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Microsoft Solution Framework (MSF) at a Glance

Aug 18, 2008 by JD

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
Category: ProcessTag: Process, Project-Management

About JD

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Maor David

    Aug 29, 2008 at 3:39 pm

    J.D. ,
    great series of posts about Software Methodologies at a Glance!

  2. JD

    Aug 30, 2008 at 10:02 am

    Thanks David!

    JD

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