EP 128: @ESPC with CoreView: The view improves when clouds collide

Coming to you live from the beach in Barcelona, Steve and Marijn are trying to wrap their heads around first principle thinking. They talk about Primero Principios (PP) and the cause and effect reasoning to get to the core beliefs about a product. Of course Marijn is trying to overcomplicate things.

24 Feb 202211min

The first step is to define the migration strategy that ensures you have the User Story associated with the content, locations, and final resting places so that everyone understands the plan that will take several months.Marijn points out that not migration is a migrating strategy and one to consider, although not migration leads to come complexity on the roadmap.Stave points out that the tools are not about Migration, and they agree the scope is about moving active content from the old technology and location into the new Cloud-based storage toolsMigration strategy has at one end just a Lift and Shift scenario, so the data stays in the same structure but in a new location.  At the other end of the scale, is to move the content and add it to a fully configured Managed Content architecture built on SharePoint, MS Teams, OneDrive as example locations.Plans and communications are a key aspect of the planning… plan and communicate it well.In simple terms, we decide to Move this document from here to there.  Then the complications start where these questions need to be answeredDo the users know where the documents will be placed?How do they share contact after the migration?What files will cause issues, Macros, file links, OneNote filesWhich options the have least risksIS the definition of s simple migration just getting the users to move it themselves??Often the migration strategy starts with ‘Who is going to migrate the content’ Once it was agreed that the podcast is about their experience then users cannot lead on M365 but should provide some great user stories.The Project Team define the Migration strategyEvery organisation will require different aspects of the migration strategyStart thinking about Migration strategy at the same time as you plan how your tenant will be structureDo users follow or stay with the content, even if you roll out SPO and MS teams will users start using them if the content is not migrated.Marijn and Steve work differently around migration and adoption and they work out how many ways are there of making tenants work across the enterprise.Migration is about archive because the average document is only receiving focus for 3 months and we need a migration strategy that can deliver now.Steve disagrees with Marijn’s approach to migration which makes for interesting conversations for 2 guys standing at a bar talking crap!!Before drinking a wonderful Japanese 12-year-old whisky the boys quote Charig Patel whose statement suggested that you Know-Your-Data (content) is very profound to know what content will add value after the migration.Finally, after trying to close the conversation with a quick comment from Nikki Chapple who identified the need to de-duplicate the content before migration.  Steve Points out that defining the conditions against which you judge duplicate data is difficult

19 Feb 20221h 9min

Starting with a conversation about music and movies Marijn and Steve suddenly realise that it is supposed to be a technical podcast with a dose of whisky… not film music.As they realise this and move across to the podcast subject of looking at the Back-to-Basics of data in SharePoint online.Steve pushes listeners to think about how they process data and make it available as data.From a Change and Adoption basis, we teach how to manage documents when we need to decide on the form that the data is stored before just falling into the habit of using excelThe Value of the data we can use every day is reduced greatly when it is stored (and lost!!) in an application like Excel.Statistics around which applications focus on document and which focus on data was taken and it was roughly equal.  But we do not teach and explain the management of information and knowledge in the same proportion.We wonder how much data is lost inside the documents we plan on migrating or the documents we are creating and uploading to SharePoint.Going back to basics for lists means looking to keep your data in data format whilst working out how you can publish it as a port and document.The boys realise that they also need to change and focus more on lists and only on documents when it makes sense.  Preparing for the future use of the data will become a value in the future.New Microsoft tools mean that you can present list data as Panels and great page data. The famous whiteboard gets a Name:  PATTI which gets very rude very quickly, so the boys decide on PADDI as it holds pads of paper.  It now delivers more structured divergenceA warning is discussed that whilst there is the value of thinking about content data, over content documents, simply because lists are more granular.Steve surmises down the rabbit hole about creating virtual contracts creating from a bunch of re-usable items which are in fact data defining another blurred line between documents and data.  “It’s a good job nobody else can here this great idea” To sum up - Don’t just focus on the content separate the data at the source, beware of the rabbit hole because more decisions are needed around access control.  PowerApps and Power BI are a tool that can turn around your company’s perspective on their content.Steve and Marijn consider how much knowledge is lost when Data is stored inside content.0The boys drink Deanston Virgin Oak whisky which is one of the boy’s favourite distilleries featured on their Whisky@ease channel on YouTube.   No-fuss just great whisky is a great description of the Deanston product.The round-up at the end of the podcast brings out the key thoughts that generate a few thoughts about how to approach the overall contract and data strategy across the change and adoption plans.

13 Feb 20221h

Steve is not confused by his dyslexia of saying this is episode 67 at all, it might be down to the Uncle Nearest the boys shared as a winter warmer after coming in from the cold.All this before talking about M365 Chicago, mentioning Commsverse  https://www.commsverse.com/ again in June same place, and Steve and Marijn turn up on a few of the social photos on the web site.Steve tries to explain to Marijn why his view on Internet is a little screwed and has changed over the years and yes Steve gets difficult (surprise surprise) trying to drill down on the importance of the Intranet and why relevance is so important as a solid source of truth.Content architecture becomes a key part of the Intranet scope so that relevant information is delivered to the right people.  A key decision is needed to decide if Content is pushed or pulled but only if after you have defined the company content architecture.Its important to ensure that you have a great content taxonomy of content so that what arrives is relevant to the user viewing the page… One page about health and safety but it delivers the relevant H&S rule based on where I work and what I do.  A user should not have to search for a specific Safety information sheet when the Intranet knows what I do and where I work.Marijn brings back the model for content management as A, B C and now adds D.  in a model that looked like a Whisky StillScope of an Intranet is defined without reference to internal communications.A new approach to publishing is required and audiences are well defined to cover languages and culture.The Intranet is about content driven by a growing number of technologies that create the Intranet and can simplify access to relevant content based on the role and location of the user.The mechanics of an Internet are briefly discussed on how easy it is put together a Hub sites and a few connected sites.  But the real work is about ensuring the right people see the most relevant information.Yammer gets a good mention because of its ability to provide funnels of information well deliveredFinally, the boys return to Goa. This time a none-peated version from John-Paul.  Finally Steve and Marijn touch on Push and pull of information through the Intranet.

