Architecture Roadmap for Dataverse DW Modelling

Summary

When building an organisation around Microsoft Power Platform you need to be ruthless. You need to implement strong governance and controls before it becomes a chaotic mess.

I’ve implemented several large and small Power Platform and Microsoft Dynamics 365 ecosystems; what I have found is that people around you often do not understand why it’s essential that Governance and Security Controls are added at the very start.

How do you ‘sell’ Power Platform as a technology full of opportunities to an organisation? It’s surprisingly not that complex. You just leverage Microsoft best practice guidelines.

Four Stages for creating a Power Platform Governance Plan

If we break the Power Platform Governance into four distinct stages, this is what it looks like:

Stage 1: Foundation

Inputs:

• Existing documentation on Power Platform environments, apps, flows, and custom connectors.
• Business goals and objectives.
• Initial risk assessment criteria.

Steps:

1. Inventory & Assessment: Conduct a detailed review of existing Power Platform assets.
2. Establishment of CoE (Center of Excellence): Form a dedicated team for governance.
3. Drafting Core Policies: Initiate policy formulation on critical areas.

Outputs:

• Inventory report detailing all Power Platform assets and their current state.
• Established CoE with defined roles and responsibilities.
• Initial draft of governance, security, data management, and development policies.

Stage 2: Standardisation

Inputs:

• Inventory report from Stage 1.
• Initial governance policies.
• CoE recommendations.

Steps:

1. Development of Templates & Best Practices: Standardize development and operational practices.
2. Environment Strategy Definition: Establish guidelines for environment management.
3. Training & Enablement: Implement training programs for developers.

Outputs:

• A set of standardized templates for apps, flows, and portals.
• Comprehensive environment management strategy.
• Training modules and completion reports for developers.

Stage 3: Monitoring & Control

Inputs:

• Standardized templates and best practices.
• Environment management strategy.
• Training materials and developer competency levels.

Steps:

1. Telemetry & Auditing Implementation: Set up monitoring tools and audit trails.
2. Approval Workflows: Establish processes for new app/flow approvals.
3. Change Management Procedures: Define protocols for policy and technology updates.

Outputs:

• Monitoring and auditing system for Power Platform use.
• Approval process workflow for new developments.
• Change management framework and schedule for policy updates.

Stage 4: Optimisation & Evolution

Inputs:

• Monitoring data and audit findings.
• Feedback on existing policies and practices.
• Insights from CoE on Power Platform advancements.

Steps:

1. Metrics & Reporting Establishment: Define success metrics and regular reporting cadence.
2. Continuous Improvement Processes: Adjust policies and practices based on feedback and insights.
3. Innovation Encouragement: Foster a culture of exploration within controlled parameters.

Outputs:

• Key performance indicators (KPIs) and regular success reports.
• Updated governance and development policies.
• Framework for controlled innovation in Power Platform use.

Best Practice Template

Here is an example of what you might get as an output from the Standardisation stage: