4 out of 5 tasks completed
4 out of 5 tasks completed
Supporting the plan to launch the new Microsoft Planner.
We accomplish tasks for two reasons: 1) To check them off, and 2) To hear the satisfying ‘pling’ when we check them off. ✅✅🔔 And it’s our job at work - to get assignments and see them through to completion.
For the Planner push to general availability, followed by a number of launch activities, we had roughly 70+ members (Microsoft employees + vendor support) working together on a single Planner plan, in Teams, that we titled “Planner Marketing Moments Plan” (shown below). We tracked a total of 166 tasks across the whole of the plan. FYI, as of today (April 5, 2024), we’re 84% complete - with more tasks planned over the coming weeks; not too shabby.
Over these last few weeks, I enjoyed being a member of this v-team, working with the Planner product team to accomplish a few tasks with them — in support of launching the new Microsoft Planner - pling! pling! pling! pling!
▶️ Note: GA rollout began on April 3rd, 2024.
This article highlights four of the primary tasks/outcomes. My hope is that each of these now-on-demand resources is helpful to you as you ramp up on the New Planner, how it works, and what it can do for you to make task and project management less taxing. And that 5th task (see below) … it’s coming along nicely at 65% completion.
Task #1: “Meet the Makers” launch video ✅
The “Meet the Makers” webcast was held on April 3rd, bringing leaders from the Planner product team - Howard Crow (Partner GPM - Planner) and Roberto Bojorquez (GPM - Planner) in conversation with host, Karuana Gatimu (Principal PM Manager – Microsoft 365 Community and Adoption Group, Microsoft).
The webcast focused on the future of task and work management for Microsoft 365. They explained how the new Planner brings together the simplicity of Microsoft To Do, the collaboration of Microsoft Planner, the power of Microsoft Project for the web - with the intelligence of Microsoft Copilot - into a simple, familiar experience. And it’s now on-demand for your viewing pleasure (with nice chapters for easy viewing).
Task #2: New Planner AMA ✅
AMAs are fun, crazy, and rewarding - imo. It brings a lot of people together, adds clarity - both to people using the product and for the product team to learn truly how people are using their product - and what we the collective can work on in the future. This AMA did not disappoint (check the “by the numbers” below).
During the AMA session, members of the Planner product team answered questions directly from the community - from within the Planner community within the Microsoft Tech Community. This was a great opportunity for anyone and everyone to get answers to any questions and to provide feedback.
By the numbers:
90 minutes
800 live attendees
550 Comments (where the real depth Q&A took place)
5 on-air SMEs + hosts
2 show producers
17 Q&A SMEs answering comments
Click into the full New Planner AMA event page; you’ll find the video and all questions and answered during the live broadcast - 550 comments (lots of engagement).
Task #3: 4/3 GA blog ✅
This blog post puts a stake in the ground: The new Microsoft Planner journey starts in Teams - and it starts now! The blog covers all you need to know about what the plan is and how they will bring together the simplicity of Microsoft To Do, the collaboration of Microsoft Planner, the power of Microsoft Project for the web — all into a simple, familiar experience.
You’ll also find a standalone image of the new Planner icon (revealed on April 3rd during the “Meet the Makers” events), a forward-looking list of what’s coming soon, plus additional resources and where to share your feedback.
Read and scroll the full post, “The new Microsoft Planner begins roll out to General Availability (GA),“ by Roberto Bojorquez (Planner GPM - Microsoft).
Task #4: Updated Planner adoption hub ✅
Think of it as THE Planner microsite to see all recent news, find Help content, sign up for their newsletter, see demos, leverage adoption materials, and more. The goal is to remove any barriers to entry, help you manage your work and achieve your goals, and help you scale awareness and deployment for your own organization.
There’s a great team behind this site, keeping the content fresh and up to date. It’s an easy to recommend for bookmarking.
Visit the Microsoft Planner adoption hub today.
Task #5 - The un’pling’ed one (so far): The new Planner breakout session at #M365Con 🟩
The Planner product team is eager to meet you - to hear how you are using Planner, how you like the new features, and most of all, what they can do to continue to deliver on what you want and need Planner to do in the future; in the Planner biz, they call ‘em “roadmap tasks.”
We have a big Planner breakout session in the works, plus experts onsite to help get you started with Planner in Teams, to help guide you as you manage your own tasks. You’ll see and learn more about the convergence of To Do, Planner, and Project for the Web - merging into the new Planner app in Microsoft Teams. Expect demos of all the enterprise work management capabilities, plus early looks at what they are planning with Copilot in Planner and Planner for frontline workers.
The new Microsoft Planner breakout session, “Unifying Task Management in Microsoft Teams” will be presented by product members Scott Van Vliet (CVP), Howard Crow (Partner GPM), and Roberto Bojorquez (GPM) | Tuesday, April 30, 11:30am – 12:30pm.
Your task, should you choose to accept it: Join us in Orlando, FL, April 30 - May 2, 2024. Make a plan and register today. Use the MSCUST discount code to save $100 USD. See you there.
Now, you can always press Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows to meet the Task Manager. Or try the new Planner and become your own Task Master.
Cheers, Mark