In this next post in my series on Power Platform solution architecture we’ll look at some of the things we can consider when reviewing a solution proposal or designed solution by identifying strenghts and weaknesses within our design.
Stay tuned for loads more content upcoming on all things solution architecture friends!
Objectives and success check
So the first thing I’d say is imperative to review is that thing we added right at the start of the proposal document. (Power Platform Solution Architecture: Proposals – Low Code Lewis)
We need to make sure that everything we’ve written in the proposal document after the objectives and success points reflect what we’re trying to achieve in those points. This is super important… we need to ensure we’re working towards those points we defined at every stage of the project / implementation.
Over-architecture
The next thing we can review and check within our proposal is whether we’ve appropriately assigned the correct components for requirements and whether our design is something that is suitable for the requirements we’ve gathered so far.
There shouldn’t be areas in our design which the customer isn’t going to find useful, or that won’t make them successful against their success points. Sometimes, architects can push to solve problems with tools they are most comfortable with but not the tools that best fit the needs of the solution. It’s important that there is a good balance here, and that unnecessary components aren’t included making the solution over-architected.
Review first-party solution use
It’s important to review what you have designed and determine whether the use of first-party solutions is appropriate. If you’ve designed an XL CRM tool for Sales which closely matches the functionality of Dynamics 365 Sales, then it’s important to recognise there may in fact be a better option here to actually use the first-party solution.
Comparison
It’s always important when reviewing your proposal to compare against something. Theres a few things we can compare with to ensure we’re building something which will drive success for the customer…
- Competitor options
- Current solutions in place
Continual review
Now if you do get to a point where you have a signed off proposal and you’re continuing with the project and implementing a solution, don’t forget to do this again friends! Reviews should be something that continue to happen at multiple stages within a project or solution implementation. We’ll talk more about this in upcoming posts.