Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some frequently asked questions about the Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF). If you do not find the answer to your question, please send it to us via e-mail or via our Contact Us form. You can also search our MSF Fundamentals Forum or Microsoft’s Visual Studio Team System (VSTS) MSF Forum.- Is MSF only for technical projects?
- How does Mike’s MSF Essentials book relate to the MSF embedded within Visual Studio Team System (VSTS)?
Is MSF only for technical projects?
No. Although the greatest MSF awareness and adoption is in the technology sector, MSF equally applies to any project (or set of projects to deliver a solution) that involves multiple people with various sources of requirements. For instance, MSF could be used by a general contractor to govern how to build a house. In this example, there are multiple sub-contractors (e.g., plumbers, electricians) who need to work synchronously to achieve defined checkpoints, all while coordinating with the future home-owners over budgetary and design requirements. One MSF Master Trainer jokes that he used MSF to order pizza successfully for a party he hosted. What to order needed to be defined (envisioning), taking into consideration the varying dietary constraints and attendee preferences. Requirements and preferences along with consumption estimates were converted into specific qualities of pizzas (planning). The order was called into the local pizza shop who made and then delivered the pizzas (building). The pizza delivery was reviewed to make sure what was ordered was indeed delivered (stabilizing). Pizzas were provided to the guests with duplicate pizzas kept warming in the oven for phased availability (deploying). All of this was managed and guest expectations and satisfaction was confirmed (governing). Everyone at the party was pleased and satisfied – thanks to MSF.
For more ideas and examples of how to apply MSF, you should consider subscribing to our Applying MSF™ Newsletter.
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How does Mike’s MSF Essentials book
relate to the MSF embedded within Visual Studio Team System (VSTS)?
It might be help to visualize an MSF family tree. The book discusses the foundational material underpinning MSF (sometime referred to as MSF Core); consider it the trunk of the family tree. There are large and sometimes intertwined branches on the tree that represent the main domains of work, such as application development and another being infrastructure. VSTS currently provides application development guidance and process templates based on MSF (call them instances of MSF if you like). In summary, MSF Core is generic to all solutions delivery efforts; VSTS embeds a set of instances of MSF, such as MSF for Agile Software Development.
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