Attending SharePoint Saturday events in Washington, DC and Charlotte also gave me a different perspective based on the highly-trained and knowledgeable people I met during the events. So what I would like to do is push myself to continue to train users and developers, as well as ensure my company is ready to consult companies on architecture, product integration with their other applications (or replace SharePoint with their current collaboration product).

What do I expect from the conference:

• Learn from Microsoft’s best SharePoint trainers and engineers and gain their first-hand knowledge with the latest product.
• Understand how the product has changed and how I can help my clients take advantage of those changes.
• Hopefully, learn the timelines for the public beta and release schedule. PointLogix is a registered Microsoft partner, but does not have access to the private beta, so I am hoping that could be a take-away from the conference.
• Meet other professionals in the industry (network) and learn how I can build a niche in the field.

So as October 19th approaches, I am excited about Microsoft’s SharePoint 2010 opportunity and look forward to meet other professionals in the field, and have some fun along the way.

If you are going to be at the conference, hope to see you there.

If you’d like to see what I am doing during the SharePoint Conference, follow me on twitter.com/kennethprice. I’ll try to post pictures and notes as soon as possible.

Some of the approaches that I will outline are as follows:

• "No Limits" deployment. Everything is on the table, no feature is turned down. Excel Services, BDC, Content Management, team collaboration, etc.. This is a great approach if you want to show what SharePoint and your team can do. It’s a great strategy if you have the team to support the requests that will come your way. I think this is the best approach, philosophically because you will build interest and demand for collaboration. One of the negatives is that you may not be able to meet the insatiable demand for early-adopters who want to build out a site with specialized branding, workflows, BDC integration, and other features that your team may not have seen or understand how it will impact your deployment.
• "Controlled, but Flexible" deployment. This method has a plan, but can be pliable as comfort-levels are reached, and features become available either based on licensing or hardware availability. I like this approach too, because services can be offered and customers are happy to have new functionality. The best example for this is the addition of Excel Services or BDC when a Proof-of-Concept (POC) environment has SharePoint – Standard edition and is upgraded to Enterprise and CALs are purchased to meet the licensing requirements. Hardware can play a very large part, if in a POC environment you have a light-weight farm configuration in hopes to build a business case for a brand new hardware configuration (Virtualized environments come to mind in this scenario).
• "We do not deviate from the plan" deployment. This deployment has a bunch of rules you have to be able to explain to customers and appears to be very controlled and calculating and usually does not deviate from the published plan. This would be a good idea if you tight, non-negotiable deadlines and the success of this first phase depends on your team to meet a gate, then this is for you. I can think of a deployment where a financially-tied deadline because of a divesture created this sense of urgency. This worked well, but it feels like you are explaining the rules all the time, because customers might know about SharePoint and want more than what is being offered.

Of all these plans, the "No Limits" approach has the biggest downfall; primarily because you are offering the world and you might have to trim back features. Be very selective as to which features you withdraw, the less impact you make the better. Whatever you do, communicate and gain executive/management support for your changes, otherwise there will be in-fighting and eventually it will come back to the project manager/technology manager.

My final point is keep the basics of SharePoint. Collaboration, users managing their own sites, adding web parts, creating document libraries and lists, you’d be surprised what people recommend and actually get deployed. The first time you deploy SharePoint, everyone will be watching, so make good decisions for both the short- and long-term.

The request was simple, I thought, create a form that would submit some information to a SharePoint list and a SQL Server database, but every path the user took headed down the path of Web Services or adding custom code (which the user couldn’t deploy). I know this was a product issue because of the fact that we had to employ some very high-profile assistance to evaluate how to get this information live, and they offered up web services, too.

