Summary of Guardians of M365 Governance Ep.11
For Episode 11 of the Guardians of M365 Governance monthly webcast, Joy Apple (@JoyofSharePoint), Ragnar Heil (@ragnarh) and I welcomed our guest, Ben-David Piepenburg, a Collaboration Consultant with HanseVision in Germany, to discuss “Taming the Chaos: Enhancing Audit & Compliance with EasyLife 365 at Munich Airport” and the intricate challenges and strategic approaches undertaken by Munich Airport to implement Microsoft 365 governance. Ben shared how they began by gathering use cases from collaboration, compliance, governance, and security teams to establish foundational requirements. This detailed groundwork enabled the airport to prioritize regulatory compliance, data protection, and policy enforcement, leading to a structured yet flexible governance framework. Choosing the right technology played a pivotal role, with a blend of Microsoft 365 tools, Power Platform solutions, and third-party innovations to address their unique needs while remaining compliant.
The discussion also explored the broader governance challenges that organizations face when implementing Microsoft 365. From managing existing systems with unknown creators to avoiding storage sprawl, the team highlighted how a thoughtful approach can transform potential pitfalls into opportunities for streamlined collaboration. Munich Airport’s journey stood out because they started with a blank slate, avoiding legacy migration challenges but still needing to carefully design their processes. The conversation emphasized key takeaways such as the importance of understanding collaboration use cases, building a governance roadmap with compliance and security in mind, and leveraging tools like sensitivity labels, archiving solutions, and analytics to support decision-making.
Finally, the episode underscored the critical role of partnerships with vendors and third-party providers in driving innovation in governance. Ben noted that external solutions often outpace Microsoft in introducing adaptable, enterprise-friendly features. We also discussed the complexity of enterprise-scale solutions like Microsoft 365, acknowledging their strengths and limitations as “Frankenstein products” that have evolved over time. We concluded with best practices for governance, including empowering end-users, creating transparent feedback loops, and using analytics to drive adoption and compliance. This episode truly is a comprehensive roadmap for organizations seeking to tame the chaos of governance in today’s digital workplaces.
If you missed the live stream, you can watch the recording here:
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