Forward Deployed

Latest Episodes:

Episode 105: The New Project Manager (with Shree Shasta Kumar and Milan Kumar Mohapatra) Sep 18, 2025

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What if your project manager had an AI teammate? In this episode, the Planner team’s Shree Shasta Kumar and Milan Kumar Mohapatra join us to introduce the Project Manager Agent. They explain why Microsoft built it, how it integrates with Teams and meetings, and the guardrails in place to keep outputs grounded and secure. From automating status reports to capturing tasks in real-time, this episode shows how AI is taking on the busywork so humans can focus on leading.

Learn more here:

https://aka.ms/PMA-skills-Teams-meetings-channels

Episode 104: How AI Makes Us More Human (w/ Phil Topness) Sep 16, 2025

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AI won’t do everything for us, but it can clear space for the work that matters. In this episode, Phil Topness shares how AI enables organizations to shift from merely checking boxes to unlocking creativity and connection. We discuss adoption journeys, the importance of governance and data readiness, and how executive sponsors can establish a vision that drives measurable value. Phil also explains the role of champions, the importance of telling success stories, and how to balance small efficiency gains with bold, high-impact use cases.

Episode 103: Prompt Engineering (w/ April Dunnam) Sep 09, 2025

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Prompt engineering can feel like a secret language. April Dunnam returns to explain how Prompt Coach helps everyone speak it more clearly. From refining prompts to checking compliance and teaching best practices, Prompt Coach provides users with a smoother start to using Copilot and agents. We also cover when to roll it out, how it supports adoption, and why prompt libraries matter.

Prompt Coach is open source. Explore it and the community prompt libraries here:

https://github.com/pnp/powerplatform-prompts

https://github.com/pnp/copilot-prompts

Episode 102: Agent Inventory (w/ Mik Ferland) Sep 02, 2025

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Inventory matters. This week, we bring on Mik Ferland to take a look under the hood of the new Power Platform Admin Center. Mik explains why inventory comes first, how it works tenant-wide, and what is next for apps and flows. You'll also learn when to use Manage, Monitoring, or Licensing, and what you can expect at PPCC.

Explore the public GitHub repo here: aka.ms/CodeApps

Episode 101: Pro Code on Power Platform (w/ Casey Burke and Marcel Ferreira) Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

This week we go full pro code. Guests Casey Burke and Marcel Ferreira share how Power Platform is opening doors for professional developers with bring-your-own-code, generative UX, GitHub integration, and automated testing. Whether you’re a pro dev curious about low code or a maker looking to understand the deeper stack, this episode delivers technical insights, practical guidance, and a preview of what’s next at PPCC.

Find the repo at aka.ms/CodeApps

Episode 100: Looking Back but Moving Forward! Aug 19, 2025

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Triple digits!!! A hundred episodes of stories, guests, governance tangents, and Ken being recognized in public for his voice. In this episode, Sean hosts a quiz show that stirs up everything from favorite guest moments to culinary metaphors, while Wendy, Jocelyn, and Ken weigh in on how the podcast has shaped adoption, security, and community. It’s a milestone worth celebrating and worth listening to. Thanks for being part of the journey!

Episode 99: Securing Data for Copilot (w/ Jen Kemmerer) Aug 12, 2025

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Data security in the age of AI requires more than just basic protections. It's an ongoing, evolving challenge. In this episode, Jen Kemmerer, Senior Cloud Solution Architect specializing in data security, breaks down how organizations can manage sensitive information in the era of AI and Microsoft Purview. From the rise of AI-powered agents to tools like DSPM for AI, Jen explains how businesses can stay ahead of data security risks while embracing AI innovations. Tune in for actionable insights on keeping your data safe and navigating the evolving landscape of security and AI.

Episode 98: Traditional Automation vs AI-Powered Agents (w/ Carsten Groth) Aug 05, 2025

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The automation world is shifting and Carsten Groth is here to guide you through it. In this episode, you'll learn why AI-driven automation is the next big thing and how large language models are leaving robotic process automation in the dust. From eliminating tedious tasks to integrating AI with legacy systems, Carsten’s insights will have you rethinking your entire automation strategy. Don’t settle for old-school RPA. Tune in to learn how AI can supercharge your processes.

Episode 97: How Customers Approach Copilot Adoption (w/ Matt Kirby) Jul 29, 2025

Show notes

Rolling out Copilot across thousands of employees worldwide is no small feat. Getting people across time zones, languages, and roles to not just use it but actually embrace it? That takes real strategy.

Matt Kirby from Hewlett Packard Enterprise joins us to share how they made Copilot adoption stick at enterprise scale. From live, unscripted demos that flipped skeptics to building community-driven learning hubs, Matt breaks down the practical steps that kept momentum alive and avoided the usual one-and-done training trap.

Episode 96: Change Management (w/ Rafsan Huseynov) Jul 22, 2025

Show notes

Change is hard. Rafsan makes it make sense. IT pro, MVP, and on-the-ground change agent, Rafsan Huseynov joins us to talk about what it really takes to roll out AI and Copilot agents across a global enterprise. From dealing with shadow IT to wrangling zone strategies and tech debt, Rafsan shares practical, hard-earned advice on how to drive adoption, win over skeptics, and keep innovation from getting stuck in POC purgatory. If you’re looking for the blueprint to scale responsibly without killing momentum, this will hit home.

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