23 Jan 20221h 8min

Marijn and Steve fail miserably to define content types with a complex 'deep' example first time around but eventually Steve talks about his favourite subject ‘naked Chocolate’ and once you hear this you get a simple definition about what a content type is.The basics are covered to talk about re-usable metadata and then move across to the value of being able to identify specific content across large number of sites.  Steve gets pedantic (surprise surprise) about how CT’s are synchronized and copied as a separate object with a link and the value of this in search.Emphasis is placed on the importance of planning content types as an architecture as part of the information architecture across the enterprise.  Marijn asks a question about how the hierarchy of content types work and when should a content type be created as a new top level or latch into an existing structure.Marijn starts to take on the role of question master to add some structure to the review of Content types to ensure the right information is available.Content types are going through a re-birth like classic pages when to Modern pages.  This means that some of the existing functionality is removed whilst the rebirth of the concept is modernised.The boys taste a South African whisky created from Corn that surprising enough they like and enjoy.

8 Jan 20221h 10min

Marijn and Steve open their Christmas presents from Microsoft and peek of what’s cool and what’s cooler.  They touch on the complexity of collaboration, the growth of Adoption and the fact that Compliance is the ugly Christmas sweater that is a little nerdy and growing more complex.  Marijn talks about Socks and Beanies with fairy dust on as he talks about the gift if the Microsoft List before discussing if he would walk around with a Scrotum beanie label on his head.  Conclusion is that Lists are cool and going to sub-zero levels of coolness.Then Big Peat makes us both smile with a Kick in the balls!!  Finally, Steve must be told by Marijn to stop because this podcast can go on and on so don’t stop at the Whisky some cool stuff at the end you do not want to miss… so many cool presents.Steve and Marijn open their Christmas presents for 2021Is MS Teams trying to do too much, its more navigate than content… the one App to rule them all.Marijn has a new consultant tag line “Its manageable” Is Loop the answer to the complexity of MS teams UI trying to get you to everything…Steve decides that his new 2022 Lego characters will be the personas for the 2022 adoption program.Compliance gets a good going over with Steve talking about Auto-Auto-Auto equals expensive and more expensive but cool, very very cool… and complex so work for consultants well into the 2020’sWe had to feel the pain of going through Microsoft strategy of the modern pages, libraries and lists to get to a point where Microsoft can now bring out rapid functionality development on Forms, Lists, Power Platform etc.Stream for SPO must be the present you save until last because you have more to gain from it.  Video still needs to become a medium that the average Joe uses every day.  But the new functionality coming out like comments live in the video, and transcripts are back after missing for some time.Steve sent the last podcast through the transcript service and Marijn gets transcribed as Moron 😊 At the final present on Stream, Steve adds in some pixie dust and starts to imagine some of the cool stuff Microsoft could do which includes auto editing a 30-minute meeting to a 5-minute video and including the emotive expressions to identify the important items or the heavily discussed items in the meeting.Finally Big Peat is tasted, and the boys conclude about how big and complex M365 is becoming and almost impossible to track and be the expert on everything.

24 Dec 20211h 19min

Marijn goes Retro in this podcast (quoting Steamy Windows & Mrs Robinson) around how to Iteratively Evolve your M365 installation for the business.  Steve #ScrewsUp and tells you a story to help you not do the same and then introduces the concept ‘Plan to Evolve’.  This is a process for constant growth and improvement across the business and organisation for M365.Bringing together Baseline Governance and Plan to Evolve will put in place your rise to Rockstar status in your Microsoft 365 project regardless of where you are in your Collaboration journey.Plan to Evolve supports the adoption programs through the process for quarterly planning and cutting up the strategy for delivery.  All this driven growth and development makes you a rock star in your business because you have direction that is well communicated and planned.After a very different Rye whisky from The oxford Artisan Distillery Marijn brings the planning process together and points out the new evolution items like Microsoft LOOP.

12 Dec 20211h 4min

There is a new MOCA 2.0 framework from Microsoft and Marijn thinks we should do a re-visit.  Steve thinks he is right because there are hidden depths that folks need to be aware of. This new Adoption toolset is at the next level building perfectly on the first release.EP72 is really Steve and Marijn standing at the bar and shooting the breeze.  With lots of diversions and bar level humor (you have been warned) Steve identifies the subtle levels of change in the MOCA framework that takes it over and above a framework of telling you which tools should be used for what. Today MOCA is more aligned to corporate objectives and business value items allowing you to think about the work completed by the business and identifying the Microsoft 365 tools that can deliver value to the community of workers.The Boys touch on the framework but also the purpose of Persona used by many to identify the scope of a Microsoft 365 roll out. But Steve expands on this adding in the dimension of Process alongside the Personas. After all we are reminded that everyone in the company works within a set of processes, regardless of the role they perform.

28 Nov 20211h 9min