Mutual Information Details for SharePoint

The following are mutual information details that vice-presidents and directors are interested in:

• Customer feedback - issue status & troubleshooting
• Active incidents - ongoing issues -  trends
• Upcoming activities - events requiring resources, space modifications or office moves, etc.
•  Respective office organization changes
• Feedback via communications:
• o    service desk notifications
• o    project notifications and updates
• o    additional or modified communication requests  

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Communication Details for SharePoint

The following are some points which vice-presidents and directors are interested in:

• Regular updates
• Issue trends – office-specific and firm-wide
• Budget alerts – related costs that will be charged
• Firm-wide projects having impact to daily operations
• One-off efforts, where applicable, having an impact to daily operations

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9:00A.M. Meeting Agenda for SharePoint

Purpose: The purpose of the 9a.m. update meeting is to share functional updates that will increase the overall effectiveness of the department.

Action Items: Be prepared to discuss the following items at 9:00am meetings.

a. Items that occurred in the last 24 hours that have impact.

b. A 2-3 minute daily update from a project management perspective from each invited individual.

c. What are the trends in the last 24-hours?

d. What issues are still outstanding?

e. What is happening in the next 24-48 hours?

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Managing SharePoint Top 12 Items

The following are some key traits to utilize when managing SharePoint:
1) Building a Team
2) Utilize a Project Methodology
3) Budgeting
4) Technical Architecture
5) Governance
6) Training
7) Change Control
8) Technical Roadmap – Yearly
9) Intake for Requests
10) On-going On-Boarding
11) On-going Changes
12) Handling Overall Growth

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Office 365 - SharePoint Online Instructor Guide

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B077VS4PYF/
Office 365 (O365) - SharePoint Online usage has exploded in the past few years as it’s utilized by many end users across many industries. One item that often is lacking in many organizations is formal training. Therefore, this guide is meant to be utilized by an individual whom will be reviewing via a demonstration format the core aspects that a general user who will be adding content to a site – will need to utilize. The guide can also be utilized by any individual interested in self-study learning the core and key aspects of Office 365 - SharePoint Online that will be of value to them.

SharePoint Values Decisions

The following are some items to be mindful of in regard to value decision making in regard to SharePoint:

1)      Does the decision made – embrace the right mindful and framework in regard to SharePoint?

2)      When did you make the needed decision?

3)      What is the full extent of the decision that was made?

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SharePoint Strategy Items

The following are some items to consider that are strategy related in regard to SharePoint:

1)      Be sure to conduct complete research in regard to what is needed for SharePoint to do.

2)      Follow-up with the right individuals in regard to SharePoint needs.

3)      Be sure to evaluate – all ideas, plans, products and problems associated with SharePoint.

4)      Investigate a specific situation where SharePoint is needed.

5)      Be sure to control via governance how SharePoint can be utilized.

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SharePoint – What’s the Purpose Questions?

The following are some good questions to consider about the purpose of utilizing SharePoint as a solution:

1)      From a data standpoint can SharePoint handle what is being asked?

2)      Does SharePoint provide the specific functionality that is being asked?

3)      Can SharePoint be utilized to create the solution in the given timeframe deadline?

4)      Do the users know all that is needed to use a SharePoint solution?

5)      What are the ramifications of using SharePoint?

6)      If SharePoint is utilized is an owner of the solution in-place?

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SharePoint Inquiry Questions

The following are some good questions to ponder when creating a site for a user:

1)      What do you know?

2)      What do you not know?

3)      What are the objectives for the site?

4)      What is needed to reach the objectives?

5)      Does anything need to be learned to create the site?

6)      What is the best way to learn what is needed?

7)      What will the expected results be from deploying the new site?

8)      What is the best way to communicate and review the new site with the user(s)?

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SharePoint Having a Voice

When utilizing SharePoint, it’s important to give everyone a voice. Overall, here are some key talking points:

• Have users understand that they are in control of their destiny – they can and should make informed choices on their content and documents.
• Tell users it’s OK to be inquisitive – and challenge the status quo to seek knowledge they need to succeed.
• Let users consider alternatives and talk them through with the proper SharePoint administrator, content manager or analyst.
• Remember that end users using SharePoint are part of a learning process – by users being active in the pursuit of knowledge, they will become passive learners.
• Evangelize the SharePoint environment so that users will be critical thinkers which will help it to expand and be successful.
• Users need to know how to problem solve and seek answers to common problems so they are self-sufficient in regard to the SharePoint environment.

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SharePoint Technology Roadmap

One item that is important when utilizing or managing a SharePoint environment is to have a technology roadmap each year at the minimum. By planning for one year – this may help one to evolve planning for two to three years out.

