Who is a Dynamics 365 Functional Consultant?
Jayakishor Bayadi
Digital Transformation | Delivery Management | Program Management | Business Analysis | MS Dynamics 365 & Power Platform Functional Consultant & Solution Architect | Practice Leader | Presales Leader | Creator | Author
What do roles like Functional Consultants do? For example, as a Dynamics 365/Power Platform Functional consultant (you can add any other product here instead of Dynamics 365, e.g., Salesforce, and so on)? We all know what a Business Analyst (BA) does, so, is it similar to a BA role? Can a BA perform the role of a Functional Consultant? Can a technical developer perform the role of a Functional Consultant?
Someone pinged me last week to explain the same to her. Here is what I have explained to her.
Dynamics 365/ Power Platform Functional consultants play a crucial role in a Dynamics 365/Power platform project, acting as the essential glue that binds together various elements.
Imagine a project as a puzzle, with developers and engineers working on one side and business stakeholders and BAs tackling the business challenges on the other. Now, these functional consultants step in to connect these two sides seamlessly. The Functional Consultants are the people who work with above said both sides and act as a bridge between these two sides to implement the requirements leveraging the capabilities offered by Dynamics 365 products by working with the development team—who are also Dynamics 365/Power Platform technical experts/developers. The value a Functional Consultant brings is the ‘product expertise’ and an ability to map the requirements to the Dynamics 365 capabilities (or any other product or platform).
To simplify further, developers or engineers are like the builders constructing a structure, while business stakeholders and BAs are the owners/planners outlining what the structure needs to achieve. The Functional Consultant's role is to ensure that the builders understand the plans and construct a building that meets the specified requirements.
So, can a BA play the role of Functional consultant in Dynamics 365/Power Platform projects?
Definitely. That is what happens in most Dynamics 365/Power Platform projects. Many times, the BA and the Functional Consultants are the same person. However, in large projects, a role of domain BAs might be required—who are experts in the particular industry domains—say, Telecom, Insurance and more. Otherwise, the BA skills are transferrable and by gaining a good hold (Product understanding) on Dynamics 365/Power platform capabilities, features and functionalities, a BA can become a Functional Consultant.
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Should Dynamics 365/Power Platform Functional consultants be technically strong? Is coding knowledge a prerequisite for their role?
Well, it's good if you know how to code, but not necessary. However, now that Dynamics 365/Power Platform is becoming more and more "low code, no code", a functional consultant is expected to know simple to medium configuration aspects of the platform and the ability to work with technical folks to come up with functional design. As a Functional consultant, you have your development team to execute complex technical customizations and extensions. You as a Functional consultant should be owning and leading the Dynamics 365/Power Platform implementation.
Hence, Functional Consultants, equipped with an understanding of both technology (Dynamics 365/Power Platform) and business, become decision-makers in Dynamics 365 projects. They determine which components of the platform are best suited to address the client's specific business problems. It's like selecting the right pieces of the puzzle and connecting them in a way that completes the picture and fulfils the client's objectives.
Can Dynamics 365 technical developer become a Functional consultant?
Yes, definitely. However, they need to master some skills like stakeholder management, and several other BA skills and soft skills to collaborate with the Project team including stakeholders. Having just a technical knowledge of Dynamics 365/Power platform is not sufficient. You should strive to equip yourself with an understanding of both technology (Dynamics 365/Power Platform) and business to become a successful Dynamics 365/Power Platform functional consultant.
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10 个月Functional consultant: someone who understands business, can gather requirements, can design optimal solutions, has to collaborate with different stakeholders, can help in testing and validation of solutions, and finally can provide necessary training and support. There’s a lot of overlap between FC, BA, and even a developer. I would say BA’s are much closer, but as a developer all you need is to master the soft skill and people handling component and you’re right there.
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10 个月The role of a Functional Consultant is similar to that of a Business Analyst, but with a specific focus on a particular product or platform like Dynamics 365 or Power Platform. Technical developers can perform the role, but having a strong understanding of business processes is crucial. Keep up the good work!
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10 个月Jayashri Sachidanandan
Digital Transformation | Delivery Management | Program Management | Business Analysis | MS Dynamics 365 & Power Platform Functional Consultant & Solution Architect | Practice Leader | Presales Leader | Creator | Author
10 个月What do roles like Functional Consultants do? For example, as a Dynamics 365/Power Platform Functional consultant (you can add any other product here instead of Dynamics 365, e.g., Salesforce, and so on)? We all know what a Business Analyst (BA) does, so, is it similar to a BA role? Can a BA perform the role of a Functional Consultant? Can a technical developer perform the role of a Functional Consultant? Read on (Article): #functionalconsultant?#BAbasics?#BArefresher?#crackyourBAinterview?#dynamics365?#powerplatform?#Interviewquestions?#Businessanalyst?#therealcaptain?#copilot?#powerapps ---- #BAbasics?#BArefresher?#crackyourBAinterview?#Interviewquestions?#Businessanalyst --- My book on Business Analysis, The Real Captain is now available globally and in all formats. Link in My profile. --- If you are an aspiring, budding or practicing BA or Dynamics 365/Power Platform Functional consultant; and need any guidance/advice, feel free to message or connect with me on LinkedIn.