Chapter 1. Envisioning the Solution

Terms you'll need to understand:

• Problem statement

• Vision statement

• Scope

• Persona

• Feasibility

• Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF)

• The six team roles

• Risk mitigation

Techniques you'll need to master:

• Constructing a concise problem statement

• Given business goals and constraints, proposing a solution

• Testing that solution for business feasibility, technology feasibility, and resource feasibility

• Constructing a team with the proper expertise

• Creating a solution that can be accomplished on time, on budget, and with the requested scope

• Building a prioritized list of risks

• Analyzing each risk objectively using probability and impact values

• Drawing all the necessary facts for your decisions out of a written case study

Microsoft defines the first actions taken in building a new application as the Envisioning Phase, so it is not much of a surprise that the first area of focus in the exam is on envisioning the solution. Many of the IT projects that end up as material for the next Dilbert comic strip do so because they take shortcuts in the Envisioning Phase. This phase is the first place in the development cycle where business stakeholders and application architects can unwittingly collaborate to create a solution that could not possibly succeed.

This chapter looks at several best-practice deliverables and activities that should not be skipped if all parties want to achieve planned success rather than a Las Vegasstyle gamble. (Yes, even long shots win once in a while, but that approach is not sensible.)

Work done in the Envisioning Phase is at a high level and often subject to change. As you dig deeper into the requirements and the design (discussed in later chapters), you will refine the decisions made in the Envisioning Phase.