B
BetsyWeber
Microsoft senior leaders, engineers, and MVPs from around the world recently shared their knowledge, experiences, and answered questions about Microsoft Power Platform at the Power Platform Community Conference (PPCC). From discussing the latest trends and innovations to providing advice for newcomers, these experts offered a wealth of knowledge that can inspire and guide anyone interested in the Power Platform. In this blog post, we delve into the valuable insights shared by these MVPs, highlighting their memorable experiences and the exciting future of low-code/no-code development. Curious for more? Check out videos from past Power Platform Community Conferences. Thanks to MVP Heidi Neuhauser and Kylie Kiser for the pics from PPCC.
What inspired you to become a part of the Power Platform community, and how has your journey been so far?
MVP Julie Yack: The Power Platform community is the natural evolution of both the Dynamics community and the Microsoft developer community. I have been part of these two communities for decades, and now have the opportunity to watch the Power Platform community grow stronger and stronger to support more and more professionals. It’s a very welcoming space.
MVP Laura Rogers: I was inspired to join the Power Platform community because of my passion for empowering citizen developers to create solutions that make their work easier and more efficient, which I have been doing for 20 years ever since I first started working in SharePoint and writing my blog and books. My journey over the years has been incredibly rewarding, filled with learning, collaboration, and the joy of seeing others succeed using the tools and knowledge I've shared. I love it when conference attendees introduce themselves to me and let me know that my blog and videos have been helpful to them in their careers!
What are some of the most exciting trends or innovations in the Power Platform space that you’re currently following?
MVP Heidi Jordon: As a modern workplace manager, 2024 has truly been the year of Copilot for me. I’m especially excited about how Microsoft Copilot Studio is evolving and making it easier to leverage data from external sources using Power Platform connectors. But as we see more organizations adopting these tools, it’s clear that with great power comes great responsibility. It is essential for companies to fully understand the governance options that Microsoft makes available to them.
I recently attended a session at PPCC that highlighted the trust pillars for successfully rolling out Copilot Studio in an enterprise setting. The session covered tools for controlling access to data and generative AI, the cost benefits of using Power Platform and Gen AI, as well as strategies to manage risk and stay compliant. I’m currently diving deeper into some of these capabilities, like DLP features, Advisor recommendations, role-based access control (RBAC), and the Solutions and Pipelines available for Copilot Studio.
MVP Julie Yack: The Power Platform opens up so many possibilities for so many people. You have spent the last 3 years in retail? No problem, you must just be great at identifying slow manual processes, and then defining and building cloud flows to make things run more smoothly. Stay-at-home parent? Farmer? Doesn’t matter. All of that past experience comes with you and helps you be better at making solutions.
MVP Heidi Neuhauser and Kylie Kiser presenting at PPCC their 60 Power Platform Tips in 60 Minutes60 Tips
How do you see the role of AI and machine learning evolving within the Power Platform?
MVP Éric Sauvé: When considering the following announcements around 2 key features related to AI:
And the fact that these are being launched about less than 2 years after the first Copilots were released, this generates a mix of emotions for me. On the one hand, it's pure excitement and disbelief of how the 'future is now', on the other hand it's the whole anxiety of how this will transform our daily lives as IT professionals. Plus, as an aging professional, will I be able to cope with all the upcoming changes and be able to follow the trend or will I just see the train pass.
It is definitely interesting and I'm happy to live through these changes, witnessing all 1st hand. Can't wait to see where we will be in 2 years from now, compared to where we are now, 2 years after that kickstart.
What advice would you give to newcomers who are just starting to explore Power Platform?
MVP Kylie Kiser: I encourage everyone joining this community to talk to people! Share your experiences and learn from others around you. You will find people who are in the same spot as you and you can grow in your careers together. I have made so many great friends through this community and I look forward to spending time with them at these events!
Then volunteer to share your knowledge! Remember that you know so much more today than you did a year ago and there are so many people who don’t know that yet. Start blogging and presenting and giving back!
MVP Laura Rogers: My advice to newcomers would be to start small and gradually build your skills. Start with small projects that only impact your personal productivity, get familiar with the tools like automation with Power Automate, and build forms for your business processes with Power Apps. As you become more comfortable with your skillset, share your creations with your peers, and spread the word in your company, so that more citizen developers are empowered.
Also, I recommend taking advantage of the wealth of resources available, such as tutorials, community forums, and online courses (such as mine, at iwMentor.com). Don't be afraid to experiment and learn from your mistakes as you go. The Power Platform community is incredibly supportive, so don't hesitate to reach out for help and guidance.
Continue reading...
What inspired you to become a part of the Power Platform community, and how has your journey been so far?
MVP Julie Yack: The Power Platform community is the natural evolution of both the Dynamics community and the Microsoft developer community. I have been part of these two communities for decades, and now have the opportunity to watch the Power Platform community grow stronger and stronger to support more and more professionals. It’s a very welcoming space.
MVP Laura Rogers: I was inspired to join the Power Platform community because of my passion for empowering citizen developers to create solutions that make their work easier and more efficient, which I have been doing for 20 years ever since I first started working in SharePoint and writing my blog and books. My journey over the years has been incredibly rewarding, filled with learning, collaboration, and the joy of seeing others succeed using the tools and knowledge I've shared. I love it when conference attendees introduce themselves to me and let me know that my blog and videos have been helpful to them in their careers!
What are some of the most exciting trends or innovations in the Power Platform space that you’re currently following?
MVP Heidi Jordon: As a modern workplace manager, 2024 has truly been the year of Copilot for me. I’m especially excited about how Microsoft Copilot Studio is evolving and making it easier to leverage data from external sources using Power Platform connectors. But as we see more organizations adopting these tools, it’s clear that with great power comes great responsibility. It is essential for companies to fully understand the governance options that Microsoft makes available to them.
I recently attended a session at PPCC that highlighted the trust pillars for successfully rolling out Copilot Studio in an enterprise setting. The session covered tools for controlling access to data and generative AI, the cost benefits of using Power Platform and Gen AI, as well as strategies to manage risk and stay compliant. I’m currently diving deeper into some of these capabilities, like DLP features, Advisor recommendations, role-based access control (RBAC), and the Solutions and Pipelines available for Copilot Studio.
MVP Julie Yack: The Power Platform opens up so many possibilities for so many people. You have spent the last 3 years in retail? No problem, you must just be great at identifying slow manual processes, and then defining and building cloud flows to make things run more smoothly. Stay-at-home parent? Farmer? Doesn’t matter. All of that past experience comes with you and helps you be better at making solutions.
MVP Heidi Neuhauser and Kylie Kiser presenting at PPCC their 60 Power Platform Tips in 60 Minutes60 TipsHow do you see the role of AI and machine learning evolving within the Power Platform?
MVP Éric Sauvé: When considering the following announcements around 2 key features related to AI:
And the fact that these are being launched about less than 2 years after the first Copilots were released, this generates a mix of emotions for me. On the one hand, it's pure excitement and disbelief of how the 'future is now', on the other hand it's the whole anxiety of how this will transform our daily lives as IT professionals. Plus, as an aging professional, will I be able to cope with all the upcoming changes and be able to follow the trend or will I just see the train pass.
It is definitely interesting and I'm happy to live through these changes, witnessing all 1st hand. Can't wait to see where we will be in 2 years from now, compared to where we are now, 2 years after that kickstart.
What advice would you give to newcomers who are just starting to explore Power Platform?
MVP Kylie Kiser: I encourage everyone joining this community to talk to people! Share your experiences and learn from others around you. You will find people who are in the same spot as you and you can grow in your careers together. I have made so many great friends through this community and I look forward to spending time with them at these events!
Then volunteer to share your knowledge! Remember that you know so much more today than you did a year ago and there are so many people who don’t know that yet. Start blogging and presenting and giving back!
MVP Laura Rogers: My advice to newcomers would be to start small and gradually build your skills. Start with small projects that only impact your personal productivity, get familiar with the tools like automation with Power Automate, and build forms for your business processes with Power Apps. As you become more comfortable with your skillset, share your creations with your peers, and spread the word in your company, so that more citizen developers are empowered.
Also, I recommend taking advantage of the wealth of resources available, such as tutorials, community forums, and online courses (such as mine, at iwMentor.com). Don't be afraid to experiment and learn from your mistakes as you go. The Power Platform community is incredibly supportive, so don't hesitate to reach out for help and guidance.
Continue reading...