MVP Global Summit 2011 is Underway at Microsoft

Microsoft’s Most Valuable Professionals stream into Microsoft headquarters for this year’s exciting event

In October of 2010 I was awarded the MVP Award specifically for my community contributions in the world of Exchange. I had been striving to be recognized for some time and did my best to promote Exchange learning wherever possible. One of the perks to being an MVP is the invitation to visit Microsoft headquarters and attend special sessions and keynotes (most, if not all of which are under NDA) as well as rub shoulders with your peers, and meet Microsoft program managers and developers with the hope of providing some feedback to them for future development. Note: Regional Directors (RDs) are also invited to attend the Summit.

I arrived here in Seattle and it was quite a bit colder than where I started (Orlando, Florida). It’s grey and bleak, but you can still see traces of the mountains in the distance from the Microsoft campus. I love the way the buildings here seem to blend with the environment as opposed to standing out in contrast with it. The main complex has signs for the summit everywhere and the people I’m running into range from all aspects of Microsoft products that they specialize in. And the MVPs I’ve met already are from all parts of the world. In fact, I had a great conversation with a group from Beijing who invited me to visit China. MVPs are apparently brothers-in-arms that are both generous and hospitable with one another. I just might accept that invitation one day.

One of the benefits to a summit of this sort is that MVPs have the opportunity to hear some of the deepest information on the subjects they specialize in from within an exclusive environment. This allows them to increase their own knowledge of subjects, and therefore allows them to be more helpful to others. In some cases they may not use all the knowledge they are given at the summit when working on the day-to-day aspects of their chosen field, but they are edified at the summit. MVPs are also given a chance to express their wants and needs for future releases, dissatisfaction with features in current releases, and a chance to express their gratitude for the hard work that a development team has put into the product they typically represent in forums and other community channels.

It’s events like this one, where MVPs also have a unique opportunity to hear from Microsoft’s senior leaders like Steve Ballmer, Toby Richards and Ron Markezich. In wanting to bolster the spirits of the MVP community, keynotes are given that are encouraging to MVPs who have worked hard (without pay) to assist the community. In addition, future direction thoughts are given to those in attendance as a sneak peek into the forward thinking minds behind the company.

There are quite a number of subjects that are focused on directly or indirectly in the breakout sessions. From the ‘Enterprise Windows’ perspective we see a focus, as we would expect, on subjects like enterprise security, directory services, identify lifecycle, file system storage, Exchange, SharePoint, Office 365, PowerShell, System Center and much more.

On the first day of the summit I was asked the question “do you believe Microsoft is really listening to MVPs when they comment or critique a product?” I had to give that some thought. I believe the answer is yes and I don’t think I’m being naive here. Having been a part of the Exchange TAP (Technology Adoption Program) and seeing how much honest and open appraisal took place in that forum for customer feedback, I’m confident the feedback sessions that MVPs will have this week with product teams will be considered invaluable and will be taken seriously.

Toby Richards, General Manager, Community and Online Support on the Official Microsoft Blog says “We greatly value MVPs’ objective, critical feedback. We know they have their ears to the ground and a unique understanding of our customers’ experiences with Microsoft products and services, from Windows Phone 7 to CRM solutions.” He goes on to say “MVPs keep us on our toes and remind us about the importance of consistent engagement and listening. They remind us why it’s so important to listen every single day and why it’s worth doing so, even if the information challenges the way we do things. It’s all part of creating the best possible end-user experience.”

Personally, I know how hard it is to be passionately involved in the development of a product and have persons make comments that are meant to be helpful but sound critical in your overly sensitive ears. So, as I watch the faces of the Exchange folks as they hear feedback, while I see the wincing of pain, I also see their willingness to write down the request or criticism and promise to discuss it as a team. It takes real maturity to do that as well as these folks have done this week and that bolsters my confidence even further that they ARE listening to the needs of consumers, in this case, through the comments of the MVPs representing them this week.

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