Success by Design and FastTrack
Success by Design is Microsoft’s framework for planning and reviewing Dynamics 365 projects. It turns lessons from past implementations into checkpoints, so problems appear early and not at go-live.
The four phases
| Phase | Focus | Typical output |
|---|---|---|
| Initiate | Vision, scope, team, governance, high-level requirements | Solution blueprint, project plan |
| Implement | Build, configure, integrate, migrate data | Working solution in iterations |
| Prepare | Testing, training, cutover, go-live readiness | Go-live decision |
| Operate | Hypercare, support, continuous improvement | Stable production |
Remember the order with the verbs: start, build, ready, run. The exam asks which phases come after a given one, and which activity belongs to which phase.
Workshops and reviews
During Initiate, the team runs workshops with the customer to gather requirements, define scope and agree on the solution approach. The result is a solution blueprint, which describes the processes, data, integrations, security, environments and ALM approach.
The solution blueprint review is an independent look at that design. Later reviews cover implementation and go-live readiness. They exist to spot risks and give recommendations, not to approve payment.
Typical blueprint contents to remember:
- Business process flow diagrams and the scope of fit and gap items.
- Integration and data migration strategy.
- Environment plan and security model.
- Application lifecycle management (ALM) strategy, including how updates are applied and how code is managed.
FastTrack
FastTrack for Dynamics 365 is a Microsoft program that assists customers with their implementation. It is not a development service.
Benefits include:
- Early discovery of risks and issues.
- Proactive guidance from Microsoft engineers.
- Predictable success based on patterns from many projects.
- Formalized roles and a shared approach through Success by Design.
It does not include designing or developing the solution for the customer. That remains the work of the customer and implementation partner.
Exam traps
- Phases are Initiate, Implement, Prepare, Operate. The names Design, Build or Optimize are not phases.
- Solution blueprint review sits at the end of Initiate. Go-live readiness belongs to Prepare.
- FastTrack advises and reviews. It does not write code or provide licenses.
- Requirements gathering workshops belong to Initiate, not Implement.
Practice questions
Choose an answer, then review the explanation to check your understanding.
1. A project has completed its Initiate phase workshops. Which phases follow in Success by Design?
Show answer
Answer: A.The phases are Initiate, Implement, Prepare, Operate in that order. Build and deploy words belong to other methodologies.
2. At the end of Initiate, the customer wants an independent check that the proposed design is sound before configuration starts. What do you run?
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Answer: B.The solution blueprint review checks the architecture and key decisions at the end of Initiate. Go-live readiness is for the Prepare phase.
3. Which is a benefit of FastTrack for Dynamics 365 for a customer?
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Answer: B.FastTrack gives guidance, reviews and early risk detection. It does not build the solution for the customer.