Using Story Points to Estimate Power Platform and Dynamics 365 Apps

#82. Join me with Marc Schweigert, a  programme manager on the Power Customer Advisory Team at Microsoft as we talk about Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) approaches suited to novices and citizen developers through to professional developers. A healthy application lifecycle process is critical if you're going to build amazing, agile, Dynamics 365 and Power Apps platform applications. I think it's great that Microsoft is finally providing more prescriptive advice for how to achieve healthy ALM and providing tools to help us get there.Make sure you stick around until the end of this episode to find out how you can get access to the bonus episode with Neil Benson and Marc Schweigert's extended interview.Our discussion covers:How the Microsoft PoweCAT group fits in and helps customers.What is Microsoft's definition of application lifecycle management?The CoE Starter Kit  which helps people get from the beginning clean slate to a mature state with some level of build source control, build deployment and automationThe journey to get to a place to open-source the CoE starter kit.The new Power Apps ALM Accelerator for Advanced Makers.Whether ALM applies to practitioners executing a waterfall style project as much as it does an agile style.Training plans for the new ALM patterns and practices.If you'd like to hear that bonus extended interview, please make sure you subscribe to the Amazing Apps show in your podcast player and set it to download new episodes automatically.ResourcesMarc Schweigert on LinkedIndevkeydet (@devkeydet) on TwitterALM Patterns and Practices ALM Toolkit for MakersALM Accelerator for Advanced MakersScottish Summit: From Zero to ALM in DemosPowerCAT Live channel on YouTubeAmazing Applications podcast page on PodchaserScrum for Microsoft Business Apps online course at Customery AcademyAgile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps free online mini-course at Customery AcademySupport the showCONNECT🌏 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

19 Apr 202156min

#81. Gustaf Westerlund CIO and founder at CRM-Konsulterna asks, "How can we get customers to really understand that an agile approach is best for them?" Agile is built on trust. Trust that the developing partner will do their best. But if the customer has been burned many times before, this can be hard to gain. And half-hearted trust becomes half-hearted agile."I dive into the detail and expand on my top three tips:Know Scrum - get your business development team members trained as well as your delivery team because they’re the people your customers will meet first.Know Your Customer - if you can, find out their preconceptions and adjust your message either based on their predisposition or their roleKnow the Benefits - some of the benefits are better software, earlier value, higher ROI and shorter payback, higher user satisfaction, greater transparency, more efficient capital allocation, lower risk, more customer control over scope, more collaborative way of working and greater professional rewards. Cherry-pick whichever of those benefits you think will resonate with whoever you’re talking to. Resources:Gustaf Westerlund on LinkedInCRM-Konsulterna on LinkedInScrum.orgCustomery AcademyAmazing Applications podcast page on LinkedInAmazing Applications podcast page on PodchaserScrum for Microsoft Business Apps online course at Customery AcademyAgile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps free online mini-course at Customery AcademySupport the showCONNECT🌏 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

5 Apr 202119min

#80. Richard asks about working with user stories in a Dynamics 365 or Power Platform agile project.I'll spend this episode talking about user stories on Dynamics 365 and Power Platform projects and I’ll share three traps to avoid when working with user stories when building Power Platform and Dynamics 365 apps using Scrum.The first trap is the level of detail. The second trap is splitting and combining stories.The third trap is managing changes to the backlog of users stories.ResourcesUser Stories Applied: For Agile Software Development User Story Mapping: Discover the Whole Story, Build the Right Product Amazing Applications podcast page on LinkedInAmazing Applications podcast page on PodchaserScrum for Microsoft Business Apps online course at Customery AcademyAgile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps free online mini-course at Customery AcademySupport the showCONNECT🌏 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

29 Mars 202125min

#79. Bonus extended interview with CJ Brooks, a Fundraising and Engagement Architect at Mission CRM as we talk about how Mission CRM closed the doors on their consulting practice to focus on building the Mission CRM fundraising and engagement application for nonprofit organizations. In this bonus episode, CJ and I try to solve the Elon Musk problem in data verse. ResourcesCJ Brooks on LinkedInMISSION CRM on LinkedInMISSION websiteDemo: Dynamics 365 Fundraising & EngagementSupport the showCONNECT🌏 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