So here is my decision tree for power users and the use of InfoPath:

• If you need to create list items in SharePoint only, InfoPath is a great solution.
• If you need to create multiple-submit options (see Figure 2) to a SharePoint List(s), InfoPath is a good option. Use rules to manage this process.
• If you need to have multiple-submit options and need to use a SharePoint and another SQL database (SQL Server, Oracle, etc.), there are more than a couple of options:
• Have a .NET Developer create some web services and you can create rules to submit to SharePoint and a Web Services method.
• Have a .NET Developer configure InfoPath’s HTTP/Web Server option (see Figure 1) and HTTP POST to a .NET page that will handle the information so that it can be populated into a database.

    

Figure 1 – Submit Option Dialog Box                                               Figure 2 – Rule Creation Dialog Box

There are no doubt other options, but this is the basic thought process of selecting a process to integrate your InfoPath form and make it useable. If you are not a developer, ask someone on your team to see what is the recommended approach for your business.

Another new features is Large List Settings and the ability to manage the lists/views. The feature displays total items and view threshold information, very useful and feels like a valuable tool for that process. The next tool discussed was the “Unattached Content Database Data Recovery” and for that it appears to export sites, document library, and other files for import in  the new SharePoint 2010 environment. Really like that. The Central Administration UI is different and will require some time to become familiar with, but seems in line with other new Microsoft projects, so exposure to the interface will breed familiarity in the future.

With an upgraded Microsoft, of course there are new acronyms, the newest is BCS which replaces BDC. BCS is Business Connectivity Services and appears to be quite an improvement from previous versions, but I will let others be the judge of that upgrade.

From the developer point of view, I think this version of SharePoint and Visual Studio are going to be a “game-changer” for the platform. From first glance the dev tools built in to the tools seem to be far advanced and take the developer into a more enhanced workspace that allows for WSP creation, new LINQ for SharePoint functionality, a Developer Dashboard, and a Silverlight Web Part. Very cool and now developer can push the products to the business because of the tools Microsoft is about to supply. Move over Flash, here comes Silverlight?

I know this is the first time that many (to include myself) will see the next version of SharePoint, but I know I am very excited about the changes coming to the platform. Learning the new options available in the latest offering is going to be a challenge, but I am waiting to learn more in the next few months, including a trip to the Microsoft SharePoint Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada (Oct 19-22).

Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Preview Site

Overall, I have setup the business the way I want by creating an LLC entity. I am building and creating relationships by becoming more involved in the SharePoint community and maintain vendor relationships that will help me in the future. One area I need to establish is a resource base and identify potential partners in the organization that can help the company grow to a more significant level. I have continued to work with well-known companies that help me understand the market’s concerns and allow me to work within their organizations.

I have a bunch of more work to do, but overall I would say that I am moving forward on each of my objectives for the future of PointLogix LLC and hope to build the company into a good mid-size firm in the next five years.

I believe that experienced SharePoint professionals are very tough  to come by these days, but one of the biggest hurdles you have is that you have to compete with many qualified and non-credentialed job-seekers. In previous years, a job requisition went out and the crowd was thin and you could have multiple job offers by the end of the week. In this market, it won’t work that way. Recruiters are searching to find candidates that meet every qualification that are posted. I recently had a company discard me after an initial contact because I had not used a certain vendor’s web part. After the phone screen, went out on the web and looked at the web part and realized that it was no more than a Content Query Web Part (CQWP), I learned the basics in 15 minutes. That doesn’t cut it in this market, companies/recruiters want it all.

So you’ve made it through the phone screen to test your basic compatibility and technical discussions, what’s next? Usually the process moves to a more technical “test-drive” and an in-person meeting. It can be very unnerving for some, but it’s all about practice and gaining a level of confidence before you walk into the room with your potential employer and co-workers.

What should you do before you arrive for your interview?

