experienced test professional who runs her own company, Fortitude 17, in London, UK. A professional footballer, Emma pursued a career in software testing, even though her first role in tech was in Desktop Support — hardware, not software!As you'll hear, Emma is a Certified ISTQB Test Consultant and trained in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 and Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&SCM, CE, and HR. She is currently training on the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Ceridian Dayforce (HCM) solutions.In this episode, Emma shares how she got into software testing and discusses 1) professional testing, 2) how she approaches business application projects, and 3) what testing at large can bring to Dynamics applications.HGHLIGHTS[01:06] How Emma came to open her own testing consultancy[09:01] Emma's approach to professional testing[12:48] The qualities that Emma looks for in good test professionals[18:09] The relationship between testing and training[20:00] Approaches to acceptance testing that have worked well for Emma[24:25] How Emma approaches other forms of testing on projects[29:43] How Emma deals with testing challenges[32:28] Other solutions that Emma's consultancy has worked on[34:22] Emma talks about her recently launched podcastRESOURCESFortitude 17Connect with Emma Beckett on LinkedInCheck out the elbeckio showI've just registered for Microsoft Power Platform Conference in Las Vegas from 3-5 October. I'd love to see you there. Visit customery.com/mppc for a $150 discount voucher to register.Support the showCONNECT

#138. My guest today is Malin Martnes, a Microsoft MVP and MCT who runs her own company MaCoTra AS in Oslo, Norway. As you'll hear, Malin doesn't have any technical background on Dynamics 365 and Power Platform but she focuses on using these systems.In this episode, Malin talks about how she came to be a CRM consultant and set up her own consulting business.  With years of experience as a user and trainer of Dynamics 365 and Power Platform, she also discusses the integration of the HR solution with Finance & Operations, tips for deploying Dynamics 365 Marketing, and the events and training sessions she helped organize. Show Highlights [01:25] Malin's background and how she got started as a CRM consultant[04:56] The story behind MaCoTra's unusual name[10:06] Malin talks about the recently concluded Cloud Technology Townhall Tallinn 2023 event[15:16] Malin talks about the Norwegian Marketing Day she co-organized with fellow Microsoft MVP Guro Faller[18:31] Malin discusses the integration of Dynamics 365 Human Resources with Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations[22:53] Who Dynamics 365 Marketing and ClickDimensions cater to[26:02] Malin discusses the projects she's done with Dynamics 365 Marketing[29:25] How Dynamics 365 Marketing handles deliverability[35:35] Malin shares tips to be aware of when deploying Dynamics 365 Marketing[44:08] What's next for Malin? Resources Malin's company: MaCoTra ASBecoming a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Marketing Functional Consultant by Malin MartnesConnect with Malin Martnes on LinkedIn, Twitter, or via her websiteCustomery AcademyI've just registered for Microsoft Power Platform Conference in Las Vegas from 3-5 October. I'd love to see you there. Visit customery.com/mppc for a $150 discount voucher to register.Support the showCONNECT

137. Customery Academy is my online business through which I coach and train Microsoft customers and partners to build amazing, agile business applications.In this episode, I share a short history of Customery Academy, where it's at today, and my goals for 2023. Halfway through editing the episode, there's a surprise about just how many Customery Academy students have achieved their Professional Scrum Master certification thanks to my son's detective work.ResourcesCustomery AcademyAgile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps free courseScrum for Microsoft Business Apps courseWinning Agile Projects masterclass for Microsoft partnersEstimating Business Apps courseNew Zenler online course platformAmazing Applications podcastPodpage podcast website hostingBonjoro personalised video serviceHumanitix ticketing checkoutStudio1Design web design agencyLouise Williams branding expertKarthik Vijaykumar from Design Your Thinking and The Launch Plan podcastBuyMeACoffeeReview Amazing Apps on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or AmazingApps.ShowCustomery on LinkedInSuperware.aiPeople mentionedBrian IllandHugues ImbeaultPaula DunlopDani KahilAndrew BibbyHamish SheildScott DurowLisa CrosbieBen InksterNirav MehtaJohn BordinSupport the showCONNECT

