Me, a Team System MVP – Wow !

I was informed April 1st that I had received the MVP Award for Team System. It first appeared on the blogsite of Rune Grothaug, and later the same day a mail dropped into my Inbox from Microsoft.  I knew about the nomination, but when it materialized I still got very happy and excited about it.  It’s great to join such a group of talented people,  but it also makes me feel the pressure to do even more for and within the community.  I have always enjoyed sharing knowledge with other people, but this has normally happened in small groups. I’ve not been the typical writer or blogger, although I enjoy writing and communicating. Either I’m out of time, or I don’t feel the stuff is well enough prepared, or I’m just holding a bit back. The shy guy, you know….  

The last couple of years I have been running a series of TFS seminars, which I’ve really enjoyed. I’ve also enjoyed staying on the Microsoft’s forums answering problems from other peers for some years now.  This activity is mostly a spare time, or holiday activity – when I’m in projects I often run out of time to stay on the forums.  And now it’s Easter, so….

I see the Team Foundation Server as a major Microsoft product, and a product which fits my interests in software development perfectly.  It covers so many areas of software development, The capability of the TFS to adapt to whatever scenario you like, be it the build system, the work item system, or the data warehouse or whatever, is a tremendous advantage, and something which makes it possible for others to easily implement the system in their organization.  I see it more like a framework than an out-of-the-box experience. It is THE tool to use to realize the vision of a Software Factory.  I’m now really looking forward to a tighter communication with the product teams working on Team System, there is so much interesting stuff regarding Team System. The 2010 version is coming up, hopefully the betas are not far away and I just can’t wait to give my humble inputs to the process.

The MVP Award is a personal award, but for me I feel that this is also a tribute to the work we have been doing in the Project Support team at  Osiris.  It is this team which have realized the software factory within Osiris, and the experience from this led to the series of TFS seminars, 10 now in all – and not stopping, which started all this.   The concept of “Credit where credit is due” is important to me, and Jakob Ehn and Mikael Nitell, which together with me makes up the Project Support team,  should both have their share of this. Both have been creating and doing the seminars together with me.  I simply couldn’t have done them without these two guys.  Both are extremely competent, and I’m very happy to be working with them.  They really make my days worthwhile! (Rune – need more MVP candidates? (hint, hint)).  And Rune (Grothaug) of course himself also deserves credit, kicking off the nomination and working hard for us guys,  and not to forget Olav Tollefsen which has been pushing me into the TFS seminars and also into all kinds of TFS related problems opportunities. Also thanks to Trond Brande, Microsoft Regional Director from Objectware and Mark Larezzo, Build Master from Waterfront Media for their very kind references.