Learn governance from Microsoft Digital, Microsoft’s own IT department

Just because you build (or implement) it doesn’t mean your employees will just adopt it. It takes planning, discussion, and communication.

A good release methodology includes good implementations, that is, implementations that are planned and compliant with privacy and security policies. At Microsoft, IT teams balance employee self-service with managed guardrails to protect the business. As we scale solutions, apps, or services for employees and guests, we focus on end-user readiness, adoption, and proactive feedback loops that lead to informed decisions and course corrections.

This article provides first-hand insights into: Microsoft DigitalMicrosoft’s own IT department (formerly MSIT). Microsoft Digital is leveraging the advent of generative AI to rethink and transform its entire IT infrastructure to empower its entire workforce. The rapid advancement of AI has enabled us to rethink every aspect of IT, from apps, workflows, and services that enhance employee experiences, to networks, infrastructure, and devices that enhance employee productivity based on content that adheres to access levels, policies, and labels (classifications). You’ll discover lessons learned and best practices from the broad range of activities and decisions that Microsoft Digital makes about the broader “global landscape” (see graphic below).

PowerPoint slide screenshot: Global landscape “by the numbers” – the scale of activity and resources within a Microsoft 365 tenant, as presented by the Microsoft Digital team at a recent external event.

“We engage Microsoft employees. We listen to their feedback and try to close the loop. We learn from them what works and what doesn’t work, and we integrate that into our adoption approach to governance.”

– Ilin State (Senior Program Manager, Microsoft Digital)

The formality and depth required to document your governance plan should match the outcomes you want to achieve. Therefore, your vision provides the context for governance and the framework for your investments. Microsoft 365 creates a new paradigm for the technologies that support your business. This new paradigm changes how these technologies are adopted, managed, and governed.

Take the time to review two videos from Microsoft Digital. One focuses on governance when considering adoption and launch of Microsoft Copilot, and the other focuses on broader guidance when evaluating your entire Microsoft 365 tenant. Below the videos, you’ll find additional insights and common resources to help guide and plan your organization’s approach to governance.

“Governance and Management in the Copilot Era” presented in Ilin State (Senior Program Manager) and David Johnson (Principal PM Architect). Sit down and learn how Microsoft provides guardrails and governance for employees to succeed with Copilot for Microsoft 365. Hear directly from the deal as they develop a plan to mitigate oversharing and proliferation. Learn what you can do today and where we and technology are headed. Watch now:

“Tenant Governance Best Practices” presented in David Johnson (Principal PM Architect). Learn the essential tips and best practices for managing Microsoft 365 tenants end-to-end in Microsoft IT. Hear and see insights into how businesses deal with sprawl, oversharing, and compliance, and empower employees to work together and drive business forward with fewer mistakes. Watch now:

An investment in Microsoft 365 is only as good as the content and experiences it enables. So thinking about governance at the beginning of your journey can help you avoid locking down or enabling too much before you have a chance to understand and evaluate the implications of each decision. There are many “knobs and dials” to turn in Microsoft 365. An effective governance plan is critical to achieving your business goals, but governance is all about balancing risks and benefits. If you lock everything down, people will find ways to circumvent the rules when they need to get things done.

First, when we think about governance, here are some benefits:

• Balance the risks and benefits.
• Adapts to different organizations, different types of content, and different scenarios.
• Aligned to business priorities.

PowerPoint slide screenshot: 10 steps to properly implementing tenant data governance using Copilot for Microsoft 365, presented by the Microsoft Digital team at a recent external event.

Your organization may require you to implement strict controls on how these teamwork tools are used, how they are named and categorized (sites, groups, files, calendars, etc.), whether guests can be added as team members, and who can create guests. You can configure each of these areas and more. And we are here to help you find the most relevant customer evidence, documentation, blogs/articles, and videos. All in one place.

Keeping everything connected and secure is key to a consistent experience. Microsoft 365 Teams is built on an intelligent fabric that provides seamless connections between people and relevant content, the Microsoft Graph, a single team identity across apps and services, and security and compliance through centralized policy management.

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Ultimately, the success of your governance planning efforts depends on how well you communicate expectations to your organization’s members.

Thank you for your time. Happy reign, Mark Kashman