From the GitBook 100 Days of Azure Product Management
The 5 Habits Every Product Owner Needs to Succeed with Azure Blueprints
Learn practical strategies to make product management Agile by using Azure Blueprints effectively,
An Azure Blueprint is a service that structures deploying various resources in the cloud. It simplifies the process of setting up governed environments. Here’s a breakdown of what it has to offer and how it supports agility:
1. Definition and Reusability: Azure Blueprints allow users to define a blueprint or template that includes various Azure resources such as resource groups, ARM templates, Azure policies, and role assignments. Once created, these blueprints can be repeatedly used across different Azure subscriptions or management groups, ensuring consistency and compliance with organizational standards.
2. Governance and Compliance: By embedding compliance and policy artifacts within blueprints, organizations can ensure that they automatically meet regulatory and compliance requirements as part of the deployment process. This reduces the risk of non-compliance due to manual setups or configurations.
3. Automated Setup: The blueprint is not just a design but also includes the automation of resource deployment. When a blueprint is assigned to a particular subscription or management group, all the included resources and policies are automatically deployed and configured according to the blueprint’s specifications. This automation streamlines operations and reduces the likelihood of human error.
4. Versioning and Updates: Azure Blueprints supports versioning, allowing you to manage updates systematically. When a blueprint is updated, the changes can be deployed to all assignments with precision control, making it easy to operate and roll out updates across all governed environments.
5. Agility in Resource Deployment: Agility is fundamentally about speed and responsiveness. Azure Blueprints enhances agility by allowing teams to deploy entirely governed environments quickly and repeatably. This swift deployment capability supports the organization’s agility by reducing the time and effort required to launch new projects or replicate environments for testing and development.
Let’s now look into five practical habits that every product owner should develop to maximize the effectiveness of their Azure Blueprint deployments.
Schedule regular reviews
Set aside time each week to go over your Blueprints. This habit ensures you catch any inefficiencies early and update your deployments with the latest practices. Regular review helps refine your approach continually and swiftly adapt to new challenges.
Set visible reminders
Place reminders in your workspace or use digital tools to prompt you about managing and updating Blueprints. These cues keep the importance of staying agile and proactive with your Blueprints at the forefront of your mind, ensuring you never miss an opportunity to optimize.
Maintain a dashboard
Develop and maintain a dashboard that tracks the performance and usage of your Blueprints. This visual tool provides instant insights into what’s working and what isn’t.
Post goals visibly
Write down your goals related to Azure Blueprints and display them where you and your team can see them daily. This constant visibility reinforces your commitment to these goals and keeps everyone aligned on the project’s objectives.
Start each morning with a plan.
Begin your day by outlining tasks that involve improving or utilizing Blueprints. This planning habit sets a productive tone for the day and ensures you prioritize tasks that enhance your management capabilities.
How have you implemented Azure Blueprints in your workflow to improve agility? Share your experiences in the comments below to be featured in the next edition of my GitBook “100 Days of Azure Product Management”. This is your chance to shine among peers and contribute to our professional community.
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