Dynamics Introspective: Envision 2016 as a Measure of Microsoft Executive Unity

Envision 2016 kicks off on Monday, the week after the relevant and notable Build 2016. As a new event with new expectations, Envision, in conjunction with Build, WPC, and Ignite, offers Microsoft a chance to do something that Convergence never quite managed: to demonstrate that the highest levels of Microsoft's executive leadership are working from the same strategy and toward the same goals.

If Build did its job, developers of both consumer and business-facing software now have a better understanding of how Microsoft will build out its future in terms of cloud services, human-machine interfaces, and data intelligence and analytics. The Envision message is no doubt different, but is it aligned as far as the big picture is concerned? Here are some of the questions a Microsoft customer, prospect, or even partner heading to New Orleans should be thinking about.

How will Microsoft bring together their product pitches into a call to action for business leaders?

Build set the company's path forward in areas like the future of Skype, cloud services, BI, cognition, and everything else development-related. And now, Microsoft's more business oriented teams - yes, including Dynamics ERP and CRM - will now be challenged to show they are on the same course.

Who will provide leadership cues that Envision attendees will appreciate? Any executive who has paid the event's hefty registration fee has likely done some strategic thinking about their own businesses and the impact of new technology investments. Will Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, chief marketing officer (and event executive sponsor) Chris Capossela, and other speakers demonstrate ...