Typically this roadmap would be changed/adjusted as needed but at the minimum could contain the following quadrants as an example:

Year (Example 2018) -> Quarter 1

SharePoint cumulative update installed on development, testing and production environments.

Year (Example 2018) -> Quarter 2-3

SharePoint release of new sites/functionality

Year (Example 2018) -> Quarter 4

Install of packaged back-up and restore software

Year (Example 2019) -> Quarter 1

Migration of legal sites to Office365 cloud

Migration of on-premise Mysites data to OneDrive for Business

Year (Example 2019) -> Quarter 2-3

SharePoint release of new sites/functionality

Year (Example 2019) -> Quarter 4

Migration of file share data to Office365 cloud

SharePoint – pilot of financial web-parts dashboard display

 

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SharePoint & Teaching

When teaching others about SharePoint – the following items one should be mindful of:

·         Observe how you react to mistakes – and not be defensive – SharePoint is challenging to learn so users should be taught with patience

·         Try new learning techniques – users learn differently so be mindful of this – therefore creating many different mediums (live classes, remote classes, videos, quick guides, self-help written modules, etc.) is essential

·         Teach in your area of strength – if one is good with out of the box SharePoint aspects – they should teach in that area, if one is good with workflows, they should teach in that area  

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Organization Change & SharePoint

Overall, SharePoint can be utilized to challenge the “status quo” thinking. SharePoint empowers teams to continuously improve via process, people and behavioral changes.

Some traits that are usually exhibited when change is involved with SharePoint:

·         The new process has users scared – so hand holding and direction on the value of SharePoint is needed.

·         Users feel that SharePoint is a time wasted, nothing gained technology – so it needs to be sold via learning sessions (classes, videos, handouts, etc.).

·         After time, users will realize the value and the environment ecosystem of SharePoint will be healthy and productive.

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SharePoint and Change – Part II

The following are some key items to consider when using SharePoint as a platform for change:

1)      Know what SharePoint can do and how much can get done with out of the box as well as custom functionality

2)      Know how much work – can get done based on cost, scope and schedule with SharePoint

3)      Know what can released during regular hours and what needs a change control or e-mail communication to users (example a solution deployment that re-cycles application pools)

4)      Know what can be completing taking into consideration – ideal time (how long item will take without distractions)

5)      Have a definition of what done means in regard to a site or functionality request

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SharePoint and Change – Part I

The following are some key items to consider when using SharePoint as a platform for change:

 

1)      Let proper team members know of change so that a plan for how to communicate change to organization can be created

2)      Define how SharePoint will be utilized in the organization. Will its main purpose be document management, content sites or utilization of key and core workflows

3)      Account for governance – know what users will be allowed and not allow to do. Make the governance plans readily available in a wiki or series of blog posts.

4)      Account for at least a one hour to 90 minute overview of SharePoint functionality that users will need to know (upload documents, use lists, how to search, how to use managed metadata, etc.)

5)      Develop and fine tune – processes for how best to manage work and requests in SharePoint by utilizing request forms for requirements so that an Agile model can be followed by creating from such requests the needed stories and tasks for what was being asked.

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SharePoint and a Sprint Review Agenda

When SharePoint is utilized with agile, the following are some key tips to utilize during a sprint review agenda:

1)      Welcome everyone and state that during this time slot the SharePoint increments completed will be demoed.

2)      State what SharePoint aspects will and will not be demoed. Usually it is good to have test data in the sites, libraries, lists and workflows that are part of the demo.

3)      Demo the functionality in either a test or staged production environment.

4)      Discuss the new functionality and answer questions surrounding the delivered increment.

5)      Present upcoming backlog items as far as the features and functionality surrounding SharePoint.

6)      Conclude and review what was achieved during the sprint review and make sure that the product owner will enter and adjust priorities in the backlog.

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Paradigm Shift & SharePoint

In regard to SharePoint a paradigm shift is present as a lot of the time newer processes are needed for the system to be successful. Thus, adopting these traits will be good to possibly utilize:

Have a plan – in this regard, it’s having a scope for the SharePoint launch – this should include not only a schedule for launch but a launch for each teams/departments new sites/subsites. When launched proper training of basic functionality (uploading, alerts and views) should be given.

Value Driven – sell the platform via town-hall meetings, videos, e-mail blasts and proper on-line documentation. SharePoint empowers users which can’t be un-sprung if users don’t know how to utilize the system or know what it can do.

 

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SharePoint & Waterfall

When it comes to what project methodology to utilize in regard to SharePoint, waterfall is indeed one method.

