Microsoft Innovation Podcast

Keith Atherton, a senior developer at Quorum and a Microsoft MVP, shares his artistic journey blending creativity with technology. He discusses his path from physics to tech, sparked by illustrating a business book. Keith dives into the nuances of course creation on LinkedIn Learning, emphasizing the importance of feedback and self-publishing. He also explores PowerFX, highlighting its potential and the need for advancements within its development environment. Perfect for those interested in a tech career or online education!

Dewain Robinson, Principal Program Manager for Power, Virtual Agents, and Conversational AI at Microsoft, talks about the potential of Power Virtual Agents and Azure OpenAI in revolutionizing data accessibility. They discuss the democratization of data science and AI, challenges of using large language models, and upcoming innovations with Azure Cognitive Services.

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/496 Meet Nathalie Leenders, a Power Platform Senior Analyst who has taken an intriguing journey from hairdresser to tech expert. Take a peek beyond the screens into her world as she discusses her passions beyond the tech realm. She shares her love for cooking inspired by her travels, her interest in Argentine tango, and her life with her cat. Natalie’s story teaches us that it's never too late to switch gears and embrace a completely new career path. The conversation steers towards her transition from an IT support role to working on Power Platform. Get insights into how she navigates use cases in Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI, and how she's assisting in replacing legacy applications in her company. Listen as Natalie talks about her recent Power Automate exam and her rising interest in Robotic Process Automation (RPA). You also won't want to miss Nathalie's exciting news about her selection as a speaker at the upcoming Vegas conference. This episode is a treasure chest of inspiration and insights, offering a fresh perspective on tech careers and beyond. OTHER RESOURCES: Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP  90-Day Mentoring Challenge - https://ako.nz365guy.com/ CodePen - https://codepen.io/Nathalie-Leenders Github - https://github.com/Nathalie-LeendersSupport the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/495 Prepare to be engrossed as we dissect Andrew and Anna's strategic pyramid, a fascinating framework that guides our exploration of how value operates within ecosystem architecture. We start from the pinnacle, discussing how to apply workloads such as Dynamics 365 apps, enhancing core business systems, and crafting data and AI-powered user components. We then plunge deeper, tackling the creation of conditions for success, touching on user needs, clear policies, and fostering a well-connected platform.We don't shy away from emphasizing the importance of diversifying your skills and welcoming AI into your tech space. Let's illuminate the basic tasks AI handles efficiently, giving you room to tackle more complex tasks. Let's also scrutinize the lower echelons of the pyramid that provide more time to concentrate on other crucial areas. We also tackle the role of your friendly neighbourhood consultants and their necessity in bringing industry knowledge and best practices to the roundtable.Lastly, we address common technology solution pitfalls, such as the tendency to use familiar tools without considering cost-effectiveness. We emphasize the importance of unbiased technology decisions in an environment teeming with a diverse array of technologies. We also marvel at Microsoft's AI journey, a decade-long preparation that heralds their transformative moment. We contemplate the implications for the talent market and the role of an ecosystem architect. Buckle up for an exciting and enlightening ride!Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/494 Imagine revolutionizing businesses with a single platform... that's precisely what our guest Phil Glew-Deval, an MVP from Bexel, England, does with the Power Platform. As a lead developer, he's not just designing applications; he's transforming workflows and making business processes more efficient. Balancing his technical prowess with a love for food, family, and a good book, Phil's world extends far beyond the realm of coding.Join us in the exciting journey of Phil, from his early days as an internal audit professional to becoming a Power Platform developer. Not one to keep his knowledge to himself, Phil reveals his process of creating an app in PowerApps, from the intricacies of SharePoint to the wonders of dataverse tables. Hear about his most advanced creation - a desk booking application for nearly 4,000 colleagues. But not everything is as rosy as it seems. Phil addresses the misconceptions around the Power Platform, and how education and communication are the key to dispelling them. Wrapping up our conversation, we delve into the world of Microsoft Certified Trainer qualification, giving you a comprehensive overview of what the certification entails. Prepare to be inspired and enlightened - this episode is packed with insights!OTHER RESOURCES: Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP  90-Day Mentoring Challenge - https://ako.nz365guy.com/ Learn Microsoft: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/users/philglewdeval-0632/ Website: www.dcsuk.tech Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/493 Join us for an enlightening conversation with our distinguished guest Vinay Deo, a principal group product manager at Microsoft. Step into his shoes as we traverse through his fascinating journey that spans from his work with personal gadgets to Bing Ads, all the way to his current role focusing on customer insights and orchestration. As you accompany Vinay through his diverse experiences and personal life, you'll also get a taste of the vibrant food culture in Seattle and Vinay’s love for travel.Brace yourself, as we venture into the world of Dynamics 365 Customer Insights and Marketing. Engage in an enlightening dialogue with Vinay about the transformational shift from two products to Dynamics 3.6.5, focusing on the enhancement of customer experiences and the unification of customer profiles from various data sources. Discover the power of real-time customer engagement dynamics and how trigger-based journeys can revolutionize marketers' responses to customer actions. We wrap up this engrossing discussion by exploring ways to personalize messages and ensure that they feel less like spam and more tailored to the individual. You’ll also learn ways to identify and utilize consumer preferences for boosting customer engagement. Don’t miss this riveting conversation loaded with insightful revelations.Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/492 Ever wondered how an accountant would transition into a tech guru? Meet Steven Chinsky, the director of Dynamics Practice at Accelerant. From his thrilling escapades like sky diving and racing Lamborghinis to his passion for barbecuing, Steven is all about living life in the fast lane. But what truly stands out is his seamless shift from crunching numbers to dominating the tech industry, all thanks to the push from his mentors to explore ERP software. Steven lifts the lid on his journey, becoming an MVP since 2023 and how Xapta, birthed from Navision, along with Dynamics 365 BC, is revolutionizing operations in multinational corporations.Get ready to uncover the untapped potential of Business Central in any manufacturing environment. Steven dishes on his personal journey to becoming an MVP and how he sailed through the application process, pandemic notwithstanding. His association with Microsoft has led to a myriad of opportunities to speak at various conferences, sharing his wealth of knowledge and experiences. Prepare to be inspired by his insights on the ever-evolving tech industry, his journey as a Microsoft MVP, and his valuable nuggets of wisdom for those aspiring to follow in his footsteps. So buckle up and join us on this exciting ride!OTHER RESOURCES: Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP  90-Day Mentoring Challenge - https://ako.nz365guy.com/ Dynamics Community: https://dynamicscommunities.com/community/members/steven-chinskywipfli-com/ Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/491 Are you ready to unravel the mysteries of technological evolution? Join us in this enlightening conversation with Andrew Welch, Chris Huntingford, Ana Demeny, and William Dorrington, where we bring to light the intriguing concept of enablement. As the waves of major innovations shorten, we dissect the necessity for swift adaptability to avoid being swept away in the current of change. Unearthing the demise of digital transformation, we usher in the era of ecosystem enablement.Dare to venture into the labyrinth of artificial intelligence with us? We scrutinize the overhyped expectations that have left many disillusioned and the underestimated Gartner hype cycle prevalent in the AI space. We shed light on the contrasting approaches to AI by consumers and organizations, and the pivotal role of data in a company's productivity. Delving deeper, we expose the superficial adoption of AI by many organizations and stress the significance of building a robust platform.Ever wondered about the crucial role of digital literacy for organizational leaders and boards? We delve into the incentives offered by IT organizations and external partners for certain technologies and how it can potentially distort digital transformation. Furthermore, we explore the necessity of data and knowledge management to stay ahead of the competition. As we near the end, we touch upon the double-edged sword of democratization and the increasing need for apt user interface and experience design as data processing skyrockets. So, join us on this journey and gain valuable insights into the future of technology.Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/490 Imagine the journey from a mechanical engineer to becoming a Microsoft Power Platform enthusiast, and eventually an MVP in Germany. Meet Robin Rosengrün, our guest in this episode, who effortlessly straddles the world between his passion for technology and his fascinating family life. We get candid with him about his transition, the challenges he faced, and his unique request to Microsoft's product team!Intriguingly, our conversation takes an exciting turn as we delve into Robin's role as a low-code enabler at ENVW, fostering digital transformation. We discuss the AppGap challenge, strategies to accelerate digitalisation projects, and the significance of community-building in tech. Join us to gain unique insights from Robin's journey, his perspective on the future of Power Platform, and his role in shaping it. Prepare to be inspired and take away valuable lessons from his experiences.OTHER RESOURCES: Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP  90-Day Mentoring Challenge - https://ako.nz365guy.com/ GitHub: https://github.com/PowerRobinPower Platform Training: https://www.crownandwand.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@r2powerSupport the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

