Collaborating to Solve with Microsoft Power Platform Envisioning Workshops from HBS
Organizations know they have inefficiencies, but identifying the right solutions—and the tools to make them happen—is where many get stuck. The HBS Power Platform Envisioning Workshop brings together teams and insdustry groups to uncover pain points, collaborate on solutions, and explore how Microsoft Power Apps can transform workflows. By the end, organizations leave with a concrete, strategic roadmap to align their data, processes, and reporting
- Tailored Report: Summary of challenges and proposed solutions.
- Strategic Roadmap: Clear plan for implementing Microsoft Power Apps.
- Ongoing Support: Guidance to refine and execute strategies
The Challenge
We consistently find that most organizations deal with:
- Disjointed processes: Data trapped in spreadsheets, manual workflows, and siloed teams.
- Inefficiencies: Repetitive tasks and redundant approvals that slow progress.
- Underused tech: Tools with untapped potential that could save time and resources.
For industry groups, the challenge can be even greater—finding best practices across multiple organizations while addressing common issues. Without a structured plan, opportunities to identify shared challenges and develop solutions are often missed.
The HBS Power Platform Envisioning Workshop Solution
Our Power Platform Envisioning Workshop is a focused engagement—typically around three hours—designed to get to the heart of organizational and industry challenges, and then finding solutions to solve them with Microsoft Power Platform.
Through collaboration and hands-on activities, there’s an uncovering of what’s holding organizations back and exploring how Microsoft Power Apps can help.
What Happens in the Workshop
- Kickoff: Everyone gets to know each other, and the group sets the stage for a productive session.
- Overview of the Microsoft Power Platform: Learn how tools like Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages, and Copilot Studio can make work easier and more productive.
- Interactive Activities:
- Icebreaker: Loosen up and start thinking outside the box.
- SWOT Analysis: Dig into what’s working, what’s not, and what’s next.
- Affinity Diagramming: Take all those ideas, group them, and figure out what’s most important.
- Wrap-Up: Review the day’s discoveries and prepare for the next step—the Report Out Session.
Next Steps: Turning Insights into Action
After the workshop, HBS hosts a follow-up Report Out Session to consolidate insights and focus on actionable next steps. HBS guides groups through the next phases:
- Follow-Up Report Out Session: A deep dive into the workshop’s findings. Recap the strengths and weaknesses discovered during the SWOT analysis.
- Affinity Themes: Revisit the themes from the affinity exercise, focusing on shared problems and priorities.
- Solution Assessment & Roadmap: A tailored plan that outlines:
- Quick Wins: Low-effort, high-impact improvements to implement first.
- Long term strategy: Larger initiatives requiring phased rollouts.
- Technology roadmap: Identifying the right Power Platform tools for each need.
A few weeks following the workshop and report session, HBS reconvenes with participants to review their progress, address any challenges, and explore more ways HBS and Microsoft’s Power Platform can help. The goal is to continue that momentum and create an opportunity to refine strategies and plan next steps.
The Impact: What Organizations Gain
This isn’t just a brainstorming session—attendees leave with tools and strategies to make things happen.
- Tailored Report:
- A simple summary of the big challenges and best ideas from the workshop.
- Clear recommendations for how Power Platform can move organizations forward.
- Strategic Roadmap:
- A step-by-step plan for leveraging Microsoft Power Apps.
- Options for follow-up support, including detailed business process flows and requirements.
- Tailored Report:
Why It Works
- Focused Problem-Solving: The workshop dives into the biggest challenges and identifies practical solutions.
- Collaborative Insights: Whether it’s within a single organization or across groups, the collaborative format leads to better ideas and stronger outcomes.
- Actionable Strategies and Next Steps: With the Report Out Session and strategic roadmap, participants leave with a clear plan to move forward.
Conclusion
Whether you’re part of a single organization or an industry group, the HBS Power Platforms Envisioning Workshop helps you tackle the tough stuff and come out ahead. By discovering and focusing on what matters the most to everyone, working together, and using Microsoft’s tools, you’ll go from stuck to successful.
Ready to solve what’s holding you back? Let HBS show you how.
