Introduction to the Microsoft Solutions Framework

• Explain the purpose and key characteristics of MSF
• Describe when and why MSF is used
• Define key MSF terminology
• Explain how improved solution strategy can alleviate the challenges to delivering technology solutions.
• Identify how the problems of a failed IT project could have been solved if MSF had been applied.

Building an MSF Team

• Describe the purposes and goals of each team member on an MSF project.
• Identify a role cluster's tasks, responsibilities, and functional areas
• Explain how to organize an MSF team with a specific number of participants.
• Identify the six quality goals that drive the team and define the team model
• List the characteristics of effective teams
• Explain how MSF teams can be scaled up or down depending on need.
• Explain how project management is distributed among team leads on an MSF project.
• Describe the benefits provided to the team through the project management discipline.

Managing Project Risks

• Explain how the risk management discipline is applied to an MSF project.
• Describe the six steps in the MSF risk management process.

Establishing Your Project Life Cycle

• Describe the five phases of the MSF process model and their major milestones.
• Describe how the MSF team model relates to the MSF process model.

Starting Your Project

• Explain the goal, milestones, and deliverables of the MSF envisioning phase.
• Discuss the considerations for selecting and preparing a project team.
• Identify and describe the recommended elements of a vision/ scope document.
• Explain MSF techniques for managing solution scope

Planning Your Project

• Explain the goal, milestones, and deliverables of the MSF planning phase.
• Describe how MSF uses three different design views to support one solution.
• Identify how the master project plan and its respective project plans guide the team on how to build the solution.
• Describe the success criteria for the MSF planning phase.

Developing Your Solution

• Explain the goal, milestones, and deliverables of the MSF developing phase.
• Explain the goal, process, and output of testing during the developing phase of an MSF project.

Stabilizing Your Solution

• Explain the MSF Stabilizing Phase.
• Describe the tasks involved in testing and piloting a solution.

Deploying Your Solution

• Explain the goal, milestones, and deliverables of the MSF deploying phase.
• Describe the steps for deploying the solution to a production environment.
• Describe the recommended activities involved in completing a project.