#162. Unlocking hidden Microsoft partner benefits? Now that’s my kind of secret! In this episode, I spill the beans on how Dynamics 365 and Power Platform partners can get their teams Scrum trained and certified — on Microsoft’s dime, without touching your training budget, thanks to Microsoft Incentive co-op funds. I walk you through what co-op funds are, how to check your eligibility, and exactly how to claim full reimbursement for my Successful Scrum for Microsoft Business Apps course. The cou...
Jul 12, 2025•13 min•Ep. 162
#161. Whether you’re an internal developer working for a Microsoft customer or a consultant working for a Microsoft partner: every Power Platform or Dynamics 365 project you have ever worked on has been underestimated. Because no one wins overestimated projects...
Jun 21, 2025•7 min•Ep. 161
#160. Hamish Sheild is a Microsoft MVP and Power Platform consultant specialising in applying Design Thinking practices to our apps and projects to make them more human-centred. Hamish and I discuss the different activities and artifacts we've experimented with before starting the delivery phase of our Power Platform and Dynamics 365 projects. Join us as we discuss: 03:43 Design thinking exercises and goal setting 08:45 Inclusion of developers in the discovery phase 09:48 Importance of day in th...
Mar 10, 2025•41 min•Ep. 160
#159. Should you use a traditional, waterfall approach to build Power Platform apps? In this episode, I break down six situations when you might be tempted to use a waterfall method and share my thoughts on whether that's really the best approach. Highlights 00:11 Everyone should try waterfall at least once. 02:18 When to adopt a waterfall approach 02:53 #1 Predictable and well-defined requirements 04:19 #2 Regulated industries 05:49 #3 Fixed-price contracts 06:59 #4 Small or simple projects 08:...
Feb 07, 2025•12 min•Ep. 159
#158. It's 2025, and I still meet Power Platform and Dynamics 365 professionals that don't know what Scrum is or have an incomplete understanding of what Scrum is. Especially in job interviews! In this short episode, you'll learn: What Scrum really is Why it's a framework and not a methodology A simple hack for remembering the 18 components of Scrum 🚀 Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps: Learn the basics and benefits about adopting agile approach to building business applications. htt...
Jan 01, 2025•6 min•Ep. 158
#157. Rethink the role of the scrum master. Two recent events—a thought-provoking article by agile coach Maarten Dalmijn and a leave of absence by Matthew, a beloved scrum master in my team—prompted me to question if scrum masters might be overrated. Comparing scrum teams to sports teams like Ultimate Frisbee, where players self-regulate without referees. Imagine a world where your scrum team operates the same way, holding each other accountable and mastering the game without a dedicated scrum m...
Dec 02, 2024•8 min•Ep. 157
#156. Drawing on the book "Mastering Professional Scrum" by Stephanie Ockerman and Simon Reindl, I outline critical areas for team success, such as creating valuable products and understanding organizational influences. I emphasize five core capabilities needed for continuous improvement: teaching, facilitation, coaching, technical excellence, and servant leadership. I discuss the continuous improvement process recommended by Ockerman and Reindl, which includes self-assessment questionnaires and...
Aug 04, 2024•33 min•Ep. 156
#155. Explore the importance of rethinking our approach to building business applications. Discover the benefits of questioning our assumptions and adapting to new information in the dynamic landscape of app development. Unpacking the concept of "thinking like a scientist" and its impact on creating agile business apps. Understanding cognitive entrenchment and how it can hinder our progress in app development. Examining how embracing new tools like Power Automate or Azure Data Factory can outdo ...
Apr 14, 2024•8 min•Ep. 155
#154. Neil Benson takes us on a journey of learning through experimentation. Starting with the historical origins of smallpox inoculation, Neil discusses the importance of conducting experiments to drive innovation and problem-solving. Sharing personal experiences from his biochemistry studies to his current work in building applications with Power Platform and Dynamics 365, Neil emphasizes the value of agile software development and the significance of learning through short bursts of experimen...
Feb 26, 2024•12 min•Ep. 154
#153. Keith Atherton is a proper pro developer. Keith shares his journey from developing custom apps using .NET, C# and SQL Server to embracing and mastering the development of enterprise business applications using the Power Platform. What do developers lose and gain using Power Platform compared to developing an app from scratch with .NET and SQL Server. The power of rapidly prototyping applications in Power Apps even compared to wireframing tools, like Basalmiq. How Keith decides when to use ...