24 Mars 202116min

#78. Join me with CJ Brooks, a Fundraising and Engagement Architect at Mission CRM as we talk about how Mission CRM closed the doors on their consulting practice to focus on building the Mission CRM fundraising and engagement application for nonprofit organizations. Make sure you stick around until the end of this episode to find out how you can get access to the bonus episode with Neil Benson and CJ Brooks extended interview.Our discussion covers:How Mission CRM took a step back and pivoted to create an application.How Mission CRM adapted to Microsoft's not for profit accelerator soon after the release of their not for profit products.Striking the balance between agile software development and well structure dev ops.If you'd like to hear that bonus extended interview, please make sure you subscribe to the Amazing Apps show in your podcast player and set it to download new episodes automatically.ResourcesCJ Brooks on LinkedInMISSION CRM on LinkedInMISSION websiteDemo: Dynamics 365 Fundraising & EngagementSupport the showCONNECT🌏 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

22 Mars 202138min

#77. Bonus extended interview with Bert Wijns, a Global Solution Strategy Architect a Microsoft and co-founder of Power Accelerate as we talk about the tool he created which allows you to take a screenshot of a legacy application or database schema and have a Power App built in a few minutes with the legacy data migrated. Sound crazy? Listen on to hear more about Bert Wijns' Power Accelerate.ResourcesBert Wijns on LinkedInPower Accelerate on LinkedInPower Accelerate websitePower Apps Screenshot ModernizationPower Accelerate Intro Amazing Applications podcast page on LinkedInAmazing Applications podcast page on PodchaserScrum for Microsoft Business Apps online course at Customery AcademyAgile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps free online mini-course at Customery AcademyTranscript: AmazingApps26Bonus.wav transcribed by Sonix | Automatically convert audio and video to text | SonixSupport the showCONNECT🌏 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

17 Mars 202116min

#76. Join me with Bert Wijns, a Global Solution Strategy Architect a Microsoft and co-founder of Power Accelerate as we talk about the tool he created which allows you to take a screenshot of a legacy application or database schema and have a Power App built in a few minutes with the legacy data migrated. Sound crazy? Listen on to hear more about Bert Wijns' Power Accelerate.Make sure you stick around until the end of this episode to find out how you can get access to the bonus episode with Neil Benson and Bert Wijns'  extended interview.Our discussion covers:Being a Microsoft employee at the same time as starting another company.Alternative channels to screenshots that can be used as a starting point for the time-saving Power Accelerate process.Current size limitations of Power Accelerate and how they can be overcome.The roadmap from private preview to GA and beyond for Power Accelerate.If you'd like to hear that bonus extended interview, please make sure you subscribe to the Amazing Apps show in your podcast player and set it to download new episodes automatically.ResourcesBert Wijns on LinkedInPower Accelerate on LinkedInPower Accelerate websitePower Apps Screenshot ModernizationPower Accelerate Intro Amazing Applications podcast page on LinkedInAmazing Applications podcast page on PodchaserScrum for Microsoft Business Apps online course at Customery AcademyAgile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps free online mini-course at Customery AcademySupport the showCONNECT🌏 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

15 Mars 202139min

#75. Join me with Haniel Croitoru, Associate Director of Protiviti, a Technology Consulting solutions provider in Toronto, Canada.  Haniel shares a story about one of his power platform projects for a not-for-profit client and shares the lessons learned about multi-language deployments, implementation approach, executive sponsorship, and change in user adoption. Our discussion covers:The importance of strong project sponsorship in projects that drive a lot of organisational change.Refining knowledge gained on a project, writing about it, presenting it, clarifying it, and making it available for others via AppSource.Using common language analogies to explain SharePoint concepts and bring them to life.Easing the challenges of change management and adoption by supporting early adopters with the aim of smoother sailing as they become champions in the user community.Staggering rollouts instead of releasing them all at once to ease the stress for users who do not deal well with change.It was great to hear how he's designed a solution for multi-language, Power Apps user interfaces, his agile approach to building business applications, and how he addresses change management and user adoption in his projects.ResourcesHaniel Croitoru on LinkedInHaniel Croitoru on TwitterProtiviti on LinkedInThe United Church of CanadaMy online Scrum for Microsoft Business Applications training courseAppSourceAmazing Applications podcast page on LinkedInAmazing Applications podcast page on PodchaserScrum for Microsoft Business Apps online course at Customery AcademyAgile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps free online mini-course at Customery AcademySupport the showCONNECT🌏 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

8 Mars 202131min