Tag: Dynamics 365 CRM

I did a thing!

Background

For years, I’ve had this itch:

What if I could build my own app experience on top of Dynamics 365 — something cleaner, faster, and more modern than a Model-Driven App?

Model-Driven Apps gave us structure.
Canvas Apps gave us freedom.
Power Pages brought external users into the mix.

But the truth?
Every time I looked over the fence at “actual code”, I would freeze and not have a single clue where to start….

This summer I opened VS Code, enabled GitHub Copilot, paired it with Claude, and suddenly… the digital barrier that had been there my whole life was gone🤯.
I didn’t magically become a full-stack dev — but AI gave me just enough superpowers to build what I used to only imagine.

So the next months I spent learning how to become a better prompter as this seems to be the key element to a good/bad AI Agent developer.

I wanted to experience that transition from the driver’s seat.

What

Let’s get this out of the way: I did everything wrong first.

I over-engineered front-end tech.
Played with services I had no business touching.
Tried Azure B2C.
Then B2B.
Failed authentication like a champion😆😆

Eventually, humility kicked in and I pivoted toward something more practical and more community friendly.

✅ Netlify for hosting the frontend
✅ Netlify Functions as my API + Auth proxy
✅ React, because Claude told me to
✅ Dataverse as my backend
✅ GitHub + Copilot + Claude as my “coding superbrain”
✅ Clerk.dev to handle identity

After weeks and weeks of late nights and swearing at the AI that seemed to never really understand what I actually was hoping to solve.. It finally worked👏👏.

  • A portal.
  • Not over-engineered.
  • Just a clean, simple app that talks to Dynamics and feels… modern.

https://github.com/thomassandsor/CommunityPortal <- the project

Is it enterprise-ready?
🛑No🛑

Is it secure?
I sure hope so

Did it need to exist?
Probably not😆😆

But I made it.
And honestly, I love it💖💖💖💖

WHY?

I built this because I wanted to learn, not because the world needed “Thomas Portal v1”.

If I wanted speed (time to market), I would have stayed in Power Pages.
If I wanted stability, I would have stayed in Model-Driven land.
But I wanted to understand the future, and had to become a coder….. A coder with extreme backing of AI 😉

And here’s the real point:

The future of low-code isn’t “no code.”
It’s augmented code.
Makers will write code, guided by AI and that’s just something you need to get to terms with.

Microsoft is already opening up the AI generated code for editing, so it’s just a matter of time before the hybrid experience of real dev with AI dev working in “harmony”.
When these 2 worlds align, the difference between a maker and a developer becomes simply: curiosity and willingness to try.

Curiosity is the only qualification I had when I started this.

So now I’m sharing my journey not to show off, but to give others a trailhead.

If you’ve ever thought,
“Could I build something real outside of Dynamics/Power Platform”?
The answer is YES.

All you need is VS Code, some stubbornness, and an AI that believes in you more than your JavaScript error messages do.

Going forward

And now, with Microsoft’s latest announcement where Copilot can build apps and workflows from natural language prompts it’s even clearer:

Low-code isn’t dying.
It’s evolving into augmented coding

Low-Code Is Dead… Ish. From Canvas Hacks to React Apps

For years, Microsoft has been selling the dream of Low-Code/No-Code: business users dragging boxes onto a Canvas, wiring up some Power Fx, and shipping “apps” without ever touching “real code.”

That era might be coming to an end.

If you’ve missed the recent announcements around Generative Pages in model-driven apps (docs here), let me put it bluntly:
👉 Microsoft is now letting you prompt your way into React code running within the Power Platform.

You read that right. Beneath the pretty maker studio UI, your app is no longer just a quirky YAML with formulas glued on top. It’s React. Real code. A pro developer’s framework.

And while you can’t directly manipulate the code today, let’s not kid ourselves. If the code exists in the backend, the next logical step is exposing it. At that point, “makers” stop being Low-Code hobbyists and start working in an environment where everything you build is by definition Pro-Code under the hood.

Why This Matters: Canvas Apps Are the Walking Dead

Canvas apps have been Microsoft’s big Low-Code poster child. Drag, drop, squint, hack together logic with Power Fx, and pray your delegation warnings don’t tank performance in production.