Jan 08, 2024•28 min•Ep. 153
#152. Host Neil Benson is joined by the talented Dani Kahil for an insightful discussion on managing backlogs and enhancing user stories in Azure DevOps and Jira. Neil shares his experiences with Jira, highlighting some configuration challenges, while Dani expresses a strong preference for Azure DevOps. They dive into the hierarchy of backlog items, including epics, features, user stories, and tasks, and explore different approaches to tracking progress on a Kanban board. Throughout their conver...
Nov 06, 2023•48 min•Ep. 152
#151. Amazing Apps host, Neil Benson, dives into a case study from one of his team's own projects: "Member Super", a financial services organisation in Australia. With over a million members, they needed a CRM application that could handle their complex stakeholder relationships and provide exceptional service to their customers. Member Super's existing CRM app was limiting their capabilities and hindering their goal of achieving a single view of their customers. So, they made the decision to ta...
Oct 02, 2023•19 min•Ep. 151
#150. What does it take to have a successful go live event for your Dynamics 365 or Power Platform application. Neil Benson sat down with Andrew Bibby, a seasoned expert in Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Platform business applications. In this episode, Andrew shares his insights on the crucial process of preparing for and executing a successful go live. From addressing technical difficulties to promoting user adoption and measuring success, Andrew sheds light on the often-overlooked aspects of...
Sep 19, 2023•45 min•Ep. 150
#149. Andrew Welch is the Chief Technology Officer at HSO. Andrew is an expert in IT strategy and has a wealth of experience advising customers on their big strategic technology decisions. He is also an author, Microsoft MVP, and a regular presenter at conferences. Joining us today, Andrew shares valuable insights on the importance of IT leadership, cloud ecosystems, data platforms, artificial intelligence, and the future of innovation in technology. We dive into the concept of the "Tyranny of t...
Sep 06, 2023•26 min•Ep. 149
#148. Get ready for another captivating episode of Amazing Apps! In this episode, Neil Benson engages Shawn Tabor, Director of Consulting Services at Hitachi Solutions, in an insightful conversation about the dynamic realm of Microsoft Business Applications and its role in the manufacturing and service industries. Explore Hitachi's product landscape, investment strategies, and the art of identifying patterns to create accelerators for efficient project estimations. Discover Shawn's podcasting jo...
Aug 21, 2023•32 min•Ep. 148
#147. When should you use Power Platform pipelines and when should you use Azure DevOps pipelines to deploy your Power Platform or Dynamics 365 applications? That's the question that Benedikt Bergmann answers in this episode of Amazing Apps. Benedikt is a Power Platform consultant known for his expertise in Application Lifecycle Management (ALM). Neil and Benedikt delve into the world of ALM, discussing its importance for small and enterprise teams alike. From tools and environments to testing a...
Aug 21, 2023•34 min•Ep. 147
#146. In this episode, we're thrilled to have Martin Hinshelwood from naked Agility join host, Neil Benson. Martin shares his perspectives on improving the success of agile engagements through the role of a consulting product owner, and why you should build your own business applications rather than buy Dynamics 365 if you're looking for competitive advantage. Hit the play button and dive into this insightful conversation between Neil and Martin! Timestamps 02:46 The importance of unique capabil...
Aug 01, 2023•42 min•Ep. 146
#145. We're back with another incredible episode of Amazing Apps, and this time we have an amazing guest on board. Neil Benson is joined by the Low Code Lead & Platform Evangelist at ANS Group, Chris Huntingford. Chris spills the beans on citizen developers, he talks about the concept of ecosystem enablement, the potential of low code platforms, the importance of enabling everyone to build apps and flows, hackathons, and more. Hit the play button and dive into this insightful conversation be...
Jul 19, 2023•39 min•Ep. 145
#144. Neil Benson is joined by Matthew Venamore, a scrum master with extensive experience coaching Dynamics 365 teams. Matthew shares valuable insights into the challenges faced by new scrum masters when joining existing teams and emphasizes the importance of empowering the team. He advises taking a standoffish stance initially, observing the team and their work before making any changes or adding value. Matthew shares his personal journey, starting as a software delivery manager and eventually ...
Jul 05, 2023•37 min•Ep. 144
#143. On this episode of Amazing Apps, we discuss resourcing agile teams using the Scrum framework. Neil Benson talks about who we should have on our teams as product owner, developers and scrum master. Should Microsoft partners offer to provide a consultant for every role on the team? Listen in to find out. Timestamps (02:04) Product owner maximizes value, sets goals. (03:02) Product owner orders backlog, ensures focus. (07:52) From business analyst to product owner. (09:32) Ideal product owner...
