Microsoft Power Platform has become a vital tool to the modern business, empowering both professional developers and citizen developers to build apps, automate workflows, and generate data insights with unprecedented speed. However, as with any powerful tool, the widespread adoption of Power Platform comes with its own set of challenges—chief among them, governance.
The Importance of Governance in Power Platform
Governance might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of innovation, but it’s crucial for ensuring that the innovation is sustainable, secure, and compliant. Without a strong governance framework, organizations risk exposing sensitive data, violating compliance requirements, and creating operational inefficiencies. As more employees engage in app development and automation, the potential for these risks only grows.
Key reasons why governance is essential for Power Platform:
- Security: With a growing number of apps and workflows, the likelihood of mishandling sensitive data increases. Proper governance ensures that all developments adhere to security protocols, protecting the organization’s data assets.
- Compliance: Different industries are subject to various regulations like HIPAA, GDPR, or internal data policies. Governance helps ensure that all solutions developed within Power Platform meet these regulatory requirements, avoiding costly fines and reputational damage.
- Operational Efficiency: A governance framework provides structure and clarity, reducing the chances of duplication, redundant efforts, and unsustainable practices. It ensures that all Power Platform assets are managed effectively throughout their lifecycle.
Case Study: Establishing Governance for Microsoft Power Platform to Support a Thriving Maker Community
Company X, a leading global media and entertainment company with over 200,000 employees, faced significant governance challenges as their Power Platform ecosystem rapidly expanded. With over 10,000 citizen developers creating more than 30,000 apps, flows, and bots, the potential for security breaches, non-compliance, and operational inefficiencies became a major concern.
To address these challenges, Company X partnered with Compass365 to establish a Power Platform Center of Excellence (CoE) and implement a robust governance framework. The journey involved:
Assessing the Current State: Company X needed to understand the scale of Power Platform usage and identify the risks associated with their existing assets.
Customizing the CoE: While Microsoft’s Power Platform CoE Starter Kit provided a strong foundation, it required significant customization to meet the specific needs of a large, complex enterprise like Company X.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: The implementation involved close collaboration across various departments, including IT, security, compliance, and business units, to ensure that the governance framework was comprehensive and sustainable.
The result was a tailored governance framework that addressed Company X’s security, compliance, and operational concerns while still enabling innovation across the organization. The success of this initiative was reflected in the ongoing support and education provided to their maker community, fostering a culture of innovation underpinned by strong governance.
Explore the Full Case Study
Governance isn’t just a checkbox—it’s a vital component of any successful Power Platform strategy. The journey of Company X serves as a powerful example of how a well-implemented governance framework can protect an organization’s assets while enabling continuous innovation.
To dive deeper into how Company X and Compass365 achieved this balance, download the full case study. You’ll learn more about the specific challenges they faced, the solutions they implemented, and how you can apply these lessons to your own organization.
Don’t let governance be an afterthought. Secure your Power Platform environment and empower your team to innovate confidently.
