As more organizations adopt Microsoft’s Power Platform tools like Power BI, Power Apps, and Power Automate, they must build effective teams to implement and manage Power Platform solutions. The right mix of skills is critical to leverage these low-code platforms successfully. According to a recent survey, 92% of IT leaders say having integrated platforms and tools is essential for digital transformation, which the Power Platform enables. [1] Let’s discuss the critical roles needed on a Power Platform team and the best approaches to finding and developing talent.
Key Roles Needed:
Power Platform Architect: oversees governance strategies, standards, and integrations across applications and data sources. They ensure solutions meet security and compliance requirements.
Power BI Developer: Develops reports, dashboards, and data models in Power BI to deliver insights from data. Gathers requirements, design data models, and creates visualizations.
Power Apps Developer: Builds canvas apps, model-driven apps, and workflows to digitize business processes and improve productivity. Designs screens, integrate data sources and creates automation.
Tenant Administrator: – Administers Power Platform environments, licensing, security, and compliance. Manages permissions, regions, and capacity.
End-user Support: Helps troubleshoot issues, fix bugs, and train end users on new solutions—documents solutions and processes for knowledge transfer.
Additional Important Roles:
Business Analyst: Helps gather requirements from business units and translate needs into technical specifications for developers. Focuses on understanding workflows and data to model optimal solutions.
UX Designer: Designs intuitive, user-friendly interfaces and experiences. Creates wireframes, prototypes, and style guides to enhance adoption.
Finding the Right Talent:
With demand for low-code skills surging, organizations are using a combination of strategies to build their teams:
- Assess current staff – 33% of employees have skills suitable for low-code application development. [2] Provide training to evaluate interest and aptitude.
- Upskill through specialist training programs like the Collab365 Academy (Look around the Collab365 Academy with a 7-Day Free Trial).
- Hire contractors to fill immediate needs.
- Recruit new hires with Power Platform skills. Tap sources like LinkedIn, colleges, and networking events.
Upskilling Employees:
Investing to upskill current employees has significant advantages:
- Identify candidates excited to learn new skills. Focus on aptitude over experience.
- Provide training through Collab365 Academy, community events, and partner-led classes.
- Set up sandboxes for people to get hands-on experience. Practice is critical.
- Start with small projects to build confidence. Celebrate successes.
- Develop mentoring relationships for ongoing learning.
Outsourcing vs. Building an Internal Team:
Many organizations use a hybrid approach to resourcing their Power Platform capabilities:
Outsourcing:
- Allows you to get started quickly by leveraging outside expertise
- Suitable for short-term or variable demand
- It can be more expensive over the long-term.
Building Internal Team:
- Develops institutional knowledge and processes
- Better for managing long-term roadmaps and priorities
- Invests in upskilling employees for greater retention
Carefully evaluate the pros and cons of outsourcing vs. cultivating in-house talent. Factors like budget, timelines, and access to talent will help determine the right balance. Leverage outside help to prototype solutions while developing internal skills.
Key Takeaways:
- Building a robust Power Platform team is a key driver of success. Blend hiring and upskilling approaches. The Collab365 Academy can help upskill your Power Platform Team.
- Allow time for training and hands-on practice. Focus on steadily building proficiency.
- Employees upskilled into new roles tend to have higher job satisfaction. [3] It’s a worthwhile investment.
Sources:
- [1] 2021 State of IT Report, Spiceworks
- [2] Low-Code Development Revolution, OutSystems
- [3] Training Industry Report, Training Magazine