Josh Condie – Stephen Rose and his team have put together an amazing IT Pro resource for the Windows client
The Springboard Series!
Where to find guidance demos, tools, and tips for IT pros?The Springboard Series!
What is the Springboard Series?
The Springboard Series is Microsoft’s engagement program for Windows IT professionals worldwide, focused on providing the right guidance, at the right technical level, at the right time in their adoption lifecycle. The Springboard Series reaches out to, and supports, IT pros through the following vehicles:
· Windows Client TechCenter– the online Springboard Series experience
o Surfaces up the most relevant* resources—from TechNet library guidance and deployment tools to demos and community forums
o Guides IT pros step-by-step through their experience with the product by organizing content by product and by lifecycle phase (explore, plan, deliver, operate, support)
o Provides quick access to guidance designed to help address top tasks (application compatibility, virtualization, activation, networking, performance, security, training)
o Provides quick access to key downloads including product trials and free planning/deployment tools
o Localized in 10 languages (Brazilian Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese)
· Springboard Series Insider– information on the latest news, resources, and events plus exclusive access to tips from Microsoft product teams, industry experts, and other IT pros
o Features a Windows 8 Tip of the Month
· Springboard Series Blog– announcements about new product/tool releases (Windows, IE, MDOP, Intune, Solution Accelerators), upcoming community events, and Q-and-A sessions with product team experts
o Built-in machine translation into 37 languages
· Springboard Series on Twitter– @MSSpringboard
· Springboard Series Technical Expert Program (STEP)– actively engaged community of Microsoft MVPs, MCP, and MCTs who conduct events in local markets
o Microsoft provides presentation materials and funding
o STEP members guarantee a certain number of attendees and provide survey results
· Windows Outreach Team– small group of subject matter experts who support IT pros with a variety of Windows-related tasks via active engagement in third-party community forums and discussion groups
· Partnership with WW DPE – in the form of Microsoft Virtual Academy and Windows 8 IT Camps
*How do we know what is the most relevant? Through active social listening, direct feedback from IT pros, and monitoring of top issues in the forums as well as the progress of content users through the lifecycle.
What are the top Windows 8 resources available today?
Here are some of the highlights:
· Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation · 10 Must-Know Windows 8 Features for IT Pros · Windows 8: Frequently Asked Questions | · Windows 8 Jump Start Training (basis for the WW DPE Windows 8 IT Camps) |
And for Windows 7?
Here are some of the IT Pro highlights:
Where should I direct IT pros for support with deployment and other issues?
The Windows IT Pro Forums are among the most actively moderated on TechNet. They are a great resource for troubleshooting issues from application compatibility and installation to security and performance.