Jun 23, 2023•23 min•Ep. 143
#142. Neil Benson discusses the challenges of organizing a large Scrum team to maximize efficiency. He suggests rotating developers between teams and organizing teams around specific components or external systems they need to integrate with. Neil also recommends self-organizing teams and coaches teams to create their own code of conduct and establish expected behaviors. He shares his experience of organizing teams by components in the past at RACQ and why it wasn't the best approach. Resources ...
Jun 02, 2023•13 min•Ep. 142
#141. In this episode of Amazing Apps, podcast host Neil Benson is joined by Allan de Castro, a senior technical consultant for the Power Platform at Avanade France. They discuss their experience applying Scrum to recent projects, including the role of an architect in the Scrum framework. The episode covers key challenges such as the importance of ensuring clarity in the backlog, prioritization of sprints, and addressing technical requirements while focusing on business and added value. [00:06:2...
May 19, 2023•37 min•Ep. 141
#140. Today, it’s just me, and I’d like to discuss what EMPIRICISM means to teams building complex, enterprise Dynamics 365 and Power Platform applications. In this episode, I’ll break down what empiricism is and its importance in Scrum, provide examples of work that would benefit from an empirical approach, and share insights on how we can use empiricism to build better business apps and improve our processes, tools, and techniques. HIGHLIGHTS [01:45] Why Scrum is based on an empirical process ...
Apr 27, 2023•19 min•Ep. 140
#139. Today’s guest is Emma Beckett, an experienced test professional who runs her own company, Fortitude 17, in London, UK. A professional footballer, Emma pursued a career in software testing, even though her first role in tech was in Desktop Support — hardware, not software! As you’ll hear, Emma is a Certified ISTQB Test Consultant and trained in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 and Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&SCM, CE, and HR. She is currently training on the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Centra...
Mar 29, 2023•40 min•Ep. 139
#138. Our guest today is Malin Martnes, a Microsoft MVP and MCT who runs her own company MaCoTra AS in Oslo, Norway. As you’ll hear, Malin doesn’t have any technical background on Dynamics 365 and Power Platform but she focuses on using these systems. In this episode, Malin talks about how she came to be a CRM consultant and set up her own consulting business. With years of experience as a user and trainer of Dynamics 365 and Power Platform, she also discusses the integration of the HR solution ...
Mar 21, 2023•54 min•Ep. 138
#137. Customery Academy is the online business through which Amazing Apps host, Neil Benson, trains and coaches Microsoft customers and partners to build amazing, agile business applications. In this episode, Neil shares a short history of Customery Academy, where it's at today, and its goals for 2023. Halfway through editing the episode, there's a surprise about just how many Customery Academy students have achieved their Professional Scrum Master certification thanks to his son's detective wor...
Feb 22, 2023•15 min•Ep. 137
136. My guest is Richard Hundhausen, a former Microsoft MVP and Regional Director, Scrum.org Professional Scrum Trainer, and co-creator of the Nexus Scaled Professional Scrum Framework. As you’ll hear, Richard doesn’t have a background in Dynamics 365 or Power Platform, but he’s no stranger to developing apps on Microsoft technology. In this episode, Richard talks about his experience working with Microsoft and how he got started with Scrum. Drawing from his over 30 years of software development...
Feb 15, 2023•52 min•Ep. 136
#135. Remy is starting to hate Scrum. He thinks we should use Kanban. And get rid of Product Owners. It's a shame, then, that Remy doesn't understand Scrum. And doesn't want to understand Scrum. Don't be like Remy. Resources Kanban Guide on Kanban University Professional Scrum with Kanban training from Scrum.org Support the show CONNECT 🌏 Amazing Apps website 🟦 Customery on LinkedIn 🟦 Neil Benson on LinkedIn MY ONLINE COURSES 🚀 Agile Foundations for Microsoft Business Apps 🏉 Scrum for Micro...
Feb 08, 2023•11 min•Ep. 135
#134. Rishona Elijah is a Microsoft MVP and Microsoft Certified Trainer, who works as a Power Platform Trainer and Evangelist at Barhead Solutions in Sydney, Australia. She spends most of her time running training sessions and delivering events around Power Platform to business users to show them what they can achieve with this technology. In this episode, Rishona shares how she got started in Business Applications, how she uses her blog to help business users, and the latest innovations with Po...
Jan 31, 2023•31 min•Ep. 134
#133. Today’s guest is Michael Roth, a Power Platform consultant with Avanade who specializes in governance. In this episode, Michael walks us through how he keeps business apps amazing by working on only the fun stuff, i.e., governance and licensing, and understanding how users experience tech, specifically Power Platform. Michael also highlights the importance of governance and shares with us some of the biggest mistakes he sees organizations make when they don’t consider governance, what he w...
Jan 04, 2023•42 min•Ep. 133
