Deploying Microsoft 365 (M365) for your organization is an exciting step toward boosting collaboration, managing documents more effectively, and increasing productivity. But let’s face it, a successful deployment requires careful planning. At Procise Solutions, we have developed a proven, strategic process that ensures your M365 deployment goes smoothly from start to finish.
In this post, we’ll walk you through the first phase of a successful M365 deployment: Analysis & Design. This stage is essential in ensuring your M365 environment fits your needs now and in the future.
Why Do We Need a Process?
On the surface, M365 seems like an intuitive and ready-to-use platform. We should be able to create a few intranet pages, set up Teams, migrate our file shares, and start working, right? Unfortunately, what many people do not realize is that M365 is more of a framework than a finished solution. While it provides all the tools needed to create feature-rich and user-friendly collaboration environments, the default setup is not tailored to your organization’s unique requirements. Organizations that just use it “out of the box” are missing out on the true value of M365—its customizable and flexible framework.
Another common misconception is that M365 implementation is just an IT project. While IT plays a key role in a successful M365 project, they are not the only stakeholders. Unlike setting up an Exchange Server or deploying Active Directory, M365’s highly customizable nature requires a structured software development lifecycle approach, including thorough analysis and design.
M365 is an all-encompassing platform designed around people. From document management and collaboration to governance and AI, it provides a broad and deep foundation for your organization. To maximize its potential, we need to ensure that users can easily interact with the system and that the data structure supports emerging AI capabilities for future growth.
What Is the Analysis and Design Process?
Our Analysis and Design (A&D) process has been refined after two decades of working with SharePoint implementation projects. We’ve learned what works and what doesn’t, and we continue to refine the process as the tools evolve. For example, we recently incorporated a governance workshop to help meet the needs of the newer governance tools.
Our core A&D process is led by a Strategy Team, the champions and visionaries for the project. This team includes key stakeholders who define the organization’s needs around communication, collaboration, and workflows. The Strategy Team often consists of:
- Executive sponsor
- Success owner
- Project manager
- Department leads
- IT representative
- Communication lead
The key to an effective Strategy Team is to have broad representation without being too large. The team needs to be nimble and focused.
Focus Groups: Understanding User Needs
Next, we create focus groups to gather insights from all major user groups. They should represent all levels of employees, not just leadership. We generally target 2-6 participants per focus group, creating a structured environment where all users feel engaged and heard. The direct and organic feedback from the focus groups is key to gathering the correct information. The focus groups provide direct insight into how people work, their daily tasks, and their struggles.
After gathering feedback from the focus groups, we aggregate all the data collected in those meetings and start formulating the design, architecture, and requirements for the M365 system. This includes:
- Identifying common themes and pain points
- Organizational culture
- Process workflows
- Training and onboarding
- Custom solution design
As we work through that process, we are on the lookout for “Killer Features.” This term encompasses those critical features or applications that will drive users to M365 and make them want to use the tools. Whether it's a simple Employee Directory or a complex Expense Reimbursement process, the goal is to create a “wow” factor that drives user adoption.
Ensuring Budget Alignment and ROI
One of the key reasons for performing an A&D project is to manage the budget and return on investment (ROI). You would never build a house without a blueprint; we use the A&D phase to develop those requirements and produce the “blueprint” for your M365 system. This ensures a cohesive, well-planned solution that aligns with the Strategy Team's and Focus Groups' vision. User adoption starts here. By engaging your users early and involving the right team members, we create a sense of ownership that drives adoption.
Looking Ahead: Build and Deploy
A successful M365 deployment starts with a solid foundation. By analyzing your organization’s needs and designing a tailored solution, you ensure seamless adoption and future scalability.
Stay tuned next month as we move into the Build and Deploy phase, where strategy becomes reality!
Jim Burns
Jim Burns : Apr 13, 2025 7:39:52 PM