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

#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 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

#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 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

#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 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

#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 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

#109. In this special episode, I'm interviewed by Dani Kahil about my experience delivering an enterprise CRM project at RACQ (the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland). RACQ is a membership organisation serving two million people in Queensland with roadside assistance, insurance and banking services. In 2018, they set out to replace two legacy systems with Dynamics 365 Customer Service and Apttus and I had the pleasure of leading their Dynamics 365 delivery team.ResourcesDani Kahil's websiteDani's course: Functional Consulting - requirements analysis for a successful project deliveryDani Kahil on LinkedInSupport 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

108. If you're considering starting a Dynamics 365 or Power Platform podcast in 2022, or just wonder what's involved in producing a podcast episode, join me for a behind the scenes look at my four step episode production process.If you have any questions about starting a business apps podcast, I'd love to do my best to help. Email me at [email protected]. ResourcesSome of these resources include affiliate links that could result in a commission paid to me so that I can blow off my consulting engagements and just podcast all day.PreparationAmazing Apps Ideas - my crowd-sourced content calendar for podcasts and videosCalendly - the scheduling service I use to schedule guest interviewsAmazing Apps Guest - my resource page for potential guests on the Amazing Apps podcastGlideGear telepromter - I upgraded from a Parrot teleprompter to GlideGear to hold a tabletPromptSmart Pro - voice-activated teleprompter software for iOS and AndroidRecordingSquadcast - for recording high-quality, lossless audio and video with remote guestsAudacity - free audio recording, editing and mastering software for Mac and WindowsRØDE Procaster - studio and broadcast quality, dynamic XLR microphoneRØDE PSA1 - study microphone boom arm that I also used for a video cameraRØDECaster Pro - audio production studio for remote and local podcast recording and mixingRØDE Lav+ - lavalier/lapel mic that I use when recording audio for video RØDE Wireless Go - wireless microphone system I use when recording audio for videoProductionDescript - all-in-one transcription, audio and video editing, mixing and mastering softwareAuphonic - automatic audio mastering serviceBuzzsprout - amazing podcast host for Amazing ApplicationsPodpage - amazing website host for Amazing ApplicationsRecommended resources for learning more about podcastingHow to start a podcast in 2022 - Pat Flynn on YouTubePower Up Podcasting - online course by Pat Flynn at SmartPassiveIncomeBest free podcast courses for 2022 - blog post by BuzzsproutBest podcast set ups for every budget - blog post by Support 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

#107. What would you do if you ran a Microsoft partner business and your customer wanted to stack your scrum their with their developers?This is the story of Selina who runs Gotham Heroes. Her customer, Bruce at Gotham Orphanages, wants Selina to include a couple of the orphanage's developers onto the team. But the developers don't have any experience with Dynamics 365 or Power Platform. And Selina's team are already a little behind schedule.Would you refuse and keep control of the team so that you can keep the project on schedule? Or would you adopt your customer's developers and run a blended team to keep your customer happy?Find out what I would do and what's holding us back from the option I recommend.Resources📺 Should Microsoft partners include customer developers in their teams? | Customery Academy on YouTubeSupport 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

#106. You and the Microsoft Business Apps product owner are on Teams going through the product backlog. You two are working on it together because that’s how it has always been done. And yet, when you look back at the last few sprints, you realize that is not getting the desired results. It’s not your fault; it’s a systemic problem. The problem is that it is incredibly common for only one stakeholder -- the product owner -- to be involved in backlog refinement, but the ideal would be if all the relevant people were there!If you've been asking yourself who else should be involved in backlog refinement, you’re in good company—most Dynamics 365 and Power Platform application teams need a little help to come up with the answer.ResourcesAmazing Apps show websiteAmazing Apps Show on LinkedInAmazing Apps Show on TwitterCustomery Academy websiteCustomery Academy on YouTubeAgile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps free online mini-courseSupport 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

#105. Dan Foster, a senior consultant and solutions architect at CRM Dynamics, asks, "Have you found much benefit from your being a scrum master? If so, how did you get that training?"I've taken the Scrum Alliance Certified ScrumMaster training and certification and the Scrum.org Professional Scrum Master training and certification. Find out which one I recommend for Dynamics 365 and Power Platform professionals and why.You'll also find a video accompanying this podcast episode on the Customery Academy YouTube channel.ResourcesDan Foster on LinkedInScrum Alliance Certified ScrumMaster trainingScrum.org Professional Scrum Master training (recommended)Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps course (with discount coupon YouTube20)Support 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

#104. Should we assign items to a developer during sprint planning?Some of my scrum teams building Dynamics 365 and Power Platform applications assign sprint backlog items to a named developer during the sprint planning event. Is that a good idea or not?That’s the question we’re going to be answering in this episode of Amazing Applications.Resources"The New New Product Development Game", Harvard Business ReviewAgile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps, 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

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.ResourcesSeth Kircher on LinkedInSuccess by Design Implementation GuideSuccess by Design on Microsoft DocsSuccess by Design on Microsoft LearnSuccess by Design recorded training workshopsRachel Profit's Success by Design Nuggets playlist on YouTubeSupport 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

#102. Bruce Sithole's team at 265 Mechanix built a Power Portal application for a business to business lender that earned some serious kudos for his customer. Find out how in this episode of Amazing Applications.We also cover:Starting your own Microsoft partner businessWhat is takes to achieve FastTrack Recognized Solution ArchitectWhich is better: FTRSA award or MVP award?Building amazing Power Power applicationsWhat night to release a new deploymentUsing feature flags in our applicationsWorking in hybrid teams: customer and partner togetherMicrosoft Australia traineeship programResourcesBruce Sithole on LinkedIn365 Mechanix on LinkedInFastTrack Recognized Solution Architects | Microsoft Dynamics 365FastTrack Recognized Solution Architects | Microsoft Power PlatformMicrosoft Traineeship ProgramSupport 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

#101. DynamicsCon starts next week. Lipi Sarkar is presenting two sessions at DynamicsCon and joins me to share the highlights from her presentations as well as her book, Build a Digital Future.ResourcesRegister for DynamicsConLipi Sarkar on LinkedInSamit Saini and Eric McKinney on LinkedInBuilding a Digital Future by Lipi Sarkar and Vinny (Amazing affiliate link)South Coast Summit conferenceScottish Summit conferenceSupport 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

#100. Are you looking for better ways to manage your Dynamics 365 and Power Platform requirements in Azure DevOps? Join me and Dani Kahil as we explore what it takes to master your requirements.Why use Azure DevOps to manage requirements?Structuring requirements into epics, features and user storiesUsing a definition of ready to manage your backlogIs requirements approval an anti-pattern?Using different types of items in Azure DevOpsChoosing an Azure DevOps process: Scrum or Agile?Adding attachments in DevOpsHandling sub-tasks and defectsHow much detail should a user story have?When is a user story too small?Who writes user stories in Dynamics 365 projects?ResourcesRegister for DynamicsCon and attend Dani's session, Best Practices to Manage D365 Requirements in Azure DevOps at 9am, US Eastern, on Monday 20 September 2021.Dani Kahil on LinkedInDani Kahil's blogSupport 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

#99. We all know that good form design is important especially when we're building model-driven Power Apps and Dynamics 365 apps. But what actually makes a good form design?Join me as Mary Ann Castro shares her secrets of effective form design from her upcoming presentation at DynamicsCon.ResourcesMary Ann Castro on LinkedInRegister for DynamicsConSpecial mention to Andrew Butenko, Amey Holden and Dian TaylorSupport 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

#98. Hey everyone, Dian Taylor is here! Dian is a two-time MVP and a director of pre-sales at RSM US. She's presenting, 'Getting Started with Power Virtual Agents' at DynamicsCon on 20 September. So I invited Dian onto the Amazing Apps show to tells us all about Power Virtual Agents and give us a sneak peek into her presentation.We discuss the summer weather in Florida and the easy life of pre-sales as well as some serious topics such as how amazing chatbots can provide an awesome customer experience while others want to make you throw your computer out the window.Discover why Dian thinks I should start my chats with "Hello, my sweet chatbot... 🥰"ResourcesDian Taylor on LinkedInD365Goddess on TwitterD365Goddess on YouTubeD365Goddess websiteRegister for DynamicsConRegister for Summit North AmericaSupport 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

#97. I share five reasons why I think you should avoid analysis in advance when you're building Dynamics 365 and Power Platform applications. My five top reasons:Peak ignorance. You're analyzing the requirements during the period when your stakeholders know least about Microsoft business applications and your analysts know least about their needs. Priority categorization. Your requirement specification doesn't order the requirements by business value. Over-engineering. Your requirements are likely to lead to over-engineered complexity and a rejected user experience.Wasted effort. You're spending time chasing the illusion of completeness and putting yourself at risk of a significant change that will derail your requirements specification. Opportunity cost. By deferring deployment you're deferring the benefits, and costing your organization money.ResourcesScrum.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

#96. I continue the deeper dive into the role of the Product Owner with advanced Product Owner questions. This episode covers:Can the product owner role be combined with scrum master or developer?Which product owner certification that I recommend?Making decisions about the product backlog,Whether the Product Owner needs to be technical,What's the difference between a product owner and a project manager?Whether the product owner has to accept the developers' increments in the sprint review? What does a typical sprint look like for a product owner?ResourcesBooks to support Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO) certification (Amazon affiliate links):The Professional Scrum Product Owner by Don McGreal and Ralph JochamProduct Mastery: From Good to Great Product Ownership by Geoff WattsAgile Product Management with Scrum by Roman PichlerCustomery 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

#95. I continue the deeper dive into the role of the Product Owner, who is responsible for maximizing the impact of the application that the scrum team is building. And I think our product owners in Power Platform and Dynamics 365 projects have a couple of twists compared to product owners on other scrum teams. This episode covers 10 myths about Product Owners. ResourcesCustomery 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

#94. I dive deeper into getting into the right mindset to build applications. In the last episode, we looked at ten potential candidates for the product owner role in our scrum teams building Power Platform and Dynamics 365 applications. In this episode, we're going to continue the product owner topic by helping the product owner set a product goal.This episode covers:The 2020 edition of the Scrum Guide's reference to Product Goals.Where Product Goals sit in the overall goal hierarchy.Bringing the Goal Hierarchy to life with an example from a Dynamics 365 or Power Platform project. How Product Goals and product backlogs are related.ResourcesHow to Lead in Product Management by Roman PichlerProduct Goals in Scrum | Roman PichlerProduct Goals in Scrum | Roman Pichler on YouTubeCustomery 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

#93. I dive deeper into getting into the right mindset to build applications, including using the Scrum agile approach.This episode covers:Why the Product Owner is the most critical role in the Scrum team.The accountability of the Product Owner.Which type of person within an organisation makes the best Product Owner.ResourcesProduct Mastery - from good to great product ownership, by Geoff WattsAgile Product Management with Scrum, by Roman PichlerProfessional Scrum Product Owner, by Don McGreal and Ralph JochamProfessional Scrum Product Owner training courses and the PSPO I certificationScrum.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

#92. Join me with Gail Mercer-MacKay, the founder and CEO of Mercer-MacKay. They have a unique position in the Microsoft ecosystem: they help Microsoft partners clarify their marketing message and produce compelling digital content that inspires Microsoft customers to take action. Our discussion covers:Why Mercer-MacKay decided to Deploy Microsoft business applications internally.Gail's perspective on choosing a Microsoft business applications partner.The process of building the Minimal Viable Product in just 8 weeks.Hurdles and roadblocks encountered during the development of the tool.ResourcesGail Mercer-MacKay on LinkedInMercer MacKay Solutions - Digital StorytellingDaXaiMicrosoft Partner of the Year AwardsGavriella Schuster on LinkedInStoryBrand bookStoryBrand trainingAmazing 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

#91. Join me with Reza Rad, the founder and CEO of RADACAD providing Power BI training and consultancy services to thousands of Microsoft customers and partners every year. Reza's list of achievements is pretty embarrassing. He's not just a 10 times Microsoft MVP. He's a Microsoft Regional Director. He's written over 15 books on data analytics, in addition to dozens of courses on RADACAD. He's been a speaker at dozens of industry conferences and used all of that experience to organize and host the Power BI summit for over 3000 people earlier this year, as well as the Difinity conference in New Zealand, SQL Saturday, New Zealand BI user groups, and the list goes on and on.Our discussion covers:The story behind Reza's successful training academy.The difference between the approach the Microsoft customer typically takes with a Dynamics 365 project and the approach they normally take with Power BI.Areas where Reza's Power BI customers typically run into trouble: architectural challenges as they scale up, and visualization challenges about representing their data in a truthful, insightful way.What's coming next for Power BI which is exciting Reza and the Power BI community.ResourcesReza Rad on LinkedIn Radacad on LinkedIn Radacad Online Academy Alberto Cairo Visualization Expert 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

#90. Join me with Stephen Handley,founder, CEO and chief architect at Fin365, an application development business serving financial services professionals in Australia. Fin365 was born out of need for better data management practice management platform that Stephen identified in his own financial planning business.Our discussion covers:How Stephen's background of being a software developer and a financial adviser could be the perfect blend of expertise for his application development business. What led to the choice of Microsoft Dynamics over Salesforce or Zoho or others?How a product from the heavily regulated Australian financial services industry can be adapted for other international markets and their regulations.What it is like selling a product to the financial industry which is under so much transformation.Advice to startups thinking about or who already started developing on the Microsoft Power Platform.ResourcesAmey Holden and Neil Benson Pimp LinkedIn profiles Stephen Handley on LinkedIn Fin365 on LinkedIn Fin365 website 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

#89. Join me with Mohammad Mohsin Khalid. And he's the founder, CEO and chief architect at Imperium Dynamics. He and his team built a Power Portal to support a million constituents booking their COVID test appointments, and they did it in less than 100 hours.Our discussion covers:The physical logistics of drive-up COVID testing for thousands of people.Why custom scheduling was used instead of the inbuilt scheduling functionality of the Dynamics Healthcare Accelerator on Power PlatformThe unique challenges faced when developing an application to be scalable for a million people to use.The kinds of building blocks available in the Healthcare Accelerator that can be used.Lessons learned from building an application in a very short timeframe. Resources Power Platform User Group Public PreviewPower BI User Group Public PreviewDynamics 365 User Group Public PreviewAgile Applications virtual user groupMohammad Mohsin Khalid on LinkedInRapid Digital Transformation Partner | Imperium DynamicsMicrosoft Cloud for Healthcare | MicrosoftFHIR [Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources]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

#88. Join me with Brendan Eger, an Associate Director of Information Systems and Analytics at Partners In Health in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Brendan's story is a fascinating journey of a small, bootstrapped team adopting the Power Platform.Our discussion covers:Knowledge sharing within teams - invest in team members in a semi-formal structured environment, sharing what they've just learned with their coworkers.Overcoming the end-user learning curve moving from Excel to Power BI.Why Partners in Health chose to invest in the Microsoft Power Platform.Unexpected benefits of the Finance team building their own app.The benefit of developing transferable skills during a relatively simple app build.Finding the balance between a small technical team and users who want to build their own apps.ResourcesBrendan Eger on LinkedInPartners In Health (pih.org)Dashboard in a Day (microsoft.com)App in a Day Event Web page (microsoftevents.com)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

#87. Join me with Mandar Zope, a principal consultant at Slalom Consulting from Seattle. Mandar has been busy building business applications that are being used by a hundred thousand users at a global oil and gas company.Our discussion covers:The user adoption approach used to train and communicate with thousands or tens of thousands of users at a time, using Power Apps.Building data import automation using Power Automate.Approaches to taking a big enterprise portfolio of applications and breaking them up.Working with design engineers from the very beginning of the project, so that they can create customer journeys.Increased frequency of builds so that QA can be performed in more frequent chunks.How to handle platform evolution during the lifecycle of the application development. ResourcesMandar Zope on LinkedinMandar Zope #ProCodeNoCodeUnite (@mzope) on TwitterSeattle Power Platform User Group (Seattle, WA) | MeetupAmazing 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

