A daily newsletter about automation and eliminating friction.
"As a User I want to push a button So that it is pushed" I cringe at these kind of user stories. This one is over the top, but I see user stories often looking like this. This is the template:As a [type of user/persona], I want [an action] so that [a benefit/a value]...
I'm reading about Shape Up. The agile methodology of Basecamp. They have a unique way of thinking about estimates. They call it Appetite. A stakeholder is asking for an estimation for an idea. The first thing you do is make a design to do the estimation. An Appetite...
A great developer can be 10 times as productive. In creative professions, that difference between the average joe and an expert can be huge. They can be the katalysator to your project. They can be like magic. This is so hard to grasp for managers, but I have seen it...
I hear some people on social media saying: 'Estimates are useless. Don't do it!' Claiming you can't predict the future. That there are too many variables in software development and that it isn't agile to estimate. We can't take short cuts on proper code and good...
After trying out different methods of prioritizing, I really like the Value/Effort Matrix. With minimum effort, it will give you the priority of your features (Backlog Items, etc) The input are two parameters: ✅ Value (or Impact): What is the value for the Customer...
6 features of Wave 1 2023 that caught my attention as an automation expert: ✅ Introduction of three new messages: CreateMultiple, UpdateMultiple, and UpsertMultiple. Optimizing bulk data operations. Apply business logic to all the records in the operation. The advice...
I see some people take automation to the extreme. I am one of those people. I'm so into automating business processes. Heck I even named my company after it: AutomateValue! One of the dangers of doing automation to the extreme, is that you lose sight of ROI. Don't...
Build servers build: they compile, test code, and create artifacts. Why are we then making them do much more than that? Looking at builds in the Power Platform / Dynamics 365 world, some people go full in and even go overboard. I have seen builds deploying third-party...
Are you doing commits on the build server? When doing ALM on the Power Platform / Dynamics 365, I often see builds doing commits on the Build Server. This is not a good idea. Build servers build: they compile, test code, and create artifacts. Doing commits on the...
We created a call center culture. I cringe every time when I need to make a ticket on a portal. So, you outsourced the creating of tickets in your system, to me? The customer? Why don't you create the ticket, after I explain the problem to you in an email, chat, or a...
We created a Call Center culture. Customers are surprised when the owner picks up. I'm there for you, that's why you pay me 😉!
Refactoring is not a Backlog Item. Occasionally I see refactoring items on the backlog. This is very strange to me because it means you are externalizing development details to stakeholders. Stakeholders don't care about these things. What then happens is the...
Power Platform Advisor
Microsoft Power Platform Advisor with over 25 years of experience in IT with a focus on (marketing) automation and integration.
Helping organizations with scaling their business by automating processes on the Power Platform (Dynamics 365).
Expert in Power Platform, Dynamics 365 (Marketing & Sales) and Azure Integration Services. Giving advice and strategy consultancy.
Services:
– Strategy and tactics advise
– Automating and integrating
A daily newsletter on automation and eliminating friction