1

Promoting Collaborative

Studies with Microsoft

Dynamics Lifecycle ServicesJānis Grabis

Information Technology Institute, Riga Technical University

Kalku 1, Riga, LV-1658, Latvia, e-mail: grabis@rtu.lv

22

Enterprise resource planning systems as a part of Information Technology study programme

– Riga Technical University, Latvia

– 30-50 graduate students

– Both functional and development aspects are covered

Enterprise applications course

– Selection and implementation of appropriate enterprise applications for business process execution

– Microsoft Dynamics AX as an exemplary enterprise application

– Implementation project as a coursework in teams

Background

33

Challenges

• Project planning

• Distribution of workOrganization of team’s activities

• Shared environmentCollaboration

among students

• Timely completion

• Online discussions and assistance

Transparency of project activities

44

Collaborative cloud-based platform for managing Microsoft Dynamics implementation projects

Project planning according to Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step methodology

Sharing of project documents using Microsoft Office 365 integration

Utilities for performing specific project development tasks– Business process modeling, gap analysis,

infrastructure estimation, cloud hosted environment

Microsoft Lifecycle Services

5

Key activities:According to Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step

6

Backlog as Teamwork Driver

# Task Responsible

person

Sprint

number

1 Develop

RentalRequests

table

Zane 1

2 Create

RentalRequest

details form

Kaspars 1

3 Produce scripts

for tests car

booking process

Alise 1

4 Develop car

booking business

logics

Kaspars 2

• Development of a

new module for

rental cars

• Sure Step Agile

project type

• Focus on the key

activities of the

methodology

• Clearly defined

tasks

• Self-organized

teams – capacity

and sprint planning

• Uniform distribution

of work among

team members

7

Sample results

Project plan Business processInfrastructure

estimation

Design document Modification Operational module

88

Traceable end-to-end implementation

process

Improved collaboration and accountability

Limited options for cloud based

deployment

Change of approach due to Microsoft

Dynamics 365

Conclusion