Welcome to the Third Way

Empower your team - give them access to World Class Dynamics and Power Platform Solution Architects

Welcome to Midnightstar, Microsoft partner and your partner in Dynamics 365 and Power Platform transformation.

Are you seeking the perfect balance between expert guidance and team empowerment? Our consultancy specialises in the innovative concept of the 3rd Way, revolutionising how organisations harness Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform's potential. Let's explore how this approach can shape your journey towards optimal solutions and sustainable growth.

The First Way - In-house implementation with limited expertise

"The First Way" represents the approach where organisations attempt to deploy Dynamics 365 and Power Platform solutions using their internal teams.

While this method leverages existing resources, it often faces challenges due to the team's potential lack of specialised skills and experience in these complex Microsoft technologies.

Programmer

Your technical teams are likely to be highly skilled, but Dynamics and Power platform are relatively complex and nuanced, concepts like solutions deployments, plugins, environment management are relatively straightforward for technical staff to achieve once the overall platform architecture is understood. Even for simple customisations, there are many ways to achieve a given outcome.

When 'Going-it-alone', the results can include suboptimal implementation, risk, exposure to technical debt and overall poor performance, leading to a longer path to realising the full potential of platform investment and in some cases leading to poor solution design.

Gaining access to time-served solution architect can bring your team up to speed in a relatively short space of time, and also give them access to a highly-qualified resource as and when they need them for not only helping with complex customisations but with determining platform strategy for the organisation.

The Second Way - Outsourcing Everything to a Microsoft Partner

In contrast, "The Second Way" involves engaging a Microsoft Gold Partner for solution implementation.

For any sizable project this is a good approach to deliver a solution, but often leaves an organisation lacking control and overall strategic ownership of the platform leading to supplier dependency and significant risk if transitioning between suppliers.

Handshake

There are some great partners out there, and for large projects or implementations this is a great way to go but solely relying on this approach can sometimes lead to a dependency on external consultants for ongoing support and maintenance, limits the opportunity for internal skill development and long-term self-sufficiency and significantly increases operating costs.

When implementing Dynamics or the Power Platform these are resources under your control and you should have some sort of strategic control over not only what is being built, but how it is being built. Engaging an independent time-served solution architect allows your organisation to get the most from any partner implementation and allows your team to be better informed throughout the whole process.

The Third Way - Expert Guidance Balanced with Team Empowerment

Our "Third Way" merges the best of both worlds.

It involves utilising seasoned professional Dynamics and Power Platform architects to guide and mentor your team and helping your organisation build a sustainable operating model.

SolutionArchitect

This approach not only ensures expert-led, efficient solution deployment but also focuses on upskilling your internal team, not just technically but also strategically.

It strikes a perfect balance between expert intervention and team empowerment, leading to sustainable growth, skill development, and a more cost-effective model in the long run.

In days gone by, a software solution was implemented by the vendor or the vendors partner, the Power Platform and Dynamics 365 are different, it is intrinsically integrated into your Microsoft 365 tenant and Azure platform and as such has many, many touchpoints throughout an organisation and as such the platform needs to be understood and managed in that context.
It involves utilising seasoned professional Dynamics and Power Platform architects to guide and mentor your team and helping your organisation build a sustainable operating model.

With the third way, your organisation benefits from top-tier expertise without the high costs associated with traditional consulting models and builds internal competencies that are crucial for future technological adaptations and innovations, allowing an organisation to make informed strategic decisions.