Microsoft Solutions Framework Essentials

Target Audience
This three-day, instructor-led course provides an introduction to the Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF). The primary audience for this course is IT project professionals responsible for planning, building, and deploying Microsoft solutions.

Pre-Requisites
There are no prerequisites required for attending this course.

Purpose
After completing this course, students will be able to explain how an improved solution strategy can alleviate the challenges to delivering technology solutions; describe how the MSF team model is used on an MSF project; discuss the concept of MSF role clusters; explain how MSF teams are scaled depending on project size and complexity; explain project management on MSF teams; explain how the risk management discipline is applied to an MSF project; explain the MSF envisioning phase; explain how to ensure that the solution meets initial business goals and requirements; describe how the team plans what to build; explain the MSF developing phase; explain the MSF stabilizing phase; describe the tasks involved in testing and piloting a solution; explain the MSF deploying phase; describe the tasks involved in deploying to a production environment; describe the tasks involved in completing a project.

Course outline

1. Introduction to the Microsoft Solutions Framework
2. Building an MSF Team
3. Managing Project Risks
4. Establishing Your Project Life Cycle
5. Starting Your Project
6. Planning Your Project
7. Developing Your Solution
8. Stabilizing Your Solution
9. Deploying Your Solution

Module 1:Introduction to the Microsoft Solutions Framework

• Discusses the characteristics of today's business environment that affect IT.
• Suggests some of the ways in which IT can help businesses meet its goals.
• Explains some of the factors that get in the way of successful IT projects.
• Describes where IT must direct its attention to make its projects more effective.
• Demonstrates how MSF meshes with the Microsoft Operations Framework.

• Explain the purpose and key characteristics of MSF.
  
• Describe when and why MSF is used.
  
• Define key MSF terminology.
  
• Explain how improved solution strategy can alleviate the challenges to delivering technology solutions.
  
• Identify how the problems of a failed IT project could have been solved if MSF had been applied.
  

Module 2:Building an MSF Team

• The MSF Team Model
• MSF Role Clusters
• Scaling Teams for Project Efficiency
• A Scalable Approach to Project Management.
• Lab: Communicating in Teams

• Describe the purposes and goals of each team member on an MSF project.
  
• Identify a role cluster's tasks, responsibilities, and functional areas.
  
• Explain how to organize an MSF team with a specific number of participants.
  
• Identify the six quality goals that drive the team and define the team model.
  
• List the characteristics of effective teams.
  
• Explain how MSF teams can be scaled up or down depending on need.
  
• Explain how project management is distributed among team leads on an MSF project.
  
• Describe the benefits provided to the team through the project management discipline
  

Module 3:Managing Project Risks

• Managing Risks through the Project.
• Taking Steps for Effective Risk Management.

• Explain how the risk management discipline is applied to an MSF project.
  
• Describe the six steps in the MSF risk management process.
  

Module 4:Establishing Your Project Life Cycle

• MSF Process Model Basics
• How the MSF team model relates to the MSF process model
• Clarifying Responsibilities in Each Phase

• Describe the five phases of the MSF process model and their major milestones.
  
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Module 5:Starting Your Project

• The MSF Envisioning Phase
• Selecting and Preparing the Project Team
• Defining the Solution
• Scoping the Solution
• Establishing a Basis for Review and Change
• Lab: Drafting a Vision/Scope Document.

• Explain the goal, milestones, and deliverables of the MSF envisioning phase.
  
• Discuss the considerations for selecting and preparing a project team.
  
• Identify and describe the recommended elements of a vision/scope document.
  
• Explain MSF techniques for managing solution scope.
  
• Explain how change control and configuration management are used to maintain traceability to business goals.
  

Module 6:Planning Your Project

• The MSF Planning Phase
• Planning What to Build
• Planning How to Build
• Planning When Building
• Preparing the Environments
• Lab: Associating Work Items with Plans.

• Explain the goal, milestones, and deliverables of the MSF planning phase.
  
• Describe how MSF uses three different design views to support one solution.
  
• Identify how the master project plan and its respective project plans guide the team on how to build the solution.
  
• Describe the success criteria for the MSF planning phase.
  

Module 7:Developing Your Solution

• The MSF Developing Phase
• Testing the Solution

• Explain the goal, milestones, and deliverables of the MSF developing phase.
  
• Explain the goal, process, and output of testing during the developing phase of an MSF project.
  

Module 8:Stabilizing Your Solution

• The MSF Stabilizing Phase
• Testing and Piloting for Stabilization

• Explain the MSF Stabilizing Phase.
  
• Describe the tasks involved in testing and piloting a solution.
  

Module 9:Deploying Your Solution

• The MSF Deploying Phase
• Deploying to a Production Environment
• Completing Your Project

• Explain the goal, milestones, and deliverables of the MSF deploying phase.
  
• Describe the steps for deploying the solution to a production environment.
  
• Describe the recommended activities involved in completing a project