MSF: Microsoft Solutions FrameworkPast and present

Peter Williams, Microsoft Ltd.

Agenda

• A Brief History of MSF

• MSF Core

• MSF and Visual Studio Team system• MSF for Agile Software Development

• MSF for CMMI® Process Improvement

• Real World Experiences

A Brief History of MSF

1994 1995 1997 1999 2002 1994 1995 1997 1999 2002 2005-06 2005-06

MS

F O

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ng

MS

F O

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MSF MSF v1v1

21 Rules21 Rules

‘‘DynamicsDynamics’’

SolutionsSolutionsDevDevDisciplineDiscipline(SDD)(SDD)

MSF v2MSF v2Principles of …Principles of …App Dev (PAD)App Dev (PAD)Infra Deploy (PID)Infra Deploy (PID)Ent Arch (PEA)Ent Arch (PEA)Comp Des (PCD)Comp Des (PCD)

MSF MSF v2.5v2.5

MSF v3MSF v3

EssentialsEssentials+ Exam+ Exam

CoreCoreAgileAgileCMMICMMI……

MSF v4MSF v4

MSF Core: What It’s Not

• MSF Core is not a methodology• It’s a framework

• It requires instantiation for the specific solution domain

• Not a magic sauce

• Not specific to software development• Although Visual Studio Team System provides two

instantiations which are specific to software development• MSF for Agile Software Development

• MSF for CMMI® Process Improvement

MSF Core

• A collection of best practices gathered from the product groups and the field

• Key elements• Mindsets (key concepts)

• Foundational Principles

• Models

• Disciplines

• Proven practices

• Recommendations

MSF Core Mindsets

• Team of Peers

• Quality is everyone’s business every day

• Pride of workmanship

• Deliver on your commitments

• Focus on business value

• Solution mindset

• Design for qualities of service

• Trusting mindset

• Continual learning mindset

• Reuse and extend

MSF Core Foundational Principles

• Foster open communications

• Work towards a shared vision

• Empower team members

• Establish clear accountability and shared responsibility

• Incremental delivery of value

• Stay agile, expect and adapt to change

• Invest in quality

• Learn from all experiences

• Partner with customers

• Early and frequent deployments

• Design early with specific examples

MSF Core Models

• Team model• Based on advocacy creating natural checks and balances

• Governance & Enactment (Process) model• Appropriate level of governance

• Iterative, versioned releases, etc.

• Risk management model• Proactive risk management

MSF Core Team Model

Solution Construction / Verification

Solution Delivery

Solution Definition

Solution Usability and User readiness

Solution Deployment

Solution Validation

DevelopmentDevelopment

TestTest

Release Management

Release Management

UserExperience

UserExperience

ProductManagement

ProductManagement

Program Management

Program Management

Solution Design

ArchitectureArchitecture

AdvocacyGroups

Natural Checks and balances

MSF Core Advocacy

Operations

Technology Focus

Business FocusUsers

Solutions Architects

Customer

Technology Architects

Operations Support

Project Team

UserExperience

Development

Test

Release / Operations

ProductManagement

Architecture

ProgramManagement

Project Sponsor

Scaling Down: Combining Advocacy Groups

Product Management

Program Management

Architecture Development Test User Experience

Release / Operations

Product Management

N N N P P U

Program Management

N P N U U U

Architecture N P P U U U

Development N N P N N N

Test P U U N P P

User Experience

P U U N P U

Release / Operations

U U U N P U

Possible Unlikely Not recommended

Scaling Up: Feature Teams

Catalog

ProgramManagement

ProgramManagement

DevelopmentDevelopment

TestTestUserExperience

UserExperience

Fulfillment

Program Management

Program Management

DevelopmentDevelopment

TestTest

ReleaseManagement

ReleaseManagement

Site Engine & Design

ProgramManagement

ProgramManagement

UserExperience

UserExperience

DevelopmentDevelopment

TestTest

UserExperience

MSF Version 4 Governance & Enactment Model

• Enactment Tracks• Envision

• Plan

• Build

• Stabilise

• Deploy

• Governance Track• Checkpoint-based

EnvisionEnvision

PlanPlanBuildBuild

StabiliseStabilise

DeploDeployy

Governance

Enactment

Governance Examples

• MSF for Agile Software Development implements a very lightweight governance model

Governance Examples

• MSF for CMMI® Process Improvement implements a more rigorous governance model

MSF Core Risk Management Model

• Proactive Management• Identify

• Analyse and Prioritise

• Plan and Schedule

• Track and Report Status

• Control Risks

• Learn from Risks

MSF and Visual Studio Team System

Visual Studio Visual Studio 2005 Team 2005 Team

SystemSystem

enactsenacts

guidesguides

Microsoft Microsoft Solutions Solutions

FrameworkFramework

Enacting MSF

MSFv4 ‘Core’MSFv4 ‘Core’ DisciplineDiscipline

InfrastructureInfrastructure

MSF for Agile Software MSF for Agile Software DevelopmentDevelopment

MSF for CMMIMSF for CMMI®® Process Process ImprovementImprovement

ProductProduct

Application Application DevelopmentDevelopment FamilyFamily

Enacting MSF

MSF v4MSF v4

MSF v3MSF v3

InfrastructureInfrastructure

CMMICMMI

AgileAgile

Real World Usage

• Globally within Microsoft• Used by Microsoft Services since 1994

• Used by Microsoft Internal operations

• Based on product group principles and best practices

• Closer to home within Microsoft• Used by the UK Solution Development Group to deliver

large-scale enterprise solutions

• Use by other external organisations

UK Enterprise Solutions built with MSF

Tax Credits Online

NBP

digital curriculum

Personal Experiences

• Core principles and approach very similar to the product group approach. Some differences due to the nature of solution development.

• A very good success rate on very challenging projects.

Favourite aspects of MSF

• Team model• Common goal

• Two-way advocacy not just ‘gathering’ requirements

• Platform for trade offs

• All disciplines represented from the start

• All disciplines participate in the design

• Small multi-disciplinary teams

• Co-location

• Motivational

Favourite aspects of MSF

• Envisioning track• Forming a vision

• Opening up possibilities never before imagined

• User experience as a first-class citizen• An area often neglected in other approaches

• Base line early and freeze late• Expecting change

• Iterative development• Rehearsal for go-live

Favourite Aspects of MSF

• Ship every day• Build is not enough

• A team exercise

• Build hand-off

• Repeatable platform builds

• Triage• One representative per discipline

• ‘Quaker’ consensus

Questions?