The Microsoft Technology Centre Process - Accelerating and De-Risking Technology Adoption

Dave Brown, Microsoft Technology Centre Architect

Microsoft Technology Centre Video

http://www.microsoft.com/mtc

Introduction to the Microsoft Technology Centre

“Microsoft Technology Centres provide an ideal environment to envision, architect, and demonstrate customised solutions.”

• Locations• United States – Austin, Boston, Chicago, Reston, Silicon Valley

• Worldwide – Bangalore, Beijing, Copenhagen, Dubai, Munich, Paris, Taipei, Thames Valley (UK)

• Methodology• Developed over time to a re-usable process for de-risking technology

adoption

Repeatable Process Offerings

• Strategy Briefing• 1 day

• Targeted demonstrations

• Architecture Design Session• 2-3 days

• In-depth envisioning, design and planning

• Proof of Concept• 2-3 weeks

• Development and demonstration

• Productivity• Last financial year, The Microsoft Technology Centre Thames Valley

completed 164 Strategy Briefings, 50 Architecture Design Sessions, and 45 Proof of Concepts

Team Structure

• Management• Opportunity qualification

• Engagement process

• Partner & industry relationships

• Architects• Broad knowledge of products and technologies

• Architectural & strategic business skills

• Customer-facing role

• Technology Experts (Virtual Team)

• Lab Engineers• Client and server builds

• Networking

• Briefing Coordinator• Logistics

The Facilities

• Architecture Design Session Room• Meeting configuration

• Whiteboards

• Proof of Concept Room• Lab configuration

• Whiteboards

• Server Room• Dedicated network, servers & storage

• Demonstration Room• AV with home automation in multiple “zones”

Strategy Briefing Overview

“ A clear, actionable picture of how software can realise specific customer business goals."

• Audience• Business-focus, CEO/CIO-level, influencers

• Process• Customer-led business strategy presentation

• Microsoft Technology Centre-led, targeted solution scenario presentations, e.g. Information worker, Integration, etc

• Scenario & technology drill-downs

Architecture Design Session Overview

“Architectural and strategic guidance, risk-analysis, and best-practice approach of how software can realise specific customer business goals.”

• Flavours• Envisioning

• Architectural Design

• Proof of Concept Planning

• Process• Preparation (Architecture Design Session Team & Customer)

• Delivery

• Follow-up (& documentation)

Architecture Design Session Preparation

• Architecture Design Session Team• Qualification

• Preparation, planning, customer conference call, expectations

• Technical resources identification

• Facilities booked, agenda circulated and agreed, invites sent

• Customer• Company & organisational presentation

• Project presentation

• Requirements presentation

• Technology topology presentation

• Scenarios presentation

Architecture Design Session Agenda

• Discovery• Introductions• Expectations• Approach• Customer background• Business context• Business benefits

• Drivers• Issues

• Business scenarios• Non-functional

requirements• Technology Landscape

• Envisioning• Review• Architecture and Design

• Components• Interfaces• Communication• Non-functional

requirements

• Scenario testing

• Planning• Review• Scope

• Proof Points• Metrics• Deliverables• Assumptions, Risks,

Constraints

• Resources• Roles, responsibilities

• Dates• Communication

• Escalation plan

Architecture Design Session Team

• Architecture Design Session Team• Architecture Design Session Lead

• Technical Specialists

• Domain-specific specialists

• Customer• Senior management sponsor

• Business representative

• Development representative

• Infrastructure representative

• User representative

• Project manager

Architecture Design Session Responsibilities

• Architecture Design Session Team• Facilitation

• Question assumptions, drill into issues

• Ensure agenda followed, bring discussions back up

• Ensure objectives/ expectations met

• Get agreement

• Provide technical/ industry expertise

• Ensure everything is documented

• Customer• Business buy-in

• Provide business and technical background

• Decision makers

Architectural Design Session Deliverables

• “Vision & Scope” document• Problem Statement

• Business Goals

• Scenarios

• Proof-Points

• Deliverables, Exclusions

• Architecture, Design

• Risks, Pre-requisites

Proof of Concept

Proof of Concept Overview

“Transfer knowledge, develop and demonstrate custom solutions defined in an Architectural Design Session.”