#86. Join me with Paul Heisterkamp, a Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations solution architect and developer at GWS in Germany. Paul shares with us his story of a multi-country Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations project for an international automotive parts supplier.Our discussion covers:Phasing long-term international enterprise projects.Adopting an agile approach to ERP.Dealing with the challenges of remote working.How they bet on the first version of Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations running in the cloud a couple of years ago, as well as upgrading every six months.Application life cycle management with Lifecycle Services and Azure DevOps and working with the Microsoft FastTrack team successfully. ResourcesPaul Heisterkamp on LinkedInPaul Heisterkamp on twitterGWS on LinkedInMicrosoft FastTrack Success By Design Implementation GuideSuccess By Design learning resources | Microsoft DocsFastTrack Recognized Solution Architect programPaul Heisterkamp Wordpress blogAmazing 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

#85. Join me with Julie Yack and Julian Sharp as we discuss my question, "Are Microsoft certifications causing projects to fail?" Julie Yack is a founder and the chief operations officer at Colorado Technology Consultants. She's an author, a trainer, a solution architect, and an MVP. Julian Sharp is the founder of Ready 365. He recently received an MVP award and is best known as a prolific Microsoft trainer. Over the past 10 or 15 or 20 years, he's trained thousands of people in Dynamics 365 and Power Platform technologies. The training and certification opportunities for everyone building Microsoft business applications have never been better. Our discussion covers:Whether the time spent on attaining and maintaining Microsoft business applications certifications, is crowding out the amount of time that people have for other types of learning needed to have successful projects.Where to start to embark on a certification refresh of your own resume.An overview of what is involved in making a certification from Microsoft's perspective.Why you need more than just Microsoft certifications to build amazing business applications.ResourcesJulie Yack on LinkedIn Julian Sharp on LinkedIn Microsoft Learn Scrum.org Professional Scrum Master PMI Project Management Professional Prosci Change Practitioner LinkedIn Learning Support 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

#84. Join me with Britt Damkjaer, customer excellence and change management coach and the founder of bd relations in Copenhagen, Denmark as we discuss change management and business applications and other insights from her experience as a product owner and coach. I like how Britt is expanding our minds to thinking not just about our users, but also our end customers and the impact that our business applications are going to have on the customer experience, too.Our discussion covers:The significance of the role of the Product Owner in Business Development projects.Why Britt wrote her book, "It's Our Customer".Change management approach for Agile projects compared to organizations that are taking a waterfall approach to projects.The three biggest lessons that Britt conveys in the book from her 20 years of experience.The biggest mistakes that Britt has seen from a change management perspective.ResourcesBritt Damkjaer on LinkedInIT'S OUR CUSTOMER book page on Britt's website with a preview of the bookRegister for Achieve Successful CRM webinarAmazing 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

#83. Bonus extended interview with Marc Schweigert, principal program 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. In this bonus extended interview, I ask Marc 10 rapid-fire "would you rather" questions:Drink Australian wine or Australian beer?Use Scrum or SureStep?Include comments in your code or write unambiguous code?Call it a table or an entity?Ship a managed or unmanaged solution into production?Offer users a Choices field or a Lookup?Automate something in a flow or a LogicApp?Have one instance per dev or a shared development instance?Use Azure DevOps or GitHub?Include a canvas app or a PCF control in a model-driven app?ResourcesMarc Schweigert on LinkedIndevkeydet (@devkeydet) on TwitterALM Patterns and PracticesALM Toolkit for MakersALM Toolkit 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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#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

#74. Join me with Vasco Duarte who runs Oikosofy a coaching company in Finland and is also behind the Scrum Master Toolbox podcast. Vasco is the author of a fascinating book, #NoEstimates. Vasco and I chat about the challenges of estimating complex business application software, particularly in the CRM and ERP domains, and how the No Estimates movement and the method covered in his book can help business applications teams construct collaborative contracts with their customers and never deliver late again. At the end of this podcast episode, I give details on how you can win one of 14 copies of Vasco's book, the No Estimates book.Our discussion coversThe #noestimates movement and how the approach addresses the frustration of unreliable and late delivery on software projects.Alternatives to traditional estimation methodologies.Using the Extreme Contracts approach to create a win-win situation between vendors and customers.Educating Product Owners who may have never been involved in software development.Blink estimates, or rethinking what is delivered in a sprint to deliver customer value as quickly as possible.The "Clinton process" Spike concept centred on solving a problem for the customer with the aim of delivering a solution in a very short time frame.ResourcesVasco Duarte on LinkedInNo Estimates book Scrum Master Toolbox PodcastExtreme Contracts - Jacopo RomeiAgile Estimating and Planning training Mike Cohn Maarten Dalmijn on Medium.comScrum Master Toolbox Product Owner e-course Neil Killick Blink Estimation The Clinton Process - Clinton Keith on “No estimates and set-based design” – Blog postRaphael Branger on LinkedIn Spike concept from extreme programming Kent Beck on LinkedIn 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

#73. Daryl LaBar and Jonas Rapp, co-hosts of the XrmToolCast join Neil Benson to answer the questions about how to document complex systems when asked to "devise a roadmap for migrating a Dynamics CRM 2013 and a CRM 2016 environment into a single Dynamics 365 online environment ."A documentation tools masterclass from two experts in the field who discuss what tools to use for on-premise implementations when Snapshot! for Dynamics 365 can’t be used.ResourcesDaryl LaBar on LinkedInJonas Rapp on LinkedInXrmToolCast PodcastSnapshot! for Dynamics 365XrmToolBox Plugin Registration ToolXrmToolBox Web Resource ToolXrmToolBox Attribute Usage InspectorXrmToolBox Metadata Document GeneratorUse Visual Studio Code to search for 'Xrm.'XrmToolBox Power Apps Solution Checker for XrmToolBoxEntity relationship diagram generation tool in Visio 2016 SDKXrmToolBox Entity Relationship Diagram GeneratorUML Diagram Generator for XrmToolBoxVisio Document GeneratorDiagrams.netServer Trigger Explorer from CDS.ToolsAmazing 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

#72. Michael Nunes asks, "When multiple systems are being delivered by different parties, I find that we have to design the details upfront, then use agile for the delivery of the Dynamics 365 systems. Is this your experience too?"Michael's question has two layers that we address in this episode: upfront design and team composition.Upfront design is based on three assumptions:We can know all the requirements upfront.We can design all the components upfront.There won't be any changes.We challenge those assumptions and investigate the drawbacks. Then describe an alternative approach: emergent design.Nexus is a scaled Scrum framework used when there are multiple Scrum teams working on a single application. We discover how to reconsider the composition of developers in our scrum teams when scaling beyond one team.ResourcesMichael Nunes on LinkedInThe Nexus Framework for Scaling Scrum (affiliate link)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

#71. Daniel Kerridge says, "I'm the only developer in my team so I just wondered if there's a special version of Scrum that works in that scenario."There are three sets of accountabilities in the scrum team: the product owner, the scrum master and developers. But how many developers do you need? In the previous version of the Scrum Guide, the recommended minimum number of developers to have a cross-functional team was three. But that minimum was removed from the 2020 Scrum Guide.Guy's & St. Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust ran a successful project to implement Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 using a tiny scrum team. Find out how in this episode.Plus three conditions to meet if you have a tiny scrum team.ResourcesDaniel Kerridge on LinkedInBen Knipp on LinkedInAmazing 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

#70. Dan Madden, a program manager at Acensus, asks, "What’s the best way to help bridge that gap between [IT and] the business and ultimately the end-users?"In this episode, you'll learn about the five characteristics of Dynamics 365 and Power Platform projects that have a close relationship between business and IT so that there's no gap in your business applications initiatives.Support 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

#69. In this episode, Andreas Dutz, Business Development Manager at HSO from Bavaria, Germany, asks, "Have you defined what agile means? Are your teams trained in the Agile Manifesto and are your teams applying it today?"The Manifesto for Agile Software development has some flaws you should be aware of. Instead of memorising it and applying it word for word, your teams should consider it and devise your own Manifesto for No-Code/Low-Code Application Development.ResourcesAndreas Dutz on LinkedInManifesto for Agile Software DevelopmentAmazing Applications on LinkedInLeave a question for Amazing ApplicationsSupport 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

#68. What does the structure of a scales business application project look like? What groups and roles do you need when you've got 50 or more team members working together for a year or more to build a large, complex application?In this episode, you'll learn about a model project structure so that you can compare it to yours or use it as a baseline when establishing your own enterprise project team.Resources6 Roles Every Enterprise Business Applications Project Should Have posterLarge-scale Scrum (affiliate link)Nexus Framework for Scaling Scrum (affiliate link)Scaling Done Right (affiliate link)Support 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

#67. In this Q&A episode, Stephen Price , Digital Solution Architect at ITK Consulting in Canada, asks, "How should we manage scope creep within a sprint in an agile project?"The scope of our product is defined by the product backlog, and the scope of our project is a subset of the product backlog. Both are managed by the product owner: the single person responsible and accountable for the product backlog. In my Dynamics 365 and Power Apps projects, the product owner also manages the project scope. Once you’ve set the sprint goal and agreed on the sprint backlog, what happens if someone needs to or wants to change the sprint backlog?Here are five occasions when my teams are asked to change to the sprint backlog:A critical new item is added to the product backlog. We learn something new about one of the items in our sprint backlog.An item in the current sprint fails an acceptance test.We’ve got less (or more) capacity than we expected at the beginning of the sprint.The product owner has changed her priorities.Congratulations to Gavin Embley, another recent Customery Academy student who recently achieved his Scrum.org Professional Scrum Master I certification. You can join Gavin and get started with my Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps free mini-course where you'll learn the basics and benefits of taking an agile approach to building amazing, agile Dynamics 365 and Power Platform applications.Support 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

#66. Matt Venamore, scrum master at RACQ, asks about how to handle data migration on agile Dynamics 365 projects.My recommended approach is for the data migration team to conduct a proof-of-concept or prototyping exercise (just like many business apps teams do) to uncover challenges, test their assumptions and learn as much as possible about the data.Then work closely with the business applications team to iteratively and incrementally prepare the data and the migration procedures. ResourcesSnapshot! for Dynamics CRM/365XrmToolBox: ERD Visio BuilderSupport 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

#65. Neil discusses the five most important changes in Scrum Guide 2020 for Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 teams:It's less strict and less about softwareOne team (except when there're multiple teams)Commitments clarified - the Product GoalNo more rolesIncrementsCustomery Academy's course, Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps, will be updated in time for the new Scrum.org Professional Scrum Master certification assessment on 9 January. You can get $100 off if you join before 31 December using coupon code: 93G7PCAH.What do you think of the 2020 Scrum Guide? Which changes do you think will have the most impact on Power Platform and Dynamics 365 teams? Visit the Amazing Applications page on LinkedIn, and let me know in the comments for this episode.Resources2020 Scrum GuideScrum for Microsoft Business Apps with $100 discount couponAmazing Applications page on LinkedInSupport 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

#64. Carolle Bruce, Director of Information Technology at Avcorp Industries in Vancouver, asks, "What's the best argument for when senior management says, 'All this agile stuff is great but I don't see why you'd have a scrum master on your project when you could have an agile PM instead.'?"There are some important differences between the role and responsibilities of a project manager and a scrum master. But in Scrum, the role that is closest to the role of a project manager in a traditional project is not the scrum master but the product owner.Listen in to find out more about the similarities and differences.ResourcesFree mini-course: Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business AppsSend your question to the Amazing Apps show: Send a VoicemailSupport 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