Based on simple math, we all know that 1+1=2. This is a simple concept that we learn very early in life. When it comes to SharePoint though, when you consider the tools available to you, you have a huge advantage of being able to use more than one tool, combined together, to create an outcome that is far greater than 2.
The beauty of SharePoint, is that, in your hands you have a collection of tools, that when combined together can be used to solve various business solutions. And, most of the powerful solutions that can be developed can be done without a single line of code. And yes, that means no semi-colons or syntax for you to have to worry about!
Gone are the days of needing to rely on IT to help you build simple solutions that can have great impact on your environment. You are likely already familiar with the basic Office applications, so adding SharePoint into the mix is really like adding a tool that can pull all of what you know into a single solution. Using SharePoint will allow you to combine the best features for the job, together in a single approach. To really understand this, let’s look together at an example scenario:
From the Requirements to SharePoint
We have a specific process that we would like to have better control over. Each week, there is a management committee that meets together to review the requested expenses from their department. Once the group agrees on what expenses are approved, they complete a scheduling process to determine what dates the money should be spent. By doing this the management team is able to keep better tabs on the available budget and needs across all groups within their control.
In this solution there is a collection of requests, a process to approve them and then a process to schedule them. One way to use SharePoint to help manage this process is to provide a way for all steps of the process to be accounted for.
By looking at the steps in the process and identifying the data that your users need, as well as the ways they would like to interact with the data, you should be able to create a clear outline of the requirements needed within your solution. You want to be sure to always remain focused on the user, the data and the movement. If your solution can account for these items then you will be able to provide true value to your organization. At a very high level, our scenario has a few key steps:
- A Request is Submitted
- A Request is Reviewed
- Accepted Requests are Scheduled
When we look at these three phases, the next thing that we will want to do is to look at the data being processed at each step, who the key players are and what they ultimately want to get out of the solution. There is really no way to map all of this out clearly in a single article, however you should be able to see the direction that would need to be taken as you keep drilling down into the business case you are looking to address.
The more levels you can drill into, the greater chance of success you have. At the end of the day, the value of your solutions has nothing to do with the technology or the approach used, it is all about the users and their ability and desire to use your solution. The only way to get a solution to this point is to drill down as far as possible in understanding the users, the data and how the users typically work with the data.
Matching Needs to Technology
Once you have completed the process of looking at the requirements, wants and needs, the next phase is all about matching the needs to the technology. This is where things can get a little bit tricky, and for those just getting started with SharePoint, often it can be very overwhelming. The best advice I can give when you get to this phase is to really look at the tools you already know and use.
A great example is the need to display a business process in a visual way to users. What tool is the first tool that comes to mind as a tool to create visual displays of a process? Most likely it is Visio. So the next thing to ask yourself would be, how can I use the best of Visio and the best of SharePoint to help me better manage my data? Asking yourself these questions won't tell you how to build the solutions, but instead will help you to start asking the right questions.
Start 'Where You Know'
Learning SharePoint is a journey, and even though many things within SharePoint are fairly easy to do, the real power comes from combining many small things to build one powerful solution. In order to combine things, you need to know all of the components, and then learn how to best integrate them together. This is a learning experience that happens over time and evolves based on the tools available and the business need you are looking to address. The process for building these solutions will occur over time and takes a true willingness to think creatively from the person who is addressing the problem at hand. The benefits of the time spent learning are immeasurable and each new solution will reap the benefits of things learned from the creation of the previous solution.
Continue reading this article:
Source : cmswire[dot]com
No comments:
Post a Comment