But ask yourself:

  • Would you trust a mission-critical banking or healthcare process to a canvas built on top of spaghetti formulas?
  • Would any professional developer inherit a Canvas App and thank you for it?

Exactly.

Microsoft knows this. And that’s why the shift is happening:

  • From Low-Code hacks → to Pro-Code foundations.
  • From business hobby projects → to enterprise-ready apps.
  • From citizen dev “I made this” → to “Consultants and business can both work on this.”

Canvas apps won’t disappear overnight, but make no mistake: they are becoming the VHS tapes of Power Platform. Nostalgic, clunky, and doomed.

The Big Upside: A Community Ready to Evolve

This is actually fantastic news. Why? Because for the first time, Power Platform makers are building on top of technology that pro devs actually respect.

React is everywhere. Every dev shop hires React talent. Suddenly, those “weird Power Apps” in the corner of your business are future-proof:

  • Easier for pro devs to adapt. No more “what is Power Fx and why does it look like Excel’s evil twin?”
  • Better ALM. With apps grounded in actual code, the days of Power Automate connection reference nightmares may finally fade away.
  • Business-critical by design. If you want your Power Apps to run core processes, you want them running on real code—not a drag-and-drop toy.

The Provocative Take: Low-Code Isn’t “Dead”… It’s Reborn as Pro-Code

Let’s be clear: Low-Code isn’t disappearing. It’s transforming.

The promise of Low-Code (faster delivery, more accessible tooling, easier experimentation) will remain. But the foundation is shifting from fragile pseudo-code (Canvas + Power Fx + connectors duct-taped together) to robust, industry-standard codebases.

That’s the real revolution here:

  • Business makers will still drag, drop, and prompt.
  • The platform will compile those prompts into professional-grade code.
  • Developers will finally have a sane way to extend, govern, and maintain those apps.

If you thought “fusion teams” were a buzzword before, wait until everyone is technically a React developer by default.

A Future Without Power Automate Nightmares?

Let me dream a little here. If Microsoft keeps doubling down on pro-code foundations in Power Platform, maybe—just maybe—we’ll finally:

  • See the end of brittle Power Automate spaghetti flows.
  • Eliminate connection reference chaos that breaks ALM pipelines.
  • Build real software on Power Platform that lasts a lifetime.

The citizen dev name finally makes sense now. The “dev” part will actually be true 😀
We’re all pro coders now.

TL;DR

  • Microsoft is quietly killing Low-Code as we know it.
  • Canvas apps are already on life support.
  • Generative Pages prove Power Platform is shifting toward real pro-code (React).
  • This is a huge win for the community: easier ALM, pro dev collaboration, and apps that can actually be business critical.

👉 Low-Code isn’t dead. It just grew up.

Low Code Vibezzz: Can Power Platform Catch the Vibe Coding Wave?

What If Microsoft Could Start Over with Power Platform?🤔

The world didn’t change overnight when AI arrived at our doorstep—it’s been creeping in for years. Quietly embedding itself into release notes, keynote demos, and C-level posts about copilots. But something has shifted recently. It’s not just about AI anymore. It’s about how we build.

Enter Firebase Studio—Google’s latest tool that reimagines app development in an AI-first world. You type a prompt. You get a working app. No need to understand frontend or backend development to get going.

To be honest, it’s not no-code or pro-code. It’s something new:
Vibe coding—live-coding an app while vibing with an AI.

But it raises a big questions:

If Microsoft could rebuild Power Platform today from scratch—would they? Should they?

🧱 Power Platform: An amazing Low-Code product from Microsoft

Let’s be clear—Power Platform is a success. It has matured into a serious contender in enterprise low-code. It integrates deeply into Microsoft 365, Azure, and Dynamics. It empowers organizations to build apps fast, with governance and security built-in. That’s huge💪🏼

But like every long-running platform, it carries legacy and complexity that customers unfortunately need to understand.

  • Canvas vs. model-driven.
  • Custom pages vs. screens.
  • ALM pipelines that almost work well, but are still too complex for makers.
  • Two devs working on the same app? Still tricky.

Power Platform is constantly evolving, but having a hard time reinventing. Features are added, yes. Power FX, Copilot, co-authoring (kind of). But it’s like adding smart tech to a legacy car. You still feel the steering pull.

🤖 Vibe Coding: The New Developer Mindset

Firebase Studio isn’t just impressive because of what it can do—it’s impressive because of how it makes you feel while building. You’re not clicking through menus or configuring controls—you’re coding through conversation. It understands intent, backend structure, and front-end flow. It speaks your developer language.

That’s vibe coding.

And it changes the entire mental model of app development. It doesn’t feel like low-code—it feels like the fastest way to get real code out of your head and into a product.

Microsoft’s Copilot in Power Apps made an early push in this direction, but the experience felt more like autocomplete than a creative partner. There’s still a gap between vision and execution—and that’s what vibe coding is beginning to fill.

🍎 Are We Even Comparing the Same Fruit?

This is where we need to slow down. Comparing Power Platform to Firebase isn’t really apples-to-apples.

Power Platform is primarily about apps within organizations. It’s designed for internal users—business analysts, operations teams, HR, finance etc etc. The goal is to automate, digitize, and streamline internal processes, not launch a consumer product.

Firebase, on the other hand, is focused on external-facing apps. Think: public apps, customer portals, mobile-first products. It’s optimized for scale, authentication, telemetry, and UX polish.

So when people ask which platform is “better,” maybe we’re asking the wrong question. These tools are solving different problems for different audiences.

But here’s the thing: what if Power Platform could serve both?

🌍 Should Microsoft Blur the Lines?

Right now, if you want to build an external-facing app with Power Platform, your path usually leads to Power Pages—a separate product, with its own learning curve and licensing model. But what if Power Apps could evolve to let you publish customer-facing apps without leaving the platform?

💡Could Power Platform adopt more external scalability features?
💡Could it support richer public UX design options natively?
💡Could it blur the line between internal tool and external product?

If Microsoft wants to meet the expectations of the next generation of developers—raised on vibe coding, AI chat loops, and fast product delivery—these are questions worth asking.

💸 Pricing Models: A Mindset in Disguise

Firebase’s pricing is based on usage—you pay for authentication, reads, writes, bandwidth. It feels like you’re scaling your cost with your success.

Microsoft’s Power Platform pricing has historically been harder to navigate: per user, per app, per plan, per… something. Recent changes have simplified this somewhat, especially with the Developer Plan and Pay-As-You-Go licensing. But many organizations still feel that cost becomes a question before innovation can even begin.

This difference isn’t just a billing structure—it’s a reflection of platform philosophy. Microsoft monetizes the potential to build. Google monetizes the outcome of building.

💡 Power Platform: Building the Bridge Between Low-Code and Pro-Code

So here’s where we land.

Power Platform has done incredible work empowering business users to build. But the future of app development won’t be about choosing between low-code and pro-code—it’ll be about combining them, in a seamless, AI-driven workflow.

That’s what vibe coding hints at.

If Microsoft can continue to build that bridge—bringing Copilot closer to being a real dev partner, simplifying collaboration, supporting external users natively, and making the pro-code experience feel native, not bolted on—then Power Platform won’t just keep up… It will lead.

Because the real challenge ahead isn’t just catching up to new tools.
It’s embracing a new way of thinking about what an app is—and who it’s for.

Power Pages available in Norway

In 2022, I was among the first to announce a significant development: Norway had officially gained Dynamics capabilities, thanks to the new Norwegian data center. This was a major milestone for Norwegian companies, particularly for those requiring data residency within Norway. With the arrival of local Dynamics and Power Platform services, businesses could now operate within our borders.

Welcome CRM19

However, while this was exciting news, many customers expected to be able to migrate immediately. The reality was that several services were not yet fully available. Notably, Power Pages and CI-J (aka Marketing) were missing from the initial Dynamics offerings. Fortunately, some things have changed. As of now, you can install Norwegian Dynamics and Power Platform solutions and deploy a Power Pages solution hosted in Norway. ✅👏🥳

Did you know??

Microsoft provides an official dashboard that shows what services are available in each data center. While some services, like CI-J (aka Marketing), are not currently available in Norway, this could change in the future. It’s essential to check these details when selecting a region for your Dynamics or Power Platform deployment, as some limitations may affect your choices.

