Harness the power of Power Platform? Think about your governance first

From streamlined business processes to higher customer satisfaction: Power Platform offers unprecedented possibilities in terms of flexibility and innovation. But managing this low-code platform also brings a series of challenges. How can it be done better? With a well-thought-out Governance framework!

‍

‍

Common problems in the use of Power Platform

We have heard it often: non-technical users enthusiastically get to work with Power Platform, but it soon becomes chaotic. Before you really realise it, you have a new form of shadow IT. In other words — employees who develop or automate apps in an uncontrolled way often unintentionally create a cascade of inefficiencies and even dangers.

Security is just about the biggest risk. Due to the freedom that Power Platform offers, sensitive data is exposed to leaks more quickly. Moreover, you risk quite a few compliance problems.

Uncontrolled use of Power Platform also leads to an operational nightmare. In theory, the scalability of Power Platform is a huge asset. As more users experiment and develop a number of useful apps, a proliferation of hard-to-oversee applications arises.

By the way, all these shadow IT projects consume more resources than expected. What may start as a small-scale initiative grows into a large project that takes time and focus away from strategic tasks.

The good news? You can completely avoid such problems with a Governance framework. In summary, Governance means that you make agreements about the use of Power Platform. The framework ensures standardisation in the way solutions are developed and implemented. This way you ensure as an organisation that your apps comply with the predefined best practices and integrate well with your other tools.

‍

‍

Our phased Governance approach for Power Platform

At The Flow, the overarching Power Center of Excellence (CoE) is central. This knowledge hub brings business and IT together for the most optimal roll-out of Power Platform in your organisation. It makes a distinction between strategic, tactical and operational Governance.

At each level we want to create sufficient balance. On the one hand, we give IT enough control to maintain security and stability. On the other hand, we ensure that users get the freedom they need to work effectively. That translates into a four-part way of working, in which each step addresses a specific aspect of Governance.

‍

1. Envision (strategic Governance)

The first step in our Governance approach is setting out a clear vision. Together we identify what you want to achieve with Power Platform. And which strategic benefits it delivers for your organisation.

We also carry out a thorough scan of your current IT environment. This way we evaluate how Power Platform is already being used in your organisation today. And to what extent this is in line with the Governance framework we are going to implement.  

At the end of the Envision phase you have a clear plan, and we look at which existing systems and processes we need to change for the optimal operation of Power Platform.

‍

2. Establish (tactical Governance)

The next step is translating the strategic vision into practical policies and procedures.

First and foremost, this includes a clear roadmap for the digitalisation of processes and business innovation within the organisation. Think of app modernisation, citizen development, accelerating renewal, and so on. This roadmap serves as a compass for the transformation to a digital working environment.

Important: in this we use our Governance Maturity Map. This includes various maturity levels that each contain a number of criteria. When we roll out the Governance approach, we measure which level your organisation has today. And which steps you have to take to move to the next level. This way we can gradually increase the Governance maturity of the organisation. Which in turn contributes to a stable and efficient operational environment.

‍

3. Engage (operational Governance)

We are aware that the human aspect is vital for the successful use of Power Platform. That is why we guide your users in a strategic way, within the established structure.

We do that entirely according to their level of knowledge. We make a difference between training for system administrators in the specific Governance tools and settings, and ‘ordinary’ users or citizen developers. We provide them not only with basic knowledge and skills to use Power Platform according to the rules: we also actively coach them. So that your organisation gets as much value as possible out of Power Platform!

‍

4. Empower (operational Governance)

Power Platform is a dynamic process. That is why continuous monitoring and support is the final phase. It is also important that you sufficiently evaluate and improve the Governance framework. At The Flow we work with unique reports, which we deploy in your organisation. This way you can easily monitor and follow up the core elements of your Governance strategy.  And you can be sure that it continues to meet the evolving needs of your organisation.

‍

‍

Get everything out of Power Platform for your organisation?

Governance is indispensable if you want to get the most out of Power Platform. The Flow combines business expertise with technical knowledge, so that you really make the difference with Power Apps and Power Automate.

‍

‍Want to know more? Contact us here!