Assign the right roles to succeed in your Microsoft 365 project

Faster implementation in Microsoft 365 projects

Today, you can no longer work in long IT projects - which used to be the model. The pace of development is so fast that the technology you implement will become obsolete before it becomes useful if you don't introduce it quickly and establish an ongoing plan for its use. An expensive and ultimately rather pointless investment.

It is therefore important to get the project "up and running" as soon as possible and then follow the development as the services are updated and new functionality is added. So what roles are required for a successful Microsoft 365 project?

Sponsor for Microsoft 365 project

The sponsor has overall responsibility for the platform, its funding and ensuring that resources are available for further development. Another important task is to support the platform owner in terms of direction and access to resources. Sponsors usually have a senior position in the organization with the powers, resources and interest that come with it.

Platform owner for Microsoft 365 projects

The platform owner is usually someone with good insight into the business who understands the business value of the project. The platform owner has good communication skills, sees the business as a whole and develops the vision and objectives for the platform. They are also responsible for functionality and prioritization so that the entire business gets the most value and then steers the direction of the development work based on business benefits. With the support of the sponsor, the platform owner ensures that there is funding and resources to carry out further development of the solution. The platform owner must also be available to Microsoft 365 Champion and the development team for guidance and clarification of priorities.

Microsoft 365 Champion

Microsoft 365 Champion is preferably a selected IT partner, or someone with equivalent knowledge of the Microsoft 365 platform and its development. Their task is to match function with technology for maximum business benefit and to participate when new requests and needs for major adjustments come from the business. A Microsoft 365 Champion helps the platform owner with details in the implementation, acts as a guide and support for the development team in the work towards solutions that provide the desired functionality. He or she will also act as a bridge between the development team and the platform owner, as well as getting everyone in the business to understand the process and how they can best act to support and help the team.

Development team for Microsoft 365 projects

The task of the development team is to drive prioritized requests for deliveries of new functionality and development of existing functions. Together with the Microsoft 365 Champion, who "coaches" the team, the team decides what the final product should look like. The development team must include all the necessary skills to be able to go all the way from task description to final implementation. The team is self-organizing, takes joint responsibility for the task and can consist of a variety of different types of skills in different constellations. Who is included should be based on what is to be accomplished in the project - it can be people both inside and outside the company. For example, if you are using a particular system, it may be good to have a representative of the system supplier involved. The key is to put together a group of people who together have the ability to complete the task.

Ambassadors for Microsoft 365 projects

Ambassadors are often a group of technically interested, forward-thinking individuals who want to contribute to the company's development and promote the project internally. They act as "superusers" who receive basic training to increase their skills and understanding of the platform. The key function of the ambassadors will be to help business leaders better understand the potential benefits that the platform can bring to the company's business. This in turn can help the platform owner obtain executive support and funding commitments for the development of the platform. The Ambassadors also act as support for other users.

Donations by organization

When assigning roles, it is important to consider adapting them to the level of ambition of the project and the size of the organization. Do not make the project more complicated and bigger than it is - scale it down to what is reasonable for your organization. The most important thing is to always have the same way of thinking about development and how this work is communicated and structured in the organization.

At WeSafe, we often step in as Microsoft 365 Champions for our customers. We also help you appoint the right individuals in your organization for the other roles, so that your Microsoft 365 project is as beneficial to your business as possible. Contact us and we will tell you more!