Mike GilbertJune 2014
Dynamics CRM User Group
(For all IT Projects, with one or two specific examples relevant to Dynamics CRM)
IT projects within a strategy
About meMike GilbertSolutions Architect
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What’s a Solution Architect?
A generalist
Looks at your overall solution both in time, and in space
“I shaped” specialists versus “T shaped” Architects
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What does a Solution Architect Do?
Solution Architecture
Technical RoadmapsTechnical
Consulting
Technical Presales
Solution Design Project
Governance
Performance Testing
Integration Design
Technical Design
NFRs
ISSP
Enterprise Architect
Solution Specialist
PracticeArchitect
Team Lead Tester
Technical Architect
How does Architecture relate to your project?
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Before you beginIs the platform actually right for you?
CRM
CMS?
SharePoint?
Or…?
ERP?
Bespoke?
BI?
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Fit with your App Portfolio?
What do you have, now, that you could deliver the solution on?
What else would the proposed platform be useful for in your business?
Where does your tin live? Where will it? What other LOB Applications do you run and how will they
work together with the proposed platform?
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After ‘go live’Don’t let Finance and the PMO trick you!
Basic maintenance Factor regular, incremental improvements into your plan
Keep your solution patched! CRM – patch to the N-1th rollup as a
general rule
Continuous Improvement Keep a prioritised backlog of enhancements and bug fixes
Train up your BAs and/or Power Users as Solution experts (CRM
Consultants)
Over-buy support hours from your vendor (for incremental
improvements)
Start planning for replacing the solution – from day of Go-
live
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Application Portfolio ManagementPlan for maintenance and replacement
CRM
ERP
WebCMS
ECMS
…
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Refresh Project Replacement Project
What about cloud?Yes, this is the obligatory ‘what about cloud’ bit
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Cloud is old newsYou should be on cloud by now, or planning how you’ll get there
GCIO has a risk based approach for govt now (google ‘GCIO NZ requirements for cloud computing’)
AWS is in Sydney and Azure is coming Revera, Datacom etc in NZ Think about
Contract periods Exit Strategy Authentication and Authorisation (eg SAML, Azure AD, AD FS) Integration (eg Scribe, Azure Service Bus)
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Reasons to NOT go to CRM Online Immediate need for heavy analytics / BI
… that’s it.
Unqualified fear of data sovereignty
Unqualified fear of availability or service continuity
Unqualified fear of loss of controls (Can’t touch and feel my
servers)
… what specific risk(s) are you actually mitigating?
Fears about CRM Online
CRM On-premise vs CRM Online
To wrap upIs the platform really right for you? Technology/business fit.What’s your plan? What comes after the project.Don’t let your software wither. App Portfolio Management.Don’t buy tin anymore!
Thank you