Project Longtail: A Dynamics NAV Add-On Project

Note: The RSC Group was acquired by Encore Business Solutions in December 2012.

RSC Group and Versapay are exploring new ways in architecting add-ons and brought key Dynamics NAV clients together on April 11^th, 2012 to exchange ideas. Held in a room over-looking false creek at Creekside Community Centre at the Athletes Village, it was a small gathering of 11 people representing 3 clients along with key members of the development team at RSC Group and Versapay.

By sharing similar and divergent perspectives, we hoped to develop best practices around electronic fund transfer – making best practice workflows the driver for development instead of starting with restrictions of the technological framework.

Because it was a new approach to development and the way we often do events, we asked Aran Cameron (Practice Lead, Dynamics ERP) to reflect on Project Longtail to date:

Describe the Project Longtail event in 2 sentences:
This event was the next incarnation of a user group, only this time it was very targeted topics to specific clients where both RSC and the client would ultimately drive a lot of value. The event was a design workshop in nature, we presented a concept, through it to our customer to wrestle with it and have them come back with an updated design.

Why it was different?
Instead of presenting/forcing a solution this event allowed our customers to participate in the creative aspects of software development while encouraging them keep the best interests of their businesses in mind.

What was something interesting you learned from observing clients in this venue?
I was surprised that our clients had an appetite to make customer payments available on their external facing website. Also surprise to hear of the value it would bring them.

What was the biggest take-away from the event?
What we thought was going to be an important part of the design of the product wasn’t that important to the customers afterall. This saved us a lot of work.

Our clients really like to participate in things like software design as long as its eventually relevant to their business they are happy to help us and help each other. There was an excellent exchange of ideas not just between RSC and the customers but between the customers as well. It was great to see customers connecting.

3 words to describe the event:
Interactive, workshop, creative.