The Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) provides people and process guidance—the proven practices of Microsoft—to help teams and organizations become more successful in delivering business-driven technology solutions to their customers.  Note that this MSF is not the same as the MSF Agile process included in VSTS.  I like to be able to scan process methodologies.  To do so, I create a skeletal view of the activities, artifacts, … etc.   Here’s my notes on the Microsoft Solution Framework circa 2005, which might be a bit dated, but provide a quick lens into the main ideas:

Artifacts

Envisioning

• Vision/scope document.
• Risk assessment document.
• Project structure document.

Planning

• Functional specification
• Risk management plan
• Master project plan
• Master project schedule

Developing

• Prototype
• Source code
• Executables
• Installation scripts and configuration settings for deployment
• Frozen functional specification
• Performance support elements
• Test specifications
• Test cases

Stabilizing

• Golden release
• Release notes
• Performance support elements
• Test results and testing tools
• Source code and executables
• Project documents
• Milestone review

Deploying

• Operation and support information systems
• Procedures and processes
• Knowledge base, reports, logbooks
• Documentation repository for all versions of documents, load sets, and code developed during the project
• Project close-out report
• Final versions of all project documents
• Customer/user satisfaction data
• Definition of next steps

Additional Resources

• Microsoft Solutions Framework (TechNet)

My Related Posts

• MSF at a Glance
• Rational Unified Process (RUP) at a Glance