• Learn about the position, the company, and industry. Walking into an interview and not knowing anything about the industry or company does not set you apart from others and says that you are “just there” versus interest, engaged, and ready to learn. Visit their web site, search the web, a quick overview will be a good start.
• If you can, learn about the interviewers, usually not a possibility, but if you know a name of your future boss you can learn about them on LinkedIn or do a web search on their name that would be excellent. Maybe you went to the same school, lived in the same area, or know which areas to stay away from. Example: I am from New Hampshire and a big Red Sox fan, if during the process we start talking about sports and I noticed that one of the people lived in the New York area. I would move right away from that subject, you know whole Red Sox versus Yankee rivalry can get ugly. You do not want anything that the person would retain as negative memories in any way.
• Walk through soft and technical questions you perceive might be asked. Do not discard any, if you practice the answer when it comes out in an interview it could increase your confidence. It’s all about being confident.
• Look professional. The markets are full of discounts on business clothing. If you do not have a good suit (or dress) buy one, the money you spend will be worth it.
• Study up on areas you know that might be asked that you do not have a good understanding. Pick a subject, if you do not understand something, read up on it as much as possible, just know that this does not make you an instant expert but could refresh your memory on other details later on. Keep your mind active and fresh.

Showing up for the interview

The old adage was show up 15 minutes early for interview. I would say that is very good, but I would add that you should be within 5 minutes of the offices within the 15 minutes. If you show up a half hour early for an interview and have your prospective boss adjust their schedule because you showed up really early, some say that it showing a lack of respect for a person’s time. Be early, but 5 – 10 minutes early is safe, beyond that you have the potential to upset people.

Be respectful to each person you meet in the office, you never know, the person you cut-off in the parking lot could be sitting on your interview panel. Open doors for people, say “thank you/please”, you never know which person could see your actions and be impressed.

Are We Interviewing or What?

Ok, it took a while but you are in the room. Take a couple of breathes, and RELAX. Seriously, relax. The people interviewing you are probably just as nervous as you, don’t let them see that you are nervous.

So you are being quizzed and asked questions you never thought you would be asked, answer them in a confident manner when you know the answers. But what if I do not know the answer? If you do not know something… say “I do not know that, but I would research it this way…”. Did he just say to tell an interviewer “I don’t know”? Yes, I did.  Here’s why. It might be a part of my training in the military, but answering a question that you do not know anything about comes across as arrogant and puts your integrity in question. If I am hiring you for a customer-facing position, and most are, and you are asked a question that you do not know the answer to and you start shooting off an answer that the customer either knows is wrong or researches and finds out your answer is wrong, the employee/company lose confidence from the customer. Businesses know everything cannot be remembered, but improvising on the fly puts their reputation at stake and maybe even puts the company at risk if you provide wildly incorrect information.

• Do not get too comfortable with the interview panel. Answer questions, be yourself, but do not make jokes or tell your life story during breaks in process. Oh, the stories I could tell in this area.
• Ask questions about projects, company and other areas that interest you in the position. It’s a tw0-way street, they want you to be happy when you are there and you want to be happy with your career. Make sure the opportunity will meet your needs in the short- and long-term.
• Do not talk about money. This will kill your chances in a time of cost-reduction and it comes off as unprofessional. You will get there soon and if the interview asks, then give your requirements, but let the hiring manager/HR ask. Once asked, the door is open and ask your questions. Again, you want to be happy and if the position does not pay what you expect you will lose interest very quick.
• Explain thoroughly, but leave enough for panel to ask you questions too. Remember I said that the panel is nervous too? Let them get comfortable and stressed people do not make good decisions. Think “win-win”.
• At the end of the process, ask what are the next steps. Are there more interviewees? Will there be a long internal review? Will the team decide tomorrow? When can I expect to hear back? Keep discussion generic, but understand what is going to happen next so you can sleep at night.

There is much more that could be discussed, but this market is very selective and can discard very viable options on a whim. Make sure you are prepared and confident when you enter and leave the interview room.

I have hired or been a part of the process for a while now, so if you have questions, please leave a comment or use the contact form and I will answer your question. Next part of series will be technical from this point going forward. Got the “easy” area addressed and we can move on to bigger topics. I hoped this helps give you some insight to the process.

-Ken

The list will grow, but I can breakdown the questions into categories like:

• Infrastructure (Active Directory/Messaging/Networking)
• Development
• SharePoint Administration
• Non-technical

What I want to do is explore each question as in-depth as possible, so I will pick a question and explain the answer thoroughly and provide a referenced (if possible) “best practice” answer.