136. My guest is Richard Hundhausen, a former Microsoft MVP and Regional Director, Scrum.org Professional Scrum Trainer, and co-creator of the Nexus Scaled Professional Scrum Framework. As you'll hear, Richard doesn't have a background in Dynamics 365 or Power Platform, but he's no stranger to developing apps on Microsoft technology.In this episode, Richard talks about his experience working with Microsoft and how he got started with Scrum. Drawing from his over 30 years of software development experience and over 20 years of training experience, he also discusses the merits of big bang releases versus incremental releases, product thinking versus project thinking, and what's next with Scrum.Show Highlights [06:07] Richard's Scrum origin[13:55] Richard's guidelines for helping a team decide when to adopt Scrum[20:56] On the interplay between Scrum and DevOps[26:06] How product owners can be successful[31:32] Big bang releases versus incremental releases[34:53] The origins of Nexus Scaled Scrum Framework[44:03] Where Scrum is headed nextResourcesAccentientNexus Scaled Professional Scrum FrameworkProfessional Scrum Development with Azure DevOps by Richard HundhausenConnect with Richard Hundhausen on LinkedIn or Twitter"Flaccid Scrum" by Martin Fowler“Should Our Team Use Scrum?” by Richard Hundhausen“Larman's Laws of Organizational Behavior” by Craig Larman“Role of Manager” by LeSS"Resurrecting the Much-Maligned Scrum of Scrums" by Charles Bradley"unSAFe at any speed" by Ken SchwaberI've just registered for Microsoft Power Platform Conference in Las Vegas from 3-5 October. I'd love to see you there. Visit customery.com/mppc for a $150 discount voucher to register.Support the showCONNECT

Remy is starting to hate Scrum. He thinks we should use Kanban. And get rid of Product Owners. It's a shame, then, that Remy doesn't understand Scrum. And doesn't want to understand Scrum.Don't be like Remy.ResourcesKanban Guide on Kanban UniversityProfessional Scrum with Kanban training from Scrum.orgSupport the showCONNECT

#134. Today's guest is Rishona Elijah, a Microsoft MVP (Business Applications) and Microsoft Certified Trainer who works as a Power Platform Trainer and Evangelist at Barhead Solutions in Sydney, Australia. She spends most of her time running training sessions and delivering events around Power Platform to business users to show them what they can achieve with this technology.In this episode, Rishona shares how she got started in Business Applications, how she uses her blog to help business users, and the latest innovations with Power Virtual Agents. Rishona also talks about whether Power Fx is really part of a low-code platform and new features from Microsoft's acquisition of Nuance that are being incorporated into Power Platform.Show Highlights[02:05] Rishona's work at Barhead Solutions[05:47] What Rishona blogs about[07:38] The latest innovations with Power Virtual Agents[13:25] On whether Power Fx dispels Microsoft's promise of no-code solutions[16:40] The types of people that attend Rishona's training sessions[21:32] The latest innovations with Power Automate[25:22] How Rishona got into Business Applications[26:47] Rishona's advice for people thinking about a career in Business Applications Resources Barhead SolutionsConnect with Rishona on LinkedIn, Twitter, or TikTokCheck out Rishona's blogCustomery AcademyEstimating Business ApplicationsI've just registered for Microsoft Power Platform Conference in Las Vegas from 3-5 October. I'd love to see you there. Visit customery.com/mppc for a $150 discount voucher to register.Support the showCONNECT

#133. Today's guest is Michael Roth, a Power Platform consultant with Avanade who specializes in governance.In this episode, Michael walks us through how he keeps business apps amazing by working on only the fun stuff, i.e., governance and licensing, and understanding how users experience tech, specifically Power Platform.Michael also highlights the importance of governance and shares with us some of the biggest mistakes he sees organizations make when they don't consider governance, what he would like to see Microsoft improve, and more.Show Highlights[03:04] How Michael got into business applications[08:06] The types of people that typically think about governance[12:10] Mistakes organizations make when they don't consider governance[17:05] How Michael thinks of the Microsoft Power Platform Center of Excellence starter kit[22:20] Benefits of Managed Environments for customers[26:52] What Michael would like to see Microsoft work on next[29:20] On fusion teams and fusion development[35:38] Michael's style and take on feminismResourcesScrum for Microsoft Business Apps. Learn Scrum, achieve your PSM1 certification, apply successful Scrum patterns to Dynamics 365 and Power Platform apps.AvanadeCustomery on LinkedInConnect with Michael on Twitter or LinkedInCheck out Michael's blogI've just registered for Microsoft Power Platform Conference in Las Vegas from 3-5 October. I'd love to see you there. Visit customery.com/mppc for a $150 discount voucher to register.Support the showCONNECT

132. Today's guest is Andrew Ly, a Microsoft Business Applications Solutioning Lead at IBM Consulting in Australia.Andrew shares his 22 years of experience in the Microsoft space, including the type of work he does and the clients he works with.Andrew also gives his two cents on the low-code, no-code approach and talks about the demand of in a day trainings like App-in-a-Day sessions, Figma, and Power Platform applications.Show Highlights[02:48] Andrew's background and what it's like living and working in Australia[05:13] What Andrew and Neil do to keep fit these days[06:58] Andrew's life at IBM, the type of work he does, and the clients he's working with[09:50] Maximizing the benefit of having sales systems, and building apps that work the way the individual does[11:31] On helping clients scale up and scale out, and get out of challenging situations[16:59] App in a Day sessions' demand today[19:05] Training programs that are centered around creating a sense of community internally[24:30] On the acquisition of Figma and why it's a great tool[31:50] Technology overlapping with Biz Apps, including virtual reality[39:09] Andrew's suggestions on which areas to specialize in[42:51] Andrew's plans, including doing more coding and speaking sessionsResourcesConnect with Andrew on Twitter, YouTube or LinkedInRead Andrew's blog: 365lyf PCF GallerySupport the show

131. Today's guest is Magnus Gether Sørensen, a Dynamics 365 Field Service expert at Delegate in Denmark.  Magnus shares with us some of the Field Service projects he has worked on, as well as the interesting challenges that his customers have encountered using the application.Plus, Magnus talks about what's new and next for Field Service and gives a few tips for teams implementing the application. Episode Highlights[0:30] Magnus' background and his career in business applications[03:29] Magnus' experience using Dynamics 365 Field Service[06:27] The challenges of using Field Service in Denmark[10:03] On whether Field Service is often integrated with back-office systems[10:58] Demand for resource scheduling optimization[13:45] Comparing Field Service and Resco[17:08] What's new and next for Dynamics 365 Field Service[22:06] Features and changes that Magnus would like to see Field Service implement[24:07] Top three lessons Magnus has for teams building or deploying Field Service[27:44] Magnus' experience co-organizing Nordic Summit 2022[30:10] On why the Nordic Summit is a free event ResourcesDelegate.dkDelegate on LinkedInConnect with Magnus on Twitter or LinkedInFollow the Power Platform Weekly newsletter on TwitterRead Magnus' blog at XRM.DEVSupport the show

#130. Sprint 1 is a magical, wonderful, beautiful thing. Find out how my messy, unstructured and un-estimated sprint 1 unfurled on a recent project to build a Power Platform app for a mid-size Microsoft customer in financial services.In-person conferences I didn't attend:Power Platform ConferenceNordic SummitSouth Coast SummitUpcoming online conferences I'm presenting at:2 Nov 2022 at Power Platform 244 Nov 2022 at New Zealand Business Applications SummitLearn how to qualify, pitch, propose and close more agile projects:Winning Agile ProjectsTools we're using in sprint one:Miro for visual collaborationAtlassian Confluence for wiki pagesAtlassian Bitbucket and Sourcetree for source controlAzure DevOps for backlog, boards and pipelinesSlack for chatZoom for meetingsSharePoint for file sharingCopy.ai for AI-assisted creative copywritingSupport the show

129. Learn how to use story point estimation to estimate the relative size of your Dynamics 365 or Power Platform application's requirements.You'll also learn:How to slice user stories into the right size for estimation and developmentHow to decide on a standard user story for comparing other stories against when estimatingHow to use affinity estimation or planning poker to estimate the relative size of user storiesHow to derive the duration that describes how long it'll take to build the feature after you've estimated the sizeThis episode is the third 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

128. My wife, Natascha, is a faster trail runner than I am. Find out why estimating trail runs in units of time leads to misaligned expectations about how long it'll take for us to run the same trail together. You'll also learn:What story points areThree factors affecting the size of a requirementHow to account for Hick's Law and Weber's Law  when choosing an estimation scaleThe two estimation scales commonly used by agile teamsThe estimation scale my teams useThis episode is the second 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

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 inaccurateEstimating time doesn't workEstimating t-shirts doesn't eitherEstimates, forecasts and commitmentsThis 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

126. Thanks for all your questions about estimating business applications. In this episode, I tackle four tricky situations when it comes to estimating Dynamics 365 and Power Platform applications.Should we re-estimate items in our backlog after we're done because they were easier or harder than originally expected? — TanikaIf we don't complete a story by the end of the sprint, should we re-estimate how much work is remaining and split the story points across the sprints in which the work got done? — JaneShould we estimate user stories or estimate tasks of the user stories? — NazShould our developers include the time spent in scrum events in their estimates? — DipeshResourcesEstimating Business Applications, my new course available for free from Customery Academy."When Will It Be Done?: Lean-Agile Forecasting to Answer Your Customer's Most Important Question" by Daniel Vicanti. Support the show

#125. In this episode of Amazing Applications, Emil Hovgaard and Sheelan Bhana of EY Nordic Tech Hub share the story behind EY's PowerPost application and how it has made the General Ledger posting process easier and faster for the EY organization. Emil's background and his role at the EY organizationSheelan's background and his role at the EY organizationEmil's favorite Microsoft applicationSheelan's favorite Microsoft applicationWhat Emil did during his time in the EY strategy team in AustraliaThe internal purpose of the EY organizationThe business challenge that Emil's team had to solve that led to the creation of the PowerPost applicationThe approach that Emil and his team took in building the PowerPost applicationSheelan talks about connecting to SAP from a Power Platform application and the challenges that came with thatWhat the PowerPost project team looked likeEmil's definition of a Fusion teamSheelan's experience working with Fusion developersWhat drove members of the EY Global Finance and ERP teams to support the creation of the PowerPost application?How Sheelan and the team gathered requirementsThe tools that Sheelan and the team used in building the PowerPost applicationThe testing approach that Sheelan and the team usedHow long did the PowerPost project take?The challenges that Sheelan and the team faced during the course of the PowerPost projectHow did Emil and his team approach user interface design?How Nordic Tech Hub is responding to the possibility of users demanding more from Microsoft business applicationsThe results that EY managed to achieve using the PowerPost applicationWhat's next for Nordic Tech Hub?ResourcesEY helps enable entry at source for a global finance process with Power Platform, reducing lead times by 95 percent on Microsoft Customer Stories.Emil Hovegaard on LinkedIn Sheelan Bhana on LinkedInSupport the show

#124. When you're using an agile approach, like Scrum, how and when should you document your Dynamics 365 or Power Platform applications? After all, the Agile Manifesto says, "We value working software over comprehensive documentation", right?Before projects start, my teams document requirements in a product backlog, visualise the backlog in a user story map, and discuss the project during a solution blueprint review workshop.During sprints, we're writing unit tests, functional test cases, describing our features in wiki pages and tracking our decisions in a decision register.Towards the end of the project or before a production release, we'll export the wiki as an as-as-built solution design document  and hand it over the axe-wielding psychopaths who will be supporting and maintaining our applications.And, of course, we'll produce all the other documentation our product owner asks us to if she create documentation-related items and prioritises them in the product backlog.Customery Academy student celebrationsCongratulations to Olha Kucheriava for completing my Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps, to Adeel Arshad and Simon Williams for achieving their Scrum.org Professional Scrum Master certification, and to the teams from ITK Consulting, SynSci and AppRising for completing my Winning Agile Projects masterclass.Visit Customery Academy to find out more about our programs to help customers and partners build amazing, agile Dynamics 365 and Power Platform applications.ResourcesMicrosoft Learn: Create a solution blueprint for Dynamics 365 solutionsFastTrack Solution Blueprint presentation templateWrite unit tests with FakeXrmEasySupport the show

#123. Learn how to use sprint goals to communicate to your stakeholders what your team has committed to building this sprint. If you can write your sprint goal in the subject line of the sprint review invitation to your stakeholders, and they stampede to accept your invite and beat down the door at sprint review, that's a great sprint goal.This episode includes examples of sprint goals for Dynamics 365 and Power Apps projects and answers sprint goal questions like:What's the benefit for having a good sprint goal? How do we write good sprint goals?How can we use sprint goals?Can we have more than one sprint goal?How do we create a sprint goal for lots of different unrelated items?What sprint goal is your team working on? Let me know on LinkedIn.Support the show