FULL SHOW NOTES https://podcast.nz365guy.com/489 Embrace the ingenious world of artificial intelligence with our esteemed guest, Taiki, a Principal Program Manager at Microsoft. Unravel the transformative power of Microsoft’s Co-Pilot and its synergistic application in Power Platform. Taiki will share some heartening instances of career revolution catalyzed by AI capabilities, like that of Miyu Takai, who turned her mundane data entry job into an automated process using Co-Pilot. The discussion doesn't stop at career transformation. Brace yourself for riveting stories about the astounding impact of Co-Pilot and Generative AI on citizen developers. Taiki recounts how Ashley Francis, a CPA with no prior IT experience, empowered herself by leveraging Power Automate to streamline her work processes. Discover the phenomenal advancements these tools are making in the developer ecosystem, enabling rapid prototyping of MVPs and plugins, thereby nurturing a culture of efficiency and innovation.Dive deeper into the AI realm as Taiki shares his personal experiments with various AI models. Experience the future of AI-powered personal assistants and the boundless possibilities they hold. Be part of the conversation about the limitations of current personal assistants and Taiki's futuristic vision for them. Finally, he leaves you with a thought-provoking perspective on leveraging the Power Platform for content creation and application development in the coming year. A goldmine of insights awaits those fascinated by AI, career transformation, and innovative tech solutions.Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith