Explore every episode of the podcast Amazing Apps - learn how to build agile Dynamics 365 and Power Platform business apps using Scrum
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Inevitable Underestimation of Power Platform Projects | 21 Jun 2025 | 00:07:33 | |
#161. Whether youβre an internal developer working for a Microsoft customer or a consultant working for a Microsoft partner: every Power Platform or Dynamics 365 project you have ever worked on has been underestimated. Because no one wins overestimated projects... Mentioned in this episode: Estimating Business Apps: EOFY25 offer My Estimating Business Apps course will help you up level up your agile practice and answer those two frequent questions: 'How long is it going to take?' and 'How much is it going to cost?'. Normally priced at U$199, itβs designed to give you full confidence when scoping and sizing Dynamics 365 and Power Platform work. Estimating Business Apps is just U$50 if you go Pro before 30 June 2025. Thatβs a $149 saving to help you finish the (Australian financial) year stronger β and smarter. Donβt miss your chance to master the complete estimation process and quote your work like a pro. | |||
| Preparing for the First Sprint: Design Thinking and Discovery with Hamish Sheild | 10 Mar 2025 | 00:40:39 | |
#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 setting 08:45 Inclusion of developers in the discovery phase 09:48 Importance of day in the life sessions 11:59 Exploration of design sprints 17:10 Creating customer and user journey maps 18:48 Utilizing user story maps for clarity 24:21 The role of prototyping in projects 25:11 Developing solution blueprints with Dynamics 365 30:18 Size and refinement of initial product backlog 32:02 Establishing environments 32:48 Business process maps 35:35 Crafting stakeholder maps for project success HAMISH SHEILD RESOURCES
RECOMMENDED EPISODES π LET'S CONNECT π Subscribe to Customery Academy newsletter for new episode announcements and special offers π₯ Subscribe on YouTube π¦ Follow on LinkedIn β RATE AND REVIEW THE SHOW π Rate Amazing Apps π¨βπ» MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps | |||
| Here's when to use a waterfall approach with Power Platform | 07 Feb 2025 | 00:11:54 | |
#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 approach 02:53 #1 Predictable and well-defined requirements 04:19 #2 Regulated industries 05:49 #3 Fixed-price contracts 06:59 #4 Small or simple projects 08:02 #5 No agile experience 08:59 #6 Lots of dependencies 10:09 Recap ` Resources
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| What is Scrum and why should Power Platform teams care? | 01 Jan 2025 | 00:06:00 | |
#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:
π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps: Learn the basics and benefits about adopting agile approach to building business applications. https://customery.com/foundations | |||
| Are Scrum Masters Overrated? | 02 Dec 2024 | 00:08:21 | |
#157. Rethink the role of the scrum master. Two recent eventsβa thought-provoking article by agile coach Maarten Dalmijn and a leave of absence by Matthew, a beloved scrum master in my teamβprompted 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 experimentβreplacing 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 π§ͺ -Neil RESOURCES | |||
| Improving Your Scrum Practice - Mastering Professional Scrum - chapter 1 | 04 Aug 2024 | 00:32:48 | |
#156. Drawing on the book "Mastering Professional Scrum" by Stephanie Ockerman and Simon Reindl, I outline critical areas for team success, such as creating valuable products and understanding organizational influences. I emphasize five core capabilities needed for continuous improvement: teaching, facilitation, coaching, technical excellence, and servant leadership. I discuss the continuous improvement process recommended by Ockerman and Reindl, which includes self-assessment questionnaires and root cause analysis to address team issues. I highlight the importance of the Scrum pillarsβtransparency, inspection, and adaptationβand 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, I underscore the significance of being cross-functional, self-managing, and collaborative. I touch 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. You'll also learn about common challenges, such as the absence of key roles during refinement sessions, and recommends using the Five Whys technique to tackle root causes. I provide practical tips like conducting multiple short refinement sessions to prevent release delays. RESOURCES
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| Do We Need to Rethink How We Build Power Platform and Dynamics 365 Apps? | 14 Apr 2024 | 00:08:27 | |
#155. Explore the importance of rethinking our approach to building business applications. Discover the benefits of questioning our assumptions and adapting to new information in the dynamic landscape of app development.
Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil RESOURCES
Subscribe to my new Estimating Business Apps podcast mini-series Estimating 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 | |||
| The Power of Learning Through Experiments in Power Apps Development | 26 Feb 2024 | 00:13:16 | |
#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 Scrum Join 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,Β have more fun, and get promoted. https://customery.com/3secrets Mentioned in this episode: Subscribe to my new Estimating Business Apps podcast mini-series Estimating 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 | |||
| Should .NET Developers Stick or Switch to Power Platform? | 08 Jan 2024 | 00:29:00 | |
#153.Β Keith Atherton is 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.
Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil Keith Atherton
Resources
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Mentioned in this episode: Subscribe to my new Estimating Business Apps podcast mini-series Estimating 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 | |||
| Unpacking User Stories and Backlog Refinement with Dani Kahil | 06 Nov 2023 | 00:49:00 | |
#152.Β 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.com Kahil Consulting: https://kahilconsulting.com/ CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil Mentioned in this episode: Subscribe to my new Estimating Business Apps podcast mini-series Estimating 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 | |||
| Super CRM: a case study | 02 Oct 2023 | 00:20:02 | |
#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! CONNECT Mentioned in this episode: Subscribe to my new Estimating Business Apps podcast mini-series Estimating 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 | |||
| A Big Bang? Going Live with Dynamics 365 or Power Platform with Andrew Bibby | 19 Sep 2023 | 00:45:40 | |
#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!
TIMESTAMPS CONNECT Mentioned in this episode: Subscribe to my new Estimating Business Apps podcast mini-series Estimating 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 | |||
| Breaking Free from the Tyranny of the Deliverable with Andrew Welch | 06 Sep 2023 | 00:25:55 | |
#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! TIMESTAMPS 02:09 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. RESOURCES Andrew Welch on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewdwelch Andrew's blog: CloudLight.House: https://CloudLight.house Dynamics 365 and Power Platform UK User Groups: https://d365ppug.com Nordic Summit, 23 September 2023: https://nordicsummit.info Forceworks Services-as-a-Subscription: https://forceworks.com/the-works-from-forceworks CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Amazing CRM & ERP Apps in Manufacturing with Shawn Tabor | 21 Aug 2023 | 00:32:35 | |
#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. Β Timestamps 05:40 Improving customer experience for manufacturers Β RESOURCES
Support the show CONNECT Mentioned in this episode: Subscribe to my new Estimating Business Apps podcast mini-series Estimating 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 | |||
| Power Platform pipelines or Azure DevOps pipelines for ALM? with Benedikt Bergmann | 21 Aug 2023 | 00:33:59 | |
#147. When should you use Power Platform pipelines and when should you use Azure DevOps pipelines to deploy your Power Platform or Dynamics 365 applications? That's the question that Benedikt Bergmann answers in this episode of Amazing Apps. Benedikt is a Power Platform consultant known for his expertise in Application Lifecycle Management (ALM). Neil and Benedikt delve into the world of ALM, discussing its importance for small and enterprise teams alike. From tools and environments to testing and components outside of solutions. Whether you're a low code app builder or part of a large development team, this episode has something for everyone. Join us as we explore the intricacies of ALM and discover how to deploy and maintain applications in a secure, efficient, and repeatable manner. Register for Benedikt's ALM Training Course Resources Overview of Power Platform pipelines More power with pipelines in Power Platform Power Platform server on Discord Connect with Benedikt CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Can you really gain competitive advantage with Dynamics 365? with Martin Hinshelwood | 01 Aug 2023 | 00:42:12 | |
#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! 02:46 The importance of unique capabilities in a competitive market Β RESOURCES
Support the show CONNECT | |||
| Chris Huntingford Doesn't Believe in Citizen Developers | 19 Jul 2023 | 00:38:38 | |
#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! RESOURCES
Support the show CONNECT | |||
| Joining an existing team as a new scrum master with Matthew Venamore | 05 Jul 2023 | 00:36:38 | |
#144.Β 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. CONNECT | |||
| Who do we need in our Business Apps team? | 23 Jun 2023 | 00:23:21 | |
#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. CONNECT | |||
| Smaller Teams, Bigger Wins: how to split your enterprise apps teams | 02 Jun 2023 | 00:13:02 | |
#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. Resources Timestamps (02:52) Large team split into component-based teams for Scrum framework.Β (04:49) Organizing teams by component creates interdependencies and hinders productivity; a better approach is having a team with all the necessary skills.Β (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.Β (11:16) Amazing Apps Retrospective: behind the scenes. CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Architects in a Scrum Teams with Allan de Castro | 19 May 2023 | 00:37:10 | |
#141. In this episode of Amazing Apps, podcast host Neil Benson is joined by Allan de Castro, a senior technical consultant for the Power Platform at Avanade France. They discuss their experience applying Scrum to recent projects, including the role of an architect in the Scrum framework. The episode covers key challenges such as the importance of ensuring clarity in the backlog, prioritization of sprints, and addressing technical requirements while focusing on business and added value.Β [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.Β [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. CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Running experiments to build Dynamics 365 and Power Platform apps | 27 Apr 2023 | 00:18:38 | |
#140. Today, itβs just me, and Iβd like to discuss what EMPIRICISM means to teams building complex, enterprise Dynamics 365 and Power Platform applications. In this episode, Iβll 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
RESOURCES
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Agile Testing for Dynamics 365 with Emma Beckett | 29 Mar 2023 | 00:40:27 | |
#139. Todayβs 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 β hardware, not software! As youβll 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] Emmaβs 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 Emmaβs consultancy has worked on [34:22] Emma talks about her recently launched podcast RESOURCES
ο»ΏCONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Deep Dive into Dynamics 365 Marketing with Malin Martnes | 21 Mar 2023 | 00:54:01 | |
#138. Our guest today is Malin Martnes, a Microsoft MVP and MCT who runs her own company MaCoTra AS in Oslo, Norway. As youβll hear, Malin doesnβt 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.Β Β 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. Β Show Highlights
Β Resources
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| What's Next for Customery Academy? | 22 Feb 2023 | 00:15:29 | |
#137. Customery Academy is the online business through which Amazing Apps host, Neil Benson, trains and coaches Microsoft customers and partners to build amazing, agile business applications. In this episode, Neil shares a short history of Customery Academy, where it's at today, and its 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 his son's detective work. RESOURCES
People mentioned | |||
| Professional Scrum and DevOps with Richard Hundhausen | 15 Feb 2023 | 00:52:15 | |
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 youβll hear, Richard doesnβt have a background in Dynamics 365 or Power Platform, but heβs 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 whatβs next with Scrum. Show Highlights
Resources
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| I'm Beginning to Hate Scrum | 08 Feb 2023 | 00:11:24 | |
#135. Remy is starting to hate Scrum. He thinks we should use Kanban. And get rid of Product Owners.
Support the show CONNECT | |||
| Is Power Fx really low code? with Rishona Elijah | 31 Jan 2023 | 00:31:16 | |
#134. Rishona Elijah is a Microsoft MVP 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.Β Rishona also talks about whether Power Fx is really part of a low-code platform and new features from Microsoftβs acquisition of Nuance that are being incorporated into Power Platform. Show Highlights
Β Resources
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Power Platform Governance Possibilities with Michael Roth | 04 Jan 2023 | 00:41:32 | |
#133. Todayβs 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 donβt consider governance, what he would like to see Microsoft improve, and more. Show Highlights
Resources
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Using Figma to design business apps with Andrew Ly | 13 Dec 2022 | 00:49:26 | |
132. Todayβs 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
Resources
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Deploying Dynamics 365 Field Service with Magnus SΓΈrensen | 24 Nov 2022 | 00:37:52 | |
#131. Todayβs guest is Magnus Gether SΓΈrensen, a Dynamics 365 Field Service expert at Delegate in Denmark.Β Β 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 whatβs new and next for Field Service and gives a few tips for teams implementing the application. Β Episode Highlights
Β Resources
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Sprint 1 is done! | 19 Oct 2022 | 00:15:19 | |
#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: Upcoming online conferences I'm presenting at:
Learn how to qualify, pitch, propose and close more agile projects: Tools we're using in sprint one:
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Estimating Requirements for Your Microsoft Business App | 27 Sep 2022 | 00:17:02 | |
#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:
This 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. CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Using Story Points to Estimate Power Platform and Dynamics 365 Apps | 14 Sep 2022 | 00:12:01 | |
#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.Β You'll also learn:
This 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. CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Why Estimate Business Apps At All? | 25 Aug 2022 | 00:20:10 | |
#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.Β Find out how I approach estimation:
This episode is the first of three episodes taken from my new course: Estimating Business Applications. You can join for free today and get access to the first three sections containing 17 video lessons and 3 quizzes to test your understanding. CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Advanced Estimating Q&A | 15 Aug 2022 | 00:13:07 | |
#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.
Resources
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| EY's PowerPost reduces lead times by 95% | 12 Aug 2022 | 00:22:43 | |
#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.Β
Resources
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Documenting Power Platform Applications | 29 Jul 2022 | 00:10:30 | |
#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. RESOURCES
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Sprint Goals for Microsoft Business Apps | 21 Jul 2022 | 00:12:47 | |
#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.
What sprint goal is your team working on? Let me know on LinkedIn. Support the showCONNECT | |||
| Can You Build Power Apps Without a Product Owner? | 04 Jul 2022 | 00:08:07 | |
#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.Β CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Power Platform governance at a global scale with Rene Modery | 17 Jun 2022 | 00:36:45 | |
#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.Β
Resources
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Defining Requirements for Complex Power Apps with Hamish Sheild | 07 Jun 2022 | 00:34:09 | |
#120. Hamish Sheild describes his five step Solution Mapping framework for using design thinking principles to define the requirements for complex Power Apps.
Resources
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Is Pre-Sales the Key to Power Platform Success? with Craig McGeough | 29 May 2022 | 00:43:54 | |
#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.
RESOURCES
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ | |||
| Power Pages and Beyond! with Ulrikke Akerbæk | 19 May 2022 | 00:23:18 | |
#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. RESOURCES
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Answer These Five Questions Before You Build Anything with Chike Eduputa | 12 May 2022 | 00:23:41 | |
#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. RESOURCES CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Six challenges of enterprise Dynamics 365 projects with Andrew Bibby and Dani Kahil | 03 May 2022 | 00:48:48 | |
#116. Dani Kahil interviews Andrew Bibby about a pivotal, multi-year Dynamics 365 business transformation project in financial services.Β 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:
RESOURCES
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile... | |||
| Application Eggs and Change Chickens with Angeliki Patsiavou | 25 Apr 2022 | 00:23:10 | |
#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?" RESOURCES
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Personalise Your Customer Experience with Dynamics 365 with Guro Faller and Tricia Sinclair | 11 Apr 2022 | 00:22:00 | |
#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. Guests Tricia Sinclair is a customer service lead at Avanade, and she's based in London in the UK.
Guro Faller is a solution lead in the digital marketing center of excellence also at Avanade, and she's based in Oslo, in Norway. Resources
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| From the Basement to the Cloud with Vivian Voss | 04 Apr 2022 | 00:23:48 | |
#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. Resources CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep experimenting π§ͺ -Neil | |||
| Power Platform at the Heart of Scotlandβs New Recycling Scheme | 28 Mar 2022 | 00:38:01 | |
#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:
Resources
CONNECT π Amazing Apps website MY ONLINE COURSES π Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps π Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps Keep... | |||