Becoming a SharePoint Chef(a non-culinary calling)

Phil Greer12+ years SharePoint experience: 2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, o365 Architecture Governance Development Infrastructure / Administration Project Management Business Analysis End-User Training

TOGAF, MCTS & MCITP certified Pursuing MCSA/MCSE Saskatchewan SharePoint User Group (SKSPUG)

Our Agenda

The Cook & The Chef

How To Learn

What To Learn

Where Next?

1. The Cook & The ChefMusk’s Secret Sauce

What does it mean to be a

chefvs.

cook?

A Cook…• Follows recipes

• Improvises only when ingredients are missing

• Shifts recipes slightly to suit tastes

A Chef is…

• Innovator (ew)• Inventor

But what does that mean?

A Chef…

• Works from 1st principles

• Takes into account all that is known, all possible ingredients, all of their experiences (what works/doesn't)

• Knows the art and can choose the possibilities (ingredients) & a path (creation/recipe)

With SharePointeveryone is called to be a chef

Anyone who creates sites, lists, libraries and maps a business process to SharePoint.

not everyone is ready to be a chef from

Day 1 > Year 1 > Project 1

Problem

WE CAN’T CHOOSE OUR

CALLINGIt chooses us.

You have been selected to be a SP chef…

what to do?

SP First Principles

• Architecture• Physical• Logical• Functional

SP First Principles

• Collaboration• Managed Metadata• Content Types• Containers (Sites / Lists / Libraries)• Workflow

Chef:It’s all about the

presentation

SharePoint Chef:

It’s all about the UX

2. How to Learn

Chefs don’t become chefs

just by reading books.

Buy a book, take a course, read a blog (or several)write the test

Talk to meor another leaderto help choose the right one for you.

Pop Quiz:Are Microsoft Certifications

worth your time?

Trick Question

It DependsWho wants you to become certified?

Trick Question

• Multiple choice exams that zoom in & out

• Tough to pass without real world experience• Exams designed to demonstrate your ability to

Think from (SP) 1st Principles

• wide breadth• deep depth

Learning Resources

• Seek out SharePoint MVPs• Training, Conferences, Books, Blogs

Learning Resources

Find blogs that resonate with you:

• Marc Anderson• Vesa Juvonen• Chris Johnson• Andrew Connell

• Mark Rackley• Eric Shupps • Gary Lapointe• Todd Klindt

Learning Resources

Apply your real world knowledge:• Use it or Lose it

Build SP Dev environment https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/fp179924.aspx

Build Azure environment https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/free-trial/

Poll:How many years have you been working

with SharePoint?

People Resources

• Find a mentor• Find a study buddy

• Beware:Veterans might send you down a rabbit hole

What happens if you

get stuck?

“Sorry something went wrong" (great, thanks SP)

When You’re Stuck

• What am I doing right now that could be causing the problem?

• Reason from 1st principles

When You’re Stuck

Forums:• SharePoint Stack Exchange• TechNet

When You’re Stuck

• Google (No !)

• Books, Blogs

• Videos: Pluralsight, MVA, Channel9, SP Videos

• People resources (SKSPUG)

Before You Search

• We all do it first

• Think about it: Why am I getting this error and What can I do about it?

Troubleshooting

• The art of troubleshooting

• Your troubleshooting muscle

• Nothing is telling you to slow downNo traffic signs here

You see a boat full of people, but SP tells you there isn't a single person

on the boat. How can this be?

Troubleshooting

• Correlation IDs & ULS• Application event logs• IIS logs• Service Applications & how it all fits together

• Learn about SP troubleshooting by doing

3. What to Learn

There is so much to learn.

You can't learn everything by reading all of the books/blogs.

You need to practice your art

(being a chef)

How to Practice

• Build something for you

• Build something for your business

• How does the business get started with SP? Start with a Plan

How to Practice

• Talk to a professional• Attend SPUGs• Hire a consultant

How to Practice

• Just start! • Fire up some servers in Azure or a tenant in

o365 & start working

Make a Plan

• Plan first (to prioritize your objectives)• Mistakes happen without a plan• Problem exists when we aren't SP chefs yet

POC TESTLEARN FROM

MISTAKES

PLAN FOR PROD

Can you just build an Intranet?

Does Intranet building require common know how,

or can you just build it?Nope.

Make a Plan

• You can't expect the business to know what to give you

• Start with a workshop, dialogue mapping, drawing/diagraming

• Map results of the workshop to SP • What are the necessary ingredients: sites, lists,

solutions, & integration

Make a Plan

• Build Information Architecture describing business objects (metadata, content types)

• If you don't plan IA, you will get a mess

• Plan for re-usability, knowing you might not get it exactly right out of the gate

Make a Plan

• What is your enterprise plan for SP?

• Seek input from stakeholders

• Frequent problem for the SP chef is responsibility without authority

Responsibilitywithout

Authority

Problem

Mistakes• Prepare to accept that you will make mistakes• Learn through making mistakes

• There is no ultimate resource that lists all possible SP mistakes

Customization

L1 - As soon as you open a site & start building you are customizing L2 - Augment the experienceL3 - Change the behaviour

L2EXPERIENCE

L3BEHAVIOUR

L1 OOTB

Don’t customize without a plan.

What are you doing?Where are you going?

What’s the goal or end state?How do you get there?What are the options?

Solutions

• Many solutions are possible

• Fall back on your knowledge of 1st Principles

• Add-in (App)• CSOM/JSOM• Workflow• Full Trust

4. What Next

Poll: Are you a SP newbie, cook, chef?

Highest level you have achieved to date?

Benefits of SPUGs

• Networking with a community of peers• Co-learning opportunities• Learn by presenting on SP• Access to veterans• Venue to have your questions answered

SKSPUG

• All SP all the time• Unifies our local SP community• Have your say on events and topics• All roads lead to a SharePoint Saturday in SK

Thank you!

phil.greer@outlook.com

philg@ca.ibm.com

Twitter:@getSPphil

LinkedIn:http://ca.linkedin.com/in/philgreersk