If you have suggestions, please use the “Into SharePoint” contact form.

First thing, anytime Microsoft invests in their platform by providing user tools as a part of their products, that is a great thing. I know that SharePoint is the fastest growing product in their company’s storied history, so SharePoint is here to stay. I won’t add to the hype/rumors, because I cannot add to it, so let’s just stick to the topic.

How does SharePoint Designer impact you a developer/administrator/user?

As a developer/administrator of your company’s SharePoint environment, this potential impact is great from a support point of view. The basics are that users could have the proper permissions to start their path down the road of developing workflows and modifying pages/forms. From a governance plan perspective, you are immediately going to face a bunch of issues:

1. Who is going to support them with new functionality if the users get over their head or want to do it right by have an expert (developer/admin) help them out?
2. What is the plan for supporting all of these new creations once the user wants more? or they leave and have no one else to support them.

There are other issues (modifying master pages, CSS, etc.) but let’s address these two.

As an Architect and SharePoint advocate, I think having users excited about becoming self-sufficient is always a great thing, but the when you have fifty employees, that is totally different than 25k+ users, totally different ballgame. My experience has found that you enter a new issue around constantly working through stopping points from the users when you open the can of worms by letting them create basic workflows.

So from an Enterprise point of view:

1. Lock it down to audiences that need to have access (developers, administrators, etc.)
2. Create a support process to help meet the demand for users
3. Build a plan to have power users brought up to speed and provide them with the access they need to support themselves. Start with a small group, and train other users and feel comfortable with handing over this ability when you know that the process is understood.
4. Consistently communicate message to user base. Inconsistent message will create a “why can’t I have it” response, so make sure your team says the same thing.

From a Mid- to Small-business angle:

1. Find a group of users that you feel can meet your requirements of building workflows, train them, and let them go.
2. Lock down branding and master page access.

The difference in the two audiences is that one (small-/mid-sized businesses) is more controllable and although a leap of faith, it will help your group in the long term to have users be self-sufficient. It will build an a customer that will want to use product and look for new ways to expand SharePoint’s use. That is a win-win.

SharePoint Designer is such a good product from it’s ease of use that it WILL cause issues. The biggest issue that needs to be addressed is branding. You will get users that want to change colors and fonts and might impact your site, so that has always been my biggest concern, but supporting your users should be right up there on this list because as professionals we always want to provide a good service, but saying “no” or providing solid measures to protect corporate/company resources is the highest priority.

Now, I do not believe from an Enterprise view that companies will add new projects, or pull projects that were previously pulled out of budgets in the next three to six months, but the demand is continuing to show pent-up demand that could push it’s way out into the marketplace.

Many stories over the past months have been of canceled projects, but with optimism growing, I believe these next few months will allow companies/professionals a great opportunity to put themselves in a great position for the next few years. Again this is more a forward-thinking proposition, but between the demand and the next version of SharePoint over the horizon in the next year, there is plenty of chances to grow in the field and solidify a position of power.

One of my surprises is that the consulting rates have not really lowered as much as I thought they would. I can see pressure being placed on rates in the next 3 – 6 months if unemployment continues to rise. The next big business push once employment rates stabilize is the lowering of these rates because of the fact that there will be a glut of resources, not SharePoint resources mind you, but a .NET developer is no different than a SharePoint developer in the mind of recruiters.

Right now the types of organizations that are seeing the biggest shortfall in activity are the vendors that specialize in development in the Enterprise space. A company’s focus on this space finds them at the mercy of the budget cuts that have taken place, but the end some companies fiscal year in June could start the rise of contract engagements.

That being stated, keeping a eye towards the future, while learning and being involved in great projects will continue to drive the growth of the platform. One of the best ways to do this is attending SharePoint events, learn as much as you can and meet as many great people as you can. You never know when either will become a valuable asset.