Let’s power up with the Microsoft Power Platform!
To a working protoptype within a single day
Low Code is a visual software development approach that delivers applications faster and with less handwritten coding. Web and mobile applications can be created using drag-and-drop components and model driven logic through an intuitive graphical IDE. Low Code platforms relieve so called citizen developers from having to write custom code, while still supporting professional developers by abstracting tedious plumbing and infrastructure tasks required in traditional application engineering. By working closely together, functional and technical specialists design and create custom applications in a fraction of the time it would take using traditional technologies.
In 2018 Microsoft announced the Microsoft Power Platform. Since then, Microsoft has evolved to become one of the Leaders in the domain of Low Code Application Platforms. The Power Platform consists of a toolbox of several solutions that enable you to create advanced business applications rapidly. All these solutions have in common that they were created on the Azure Platform, enabling them to benefit from all services Azure has to offer (like API Management, Common Data Service for Apps, Cognitive Services or Azure Functions). In the section below we will take a closer look at the four building blocks that form the Power Platform.
Power BI
Power BI was launched in 2013 and has been part of the Power Platform since 2018. It is a self-service Business Intelligence solution that converts business data into rich analyses and clear visual reports. Data could come from a wide variety of sources, like MS Office, SharePoint, MS Dynamics or one of the hundreds of other systems with built-in support from the Power Platform. Using Power Apps, Power Automate and Power Virtual Agents, insights and reports from Power BI can be made usable by converting them into actions. The SaaS licensing model is either user based or capacity based.
Power Apps
Power Apps was launched as an independent solution in 2017. From 2018 onwards it has been part of the Power Platform. Power Apps is a SaaS solution comprised of connectors, services, apps and data platforms designed to quickly and smoothly build custom business applications (mobile or web) without the need to write any custom code. Through the standard integration of Power Apps with hundreds of business systems and databases, it is very easy to build applications that connect employees to existing processes and data within your company. Similarly, data captured in PowerApps can be synchronized to the same systems for further analysis in Power BI, creating a closed-loop process for continuous improvement. Subscription can be purchased per user or per application.
Power Automate
Power Automate was launched in 2016 under the name Microsoft Flow, but Microsoft changed its name to Power Automate in 2019. Power Automate is an advanced process automation tool that goes beyond simple task automation. With Automate, citizen developers can automate complex business processes and workflows without having to write complex code. Through a plain and simple user interface, users can create automated workflows that can be triggered from other applications, such as a custom business app. Power Automate can be integrated with numerous other applications. The pay-per-use license model can be applied to the number of users or the amount of flows.
Power Virtual Agents
Power Virtual Agents, which was launched in December 2019, is the youngest family member within the Power Platform. With Virtual Agents you can rapidly create intelligent and powerful bots using an intuitive graphical IDE without the need for data scientists or developers. Due to the native integration with the other tools from the Power Platform, a bot can easily be integrated into a custom built app. Similarly a bot created with Virtual Agents can easily trigger an automated task that was created with Power Automate. The pay-per-use model is based on the amount of conversations per month.
So when to consider the Power Platform?
At Heroes we have seen several usecases for which adopting the Power Platform can be an interesting option:
· Boosting your Digital Transformation. Organizations that want to unleash existing functions and processes to the outside world (customers or business partners) can accomplish this fairly easy with the Power Platform, as long as APIs are available. Orchestration can be done with Power Automate. A perfect example is the realization of a client portal with self-service features, where a chat bot can be added to increase customer service.
· Boosting your Cloud Transformation. Many companies are struggling with migrating legacy applications to the cloud that stem from the pre-cloud era. Replacing them with cloud native Power Apps can be an option.
· The Power Platform is ideally suited to digitize paper intense processes (like hiring new employees or filing declaration requests), but also to replace error-prone Excel sheets that circulate in most organizations. All data comes together in one central database, containing a single version of the truth at all times.
· Power BI is a very powerful tool to create rich analyses and clear visual reports on existing data from multiple sources.
· Rapid proof-of-concept scenario’s in which innovation ideas can be verified with business users.
Things to consider
At the same time the Power Platform, just like its many competitors in the field of Low Code platforms, has some shortcomings. These should be considered thoughtfully before starting up a project:
· The principle of Low Code development implies limited customization options. Applications that embody complex business logic, may be better realized using traditional programming languages, because adding complexity to a Low Code solution may result in performance issues.
· Since the UI of a Power Apps application is created using a drag-and-drop IDE, customization options for the UI are limited. This is not necessary a problem for functional business applications, but it can be an issue for commercial applications that require an appealing and unique user experience.
Let’s Power up together!
To get started with the Power Platform, Heroes has developed a unique approach, resulting in a working prototype within a single day.
We accomplish this in a customer workshop with the following agenda:
· Step 1: Exploration. This step is all about identifying a set of desirable, feasible and viable usecases that could be the scope of our first prototype. At the end, we will jointly vote for the best candidate.
· Step 2: Ideation. In this step we will detail out the chosen usecase in an app design.
· Step 3: Prototyping. In the remainder of the day we will jointly implement the first working prototype.
Are you considering to start with the Power Platform? Leave us a note at cloud@heroes.nl and let’s power up together!
