SS

Speaker : Richard Harbridge

Solutions should be rapidly deployed and easy to update. It is important to have a SharePoint solution available externally and working on any device. In order for a solution to be adopted, it needs to be regularly updated and iterated. Also, it must be available anywhere on any device. Now, a solution that is not on mobile will get less or no adoption. In order to answer fast to the demand, the existing must be leveraged.

Doing a pros-cons of buy vs build is not that helpful as when it comes to SharePoint, it is not so simple. So, there is a need to map the needs of the organization to the best technologies. But it is not easy as well, as there is a plethora of technologies. SharePoint has multiple options, such as online and on-premises, different versions or edition. Moreover, there are 3.4 million of developers, which means a huge number of partners. In addition to that, there are so many products, filling sometimes the same gaps. Instead of doing a buy vs build, go through an assessment process, in which the needs are evaluated as well as the capability of the organization. Capability also means internal resources. If not, is there an existing piece that exists on the market, and investigate if it is possible to use it. More important, it is to know how to build and how to buy pieces. A solution and its ecosystem need to be constantly evaluated.

Two kind of solutions : user driven or IT driven. Implementing SharePoint is to allow business users to develop and implement solutions without the involvement of IT. The best way is to start simple. Because now everything is now an app, it helps user to get empowered. From an IT perspective, SharePoint is highly extendable.

Do not build a SharePoint solution if an Office App can do the job, or the data should not be stored in SharePoint. A typical scenario is storing relational data in a list rather than a database. If there are many to many relationships, it definitely has to be stored in a database. When implementing a solution that could be fit by another product, clearly define the limit from which it would be better to go with the product and no longer implement it in SharePoint. SharePoint can still be used to validate some concepts.

Before buying a 3^rd party solution it is crucial to understand the needs. After, is there a practical OOB solution ? The process of buying a 3^rd party solution can be compared to a sales qualification process. First, identify the needs, define if there are OOB options that can be used. If not, establish a type of products that would help and vendors that would be candidate. In order to compare in a right way, questionnaire must be established, before, maybe entering into negotiations and purchasing.

Nice web sites are available giving reviews of SharePoint solutions : PinPoint, SharePointReviews or even the Office Store. To get feedbacks on products, analysts, customers and consultants are valuable, as well as vendor whitepapers that can sometimes be biased.