• Drivers• Provide (technology) vision, de-risk technology adoption

• Demonstrate use of product features, system integration, business processes, non-functional requirements in a custom solution

• Developer productivity

Proof of Concept Timeline

Thurs FriWedsTuesMon

Agree vision

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Solution concept complete

Initial plan complete

Development begins

Mid-point review Feature-set freeze

Bug-fix, stabilise

Code complete

Finalise POC package

Demo walkthrough Demonstration

POC complete

Proof of Concept Team

• Proof of Concept Team• Proof of Concept Lead

• Developer Lead

• Developer(s)

• User Experience

• Lab Engineers

• Customer• Business Sponsor (kick-off, mid-point review, final demonstration)

• Developers

• Experienced

• Inexperienced

Proof of Concept Responsibilities

• Proof of Concept Team• Build & maintain lab environment

• Work item definition and assignment

• Daily reviews

• Communication to customer

• Ensure Vision & Scope met

• Architectural, technical, and developer expertise

• Code reviews

• Ensure everything is documented

• Customer• Business buy-in for kick-off, mid-point review, and final demonstration

• On-site developers

• Decision support available

• Agile methodology• SCRUM-'like'

Proof of Concept Constraints

• Exclusions• Best-practice development in all areas

• Exception handling

• Development framework and methodologies

• Auditing, logging, monitoring

• Administration, management

• Installation and deployment

• Versioning

• Performance and scalability

Proof of Concept Deliverables

• Final Demonstration• Screen capture

• Film crew recording

• Proof of Concept Review Document• Key findings

• Work completed

• Template available for download

• Source code• Source control archive

Proof of Concept Demonstration

• Attendees• Business sponsors, CEO/CIO etc, Account Team

• Format• Introduction, scene setting

• Scenario playback

• Customer-driven, primarily non-technical

• Q&A, summary

• Benefits• Real business solution in simulated customer environment

• Business buy-in, solution-focussed audience

• Demonstrator/video disseminated to wider audience

Server Room

Envisioning Centre

Key success factors

• Dedicated environment for meeting/developer productivity• Whiteboards

• Server room, network, internet connectivity, automated builds, sand-boxed environment

• Demonstration

• Resource identification• Business sponsors

• Decision makers

• Technical experts

• Business focus• Business goals realised through software

Common Pitfalls

• Preparation• Opportunities not correctly qualified

• Expectations incorrectly set

• Architecture Design Session• Too many attendees – optimum around 6

• Lack of business input

• No decision makers (lack of business buy-in)

• Treat as a ‘consulting’ exercise

• Proof of Concept• Scope and proof points not clearly defined

• Non-developer lab attendees

Case Study Example – Major Oil Company

• Background• Disparate systems with large numbers of interfaces, often complex &

difficult to maintain

• Large numbers of Excel spreadsheets leading to de-centralised data and intellectual capital, hard to make decisions based on big-picture

• Solution• Integration of sample back-end system following a strategic architecture

based on SOA

• Aggregation and visualisation of sample data sets in personalised dashboard

• New possibilities for data consumption using PDA smart client

• Impact• Technology-enabled strategy on service-oriented business intelligence

• Rapid adoption, global alignment via follow-on engagements

Case Study Example – Global Paper Producer

• Background• Silos of information (lack of re-use), duplication

• Low-bandwidth environment

• Solution• Replaced replication-based solution with collaborative intranet

• Architecture for global intranet, collaboration with automated publishing, local and global search proven over simulated low-bandwidth network

• Impact• Information re-use and global collaboration

• Rapid adoption (first go-live POC + 10months)

Further Information

• Microsoft Technology Centres, dave.brown@microsoft.com,http://www.microsoft.com/mtc

• Lynx Technology Customer Innovation Centre, http://www.lynxtec.com/cic/cic_offerings.htm

• To discuss engaging with the MTC, contact your Microsoft Account Manager