122. Ethan is a scrum master for a Power Platform team and his team is trying to build an app but the customer's product owner hasn't shown up yet! What should he do?If your team's product owner is missing in action, in this episode you'll learn how to prevent this situation from happening, what to do to recover, and what could happen if you don't. Support the show

121. What's it like trying to manage 10 Microsoft 365 tenants with hundreds of environments, apps and citizen developers. Rene Modery, Power Platform Technical Lead shares his journey at global advertising company, WPP. Managing ten Microsoft 365 tenants for a global company with hundreds of subsidiaries.Power Platform environment policies and other guard rails to help makers.How do you know what apps have already been built and what problems have already been solved within a large organisation so that makers don't reinvent the wheel?Which data sources and connectors are proving to be the most popular in your Power Platform environments? SharePoint, Microsoft Lists, Excel, Azure SQL, Dataverse?Why Rene is not ready to ask makers to standardise on Dataverse quite yet.How the new Fluent UI controls will help app makers build apps that are better looking and more useful.If Rene could direct the Microsoft product teams to improve one thing, it would be...licensing!And he'd love to see some of the Center of Excellence features brought into the Power Platform Admin Center too.  And in person events are returning to the Power Platform user groups in Singapore.ResourcesRene Modery on TwitterRene Modery on LinkedInRene's book, Hands-On Microsoft ListsSingapore Power Platform User GroupSupport the show

120. Hamish Sheild describes his five step Solution Mapping framework for using design thinking principles to define the requirements for complex Power Platform applications.Hamish has discovered Outlook's Board View and Neil is evaluating Motion for improving productivity.AppRising's Solution Mapping FrameworkWhat is a complex application?Observing users in their environmentCustomer journey mappingSwimlane business process mappingAre as-is process diagrams worth the effort?Creating a product backlog of user storiesFocusing on value when creating a user storyWhat's the right level of detail for user stories?Establishing a Power Platform centre of excellence. Are centres of excellence only for organisations with lots of 'citizen developers'?ResourcesHamish Sheild on LinkedInAppRising on LinkedInAppRising websiteMicrosoft Outlook Boards View videos on YouTubeAppRising's Solution Mapping Framework for gathering and defining requirements for bespoke Power Platform applications.Microsoft Power Platform Center of Excellence (CoE) Starter KitDynamics 365 and Power Platform User Group, Auckland, New ZealandSupport the show

119. What's the role of pre-sales in setting up Microsoft customers and partners for successful Dynamics 365 and Power Platform projects? Today's guest is Craig McGeough, Power Platform Pre-Sales Consultant at Incremental Group.Make sure you catch Craig's session, More than "selling the dream"! Why Pre-Sales is the key to Power Platform success, at Scottish Summit on Friday, 9 June 2022. Register for free today at ScottishSummit.com.What is pre-sales?Why do pre-sales consultants get paid soooo much?Do pre-sales consultants need a delivery or sales background?Industry specialisation in pre-salesThe best thing about being a pre-sales consultantKeeping up-to-date with Power Platform enhancementsPre-sales and licensing expertiseMicrosoft Catalyst and Design Thinking as a pre-sales toolWhat's the role of pre-sales consultants in project estimation?Should pre-sales consultants care about delivery capacity?Career growth for pre-sales consultantsResourcesCraig's blog: PracticalPresales.comCraig McGeough on LinkedInIncremental GroupSupport the show

118. Ulrikke Akerbæk joins to discuss what's new with Power Pages (still called Power Apps Portals when we recorded this episode under NDA!). Discover some of the goodies Microsoft has been releasing for professional developers Power Pages and which portal template Ulrikke uses for almost every portals project.Announcing the preview of Microsoft Power Pages on the Power Apps blog.Ulrikke is the Low Code Platform Lead at Itera in Norway and has been a Microsoft MVP since 2021.Ulrikke is presenting 'Portal Templates - What's new?' at Scottish Summit on Saturday 10 June 2002.Register today for Scottish Summit.ResourcesUlrikke Akerbæk on LinkedInUlrikke Akerbæk on TwitterNick Doelman on LinkedInVictor Dantas on LinkedInVictor Dantas' Portals Zero to Hero 1 playlist on YouTubeVictor Dantas' Portals Zero to Hero 2 playlist on YouTubeNordic Summit, 24 September 2002 in Stockholm, SwedenPower Platform User Group NorwayFind a Power Platform user groupFind a Dynamics 365 user groupSupport the show