To use Waterfall with SharePoint the following steps are followed:

Gather system requirements – which for SharePoint this usually involves what is needed for a site/subsite, workflow or piece of functionality (custom web-part, list, calendar, etc.).

Software requirements – for SharePoint sake this could involve what features to turn on/off as well as what functionality to build.

Analysis – look into SharePoint from a 360 degree overview in order to meet requirements via how users work today. This involves knowing what works and doesn’t work for users after talking to them.

Program Design – in SharePoint speak this would involve the applicable page layout and needed imagery.

Coding – a developer, administrator or analyst – would then build the SharePoint functionality.

Testing – users would utilize a created test script to test and signoff on what was built.

Operation – functionality is put into production and when changes are needed – the process steps are repeated as needed.

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SharePoint & Agile Scrum

Overall – SharePoint and agile scrum are a good fit for many reasons – the common aspects of Epic -> Feature -> Story and Task are given an overview below of how they fit together in a SharePoint project.

Epics - SharePoint agile scrum allows teams to formulate epics (which would encompass a major release) – overall, epics maybe good for a new installation, upgrade, or cumulative patch of SharePoint.

Features – in SharePoint agile scrum, a feature (working functionality usually part of an epic) may consist of creating a custom web part or creating a new workflow for a change control process (these can be the features that are part of your new install).

Stories – these are the aspects that need created/built which will allow users to accomplish what they need to do in the said system. Stories are usually written in the context of:

As a <   >, I need  <   >, so that I get <  >. Where the text between the < > would be filled in by the users or an analyst working with a user.

A SharePoint example of a story would be:

As an end user, I need a button which when checked populates a list so that I get changes from the change control system from the day before.

Tasks – as part of a story – tasks will be needed so that the aspects that make up the stories asked are created and built.

SharePoint example:

                Custom list is created with proper fields

External content type is created for change control status field

Form is designed with button lookup to change control system

Thus – core agile scrum methods can indeed work well for SharePoint and tweaked and defined based on one’s business needs.

 

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Three B’s of SharePoint

Overall in SharePoint the three B’s are important concepts to know in regard to the framework options of SharePoint:

Business Connectivity Services (BCS) – Enables users to read and write data from external systems – through web services, databases and .Net assemblies.

Business Data Catalog – Provides connectivity to back-end business systems and data sources.

Business Data Connectivity (BDC) – provides business connectivity using a declarative model to external systems so that external data can be exposed in SharePoint.

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Design a SharePoint Taxonomy

One of the most important aspects of SharePoint is having a good taxonomy -> because how users find information as well as where new sites and subsites are built depends on taxonomy.

Typically, I recommend that a taxonomy be filled in as such – so that end-users can start to see how the information, libraries and meta-data in their site will be created:

The one item – I’ve been utilizing for many years is the use of a private site which basically is a team site with unique permissions only to those users whom are granted permission to that said site.

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How to Measure Success in SharePoint

The following are some items to consider to measure that SharePoint is successful:

•       End-users understand the capabilities of the platform and are well trained to use them

•       New sites and applications are systematically introduced with quick time-to-market leveraging site templates, compliant with standards which follow approved corporate branding

•       Governance teams review and proactively act based on the usage data and business needs

•       Business users are aware of the security model and help to enforce

•       Service-level agreements (SLAs) are in place, platform performance is good, and any custom coding and enhancements are well tested

•       The growth of the server farms, servers, and storage is planned out to be scalable as the business needs

•       Operational costs are in line with business value delivered by the platform

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Building and Evolving SharePoint Governance

The following are some points to take on while building the phases of a SharePoint Governance plan:

•       Initial work stream should focus on:

- Addressing major areas of operations, support and development activity

- Mitigate key immediate risks

- Establish the right organizational structure and ownership is key (people aspect)

- Develop foundation of governance polices, standards and a compliance process

•       Leverage existing processes and teams

•       Bring in new teams only to help with gaps in the organization

•       Realize that the governance document or wiki is a living document and will change with the business

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SharePoint Governance Phases

The following are three key phases to utilize when putting together a SharePoint governance planned approach:

•       Phase 1 – Plan and Initiate

•       Establish appropriate teams and oversight

•       Develop actionable SharePoint strategy aligned with business needs

•       Define initial set of policies & standards with focus on short term pain points

•       Start education and training

•       Implement compliance enforcement processes

•       Phase 2 – Operationalize

•       Integrate policies and standards into day-to-day activities and existing processes

•       Finalize policies and standards

•       Continue oversight, education and training

•       Automate compliance where possible

•       Phase 3 – Mature as needed

•       Review progress and results

•       Mature policies, standards and processes

 

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