VSTS Rangers – Who are the experts? The VSTS Rangers, the field engineers or the product group?

I have been mulling over a comment (there is always the one) in our VSTS Rangers session feedback for some time, trying to figure out how we can address it in future TechReady events. It was last night, after dropping off our son at the airport and watching the Jumbo carrying the precious cargo taking off at Vancouver international airport, that I suddenly realised that what appeared to be a real critique and problem, is actually a complement and confirmation that we are achieving our objectives. Huh?

The VSTS Rangers have a number of objectives which are predominantly around the development of VSTS stop-gap solutions, removing VSTS adoption blockers and getting the field and the product group closer together. We are, in essence the glue between the field, consisting of Microsoft Services, Microsoft Most Valued Professionals, Microsoft Partners and Communities, and the product group.

The session in question was focused on the VSTS Rangers deliverables around guidance, documentation and samples developed for the overall solution, but a lot of the questions and discussions were around the technical details of the solution and strategies … something that the technical lead of the overall solution was much more competent in. What we achieved at TechReady is to make it easy for the product group to engage with the VSTS Rangers community, to share their technical experience and vision … in essence we connected the community, with the VSTS Rangers and with the product group :) This ensures that the experience and expertise from the field makes it back to the product group, and that the technical in-depth experience and expertise of the product group is available to the field.

To the attendee who submitted the comment, “thank you” for making us ponder over the issue, analysing the feedback critically and confirming that we are actually on the right tracks.