117. Chike Eduputa challenges citizen developers (and professional developers) to ask themselves five critical questions before building their next Power Platform or Dynamics 365 app. Chike Eduputa is a senior manager at Capgemini Invent in London where he specialises in digital strategy and transformation. He's presenting at Scottish Summit on 9 June with the topic "Build what matters: critical metrics for citizen developers".Register today for Scottish Summit.Chike invites us to answer five questions before embarking on a project to build a business application. Listen to the episode to find out more.Get in touch with ChikeChike Eduputa on LinkedIn Capgemini InventSupport the show

#116. Dani Kahil interviews Andrew Bibby about a pivotal, multi-year Dynamics 365 business transformation project in financial services. Dani Kahil and Andrew Bibby are both Microsoft Business Applications MVPs. Dani is an independent consultant and online trainer specialising in requirements analysis and solution envisioning. Andrew Bibby is a founder of Proximo 3, a Microsoft training and advisory partner based in the UK.Dani and Andrew discuss:How Andrew's client engaged him as an advisor to help the customer and their Microsoft partner organisations work effectively together.They started with a proof of concept to evaluate the Dynamics 365 platform and their agile way of working.The customer had an application landscape including Dynamics 365, Azure, and on-premise systems.How a single productivity business goal supported the project's business case.Grappling with an agile approach and ultimately settling on a hybrid approach that involved lots of upfront requirements analysis and design (and the affects of this).The importance of both the product owner and the scrum master in an agile team.Using Azure DevOps to track requirements and realised the value in requirements traceability all the way from inception through to production releases.Configuring Azure DevOps with a custom work item template to make it easier to capture requirements.Challenges ensuring user stories were sufficiently detailed so that developers could understand them and how the team experience and tackled the challenge of requirements changing (or being clarified) mid sprint.The value that estimation techniques, like planning poker, can have on helping developers understand the requirements.Difficulties co-ordinating and communicating changes across multiple work streams so that everyone understands changes to processes, requirements, data models or APIS that might affect their work.How solution architects can play a role in communicating changes across work streams.Andrew's growing enthusiasm for change management, Prosci training and certification, and the positive impact that professional change management has on business application adoption.ResourcesDani Kahil on LinkedInDani Kahil's blogDani Kahil's Functional Consulting online training course - Requirements analysis for a successful project delivery for Dynamics 365 or the Power PlatformAndrew Bibby on LinkedInAndrew Bibby on TwitterProximo 3 websiteProsci change management trainingSupport the show (https://buymeacoffee.com/amazingapps)

#115. Angeliki Patsiavou is on a mission to help Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Platform application development teams introduce professional change managers to their projects from inception instead of deferring it until near the end.Angeliki is a senior consultant at Avanade, specialising in change management, and has a background as a change manager at HSBC and a digital marketer.Join us as we highlight her upcoming presentation at Scottish Summit, "The chicken-egg dilemma; should product development or change management come first in CRM systems?"Register today for Scottish Summit (655 tickets remaining).Connect with AngelikiAngeliki Patsiavou on LinkedIn Angeliki Patisavou on TwitterSupport the show (https://buymeacoffee.com/amazingapps)

#114. I'm joined by Microsoft MVPs Guro Faller and Tricia Sinclair. Guro and Tricia are presenting at Scottish Summit in Glasgow in June. Their presentation is "Personalize Your Customer Experience with Dynamics 365". It's going to be a showcase of the art of the possible with Dynamics 365 Marketing, Customer Insights, and Omni-channel for Customer Service. GuestsTricia Sinclair is a customer service lead at Avanade, and she's based in London in the UK.Tricia Sinclair on LinkedInTricia Sinclair on TwitterTricia's blog EverythingD365 on Azure DevOps and Dynamics 365Guro Faller is a solution lead in the digital marketing center of excellence also at Avanade, and she's based in Oslo, in Norway.Guro Faller on LinkedInResourcesRegister for Scottish Summit (only 685 tickets remaining)Register for Scottish Summit Pub Quiz on EventbriteMicrosoft Customer Experience Platform announcementCustomer Experience User GroupPower Platform SchoolSupport the show (https://buymeacoffee.com/amazingapps)

#113. Vivian Voss joins me to discuss her upcoming Scottish Summit session, From the Basement to the Cloud - Your Journey from CRM on-premises to Dynamics 365 CE.Register today for Scottish Summit.Congratulations to Yacob Shenkute from Power Platform School for achieving his Scrum.org PSM1 certification.ResourcesVivian Voss on LinkedIn Vivian Voss on TwitterVivian's blogCustomer Experience Platform user groupSupport the show (https://buymeacoffee.com/amazingapps)

#112. Dani Kahil interviews Paddy Byrne about the Power Platform's role in enabling Scotland's new recycling scheme for single-use drinking containers.Scots people are famous for being careful with their money so I imagine any program to pay them for recycling containers was always going to be a big hit.Learn about Paddy's Power Platform team:Meeting public-sector's accessibility and security requirements with a custom web portal rather than Power Apps Portals.Internal project team of a functional consultants, project manager/scrum master, and business analyst; and a client project team with an architect and testers.Challenges of using Scrum for the first time for two teams.How do you gather requirements for a brand new application with no users or processes?Dealing with the customer's hands-off product owner.Working to a fixed-date release determined by government legislation.Handling requirements written by people that don't have a lot of experience working with Power Platform applications.Using Miro to help refine the user stories and provide developers with visual understanding.Structuring requirements into epics, user stories and tasks in ad-hoc backlog refinement workshops.Testing within the sprint and releasing to a test environment for the internal portal development team to build on.Resolving schema changes during the development and managing the downstream impact on the portal developers.Fixing bugs in the application as they arrive in the product backlog.Creating FastTrack solution blueprints -- is it a good idea for small projects?Value of setting expectations early and building a high performing team as soon as possible using Tuckman's  forming-storming-norming-performing model of team development.Transparency and industry expertise of a passionate product owner.ResourcesDani Kahil on LinkedInDani Kahil's blogDani Kahil's Functional Consulting online training course - Requirements analysis for a successful project delivery for Dynamics 365 or the Power PlatformPaddy Byrne on LinkedInPaddy Byrne on TwitterPaddy Byrne's blogVirtual Power Group Scotland websiteSupport the show (https://buymeacoffee.com/amazingapps)

#111. Start here to learn why, when and how to use an agile approach to build Dynamics 365 and Power Platform applications.In this episode, you'll learn:Why I use an agile approach building Dynamics 365 and Power AppWhen an agile approach is suitable and when it's notThe benefits that Microsoft customers and partners experience using an agile approachWhat agile actually means, the history of agile software development, and the principles and values in the agile manifestoThe basics of the Scrum framework, and how to get certified in itFinally, some proven practices that I think that business apps teams need to learn to complement the Scrum framework to have wildly successful projectsTo learn more about adopting an agile approach, take my free Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Applications mini-course.If you're ready to learn Scrum, achieve your Scrum.org PSM1 certification and learn my proven practices for applying Scrum to Microsoft Business Apps projects, join my Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps online course.If you're a Microsoft partner applying Scrum to your projects and you're ready to win more agile projects, apply for my Winning Agile Projects masterclass.ResourcesThe Manifesto for Agile Software Development"The New, New Product Development Game", Harvard Business ReviewThe Scrum Guide 2020Professional Scrum Master 1 certification at Scrum.orgAgile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps free mini-course at Customery AcademyScrum for Microsoft Business Apps online course at Customery AcademyWinning Agile Projects masterclass at Customery AcademyCustomery Academy on YouTubeCustomery on LinkedInCustomery on TwitterAgile Apps user groupSupport the show (https://buymeacoffee.com/amazingapps)

#110.  My current team is stuck in Limbo. We've finished development of a Dynamics 365 application for a local government department and we're tapping our fingers waiting for acceptance testing to start. What should agile testing look like on a Dynamics 365 or Power Platform project? I describe my agile testing Heaven, and the next best thing, Elysium. And what it's like to be stuck in Limbo.What does testing look like on your business applications projects today?ResourcesAgile Testing | https://amzn.to/3rCzDEfMore Agile Testing | https://amzn.to/3gCBLFOContinuous Delivery | https://amzn.to/3JbHKO0Links to Amazon books are affiliate links for which I receive a small commission.Support the show (https://buymeacoffee.com/amazingapps)