POWER BI AVAILABILITY REPORT

Vote for Cange first result! ✅🏆

A while back I started the YouTube series Vote For Change where I highlighted different Ideas on Microsoft’s change portal and pushed for more votes.

The idea was to create more traction around the subjects so that we could all push for changes that the people wanted, and not just Microsoft’s top priority. With the low number of votes on the Dynamics side, it was important to get the number higher so that Microsoft would take us more seriously.

The results so far are that 2 of the 3 topics that have been covered have been solved!!

https://crmkeeper.com/ideas/

Country Address Lines FIXED✅

It just goes to prove that Microsoft actually does listen from time to time! 😀Look at how beautiful it turned out 💯

Please keep VOTING for good ideas!

Microsoft: Trying to Out-Tech Too Early or Right on Time?

In the ever-evolving landscape of customer service, Microsoft is trying to integrate cutting-edge technology into their Contact Center solution. The latest push? Leveraging AI and IVR to create a seamless, efficient customer experience. However, recent findings by Gartner raise a critical question: Are they innovating too quickly, or is this the perfect moment to bring AI into the spotlight?

The AI and IVR Vision

Microsoft’s vision for the Contact Center of the future is a robust blend of AI-driven virtual agents and advanced Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems. These tools are designed to automate routine inquiries, reduce call times, and free up human agents to handle more complex issues. By implementing AI, Microsoft aims to revolutionize customer interactions, making them more personalized and efficient.

At the core of this vision is the belief that AI and IVR can enhance the customer experience by providing quick, accurate responses to frequently asked questions, guiding users through complex processes, and even predicting customer needs based on historical data.

What the Customers are Saying

According to a Gartner survey, a significant 64% of customers expressed a preference for companies to refrain from using AI in customer service. This statistic highlights a potential disconnect between the technological advancements companies are implementing and the actual desires of their customer base.

Why this reluctance? Many customers feel that AI lacks the empathy and understanding of a human agent. There’s a perception that bots are rigid, unable to navigate complex emotional nuances or understand the full context of a customer’s issue. Additionally, the frustration of dealing with a bot that doesn’t grasp specific queries or misunderstands the customer’s intent is real and tangible.

The Good Old DTMF: A Preference for Simplicity

The DTMF (Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency) system, with its simple, straightforward keypad-based navigation, still holds a special place in the hearts of many customers. The ability to press a number and reach the desired department or service without having to converse with a bot or navigate complex IVR menus is appealing. This preference meets a broader customer desire for control and predictability in their interactions.

DTMF represents a known quantity – it’s familiar, it’s simple, and it works. In an age where technology can often feel overwhelming or intrusive, the simplicity of DTMF can be a comforting presence.

Striking the Right Balance

So, is Microsoft trying to out-tech too early, or are they right on time? The answer might lie in finding the sweet spot between technological innovation and customer comfort.

While AI and IVR have the potential to transform the contact center experience, it’s crucial to implement these technologies in a way that respects customer preferences and concerns. This might mean offering a hybrid approach, where customers can choose between speaking to a human agent, interacting with a bot, or using DTMF. By providing options, companies can cater to the varying needs and preferences of their customer base.

Conclusion

As Microsoft continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in customer service technology, it’s essential to keep the customer at the heart of every decision. Innovation should not come at the expense of customer satisfaction. By listening to customer feedback and adapting accordingly, companies can ensure they are not just on the cutting edge of technology, but also aligned with the desires of their customers.

Microsoft’s push into AI and IVR may well be a step in the right direction – but only if it’s accompanied by a commitment to flexibility and customer-centricity. In the end, the best technology is the one that serves the customer most effectively.

Solution Designing With Limits: The Solution Architect’s Challenges in Dynamics/Power Apps”

If you grasp the title of this post, you’re likely one of the many seasoned consultants familiar with the Dynamics platform. You might also relate to the cover photo, hinting at the point of this post

Being a Solution Architect on our platform is often a frustrating endeavor. On one hand, you have Dataverse, an exceptional platform. On the other, Microsoft seeks to capitalize on its potential, which sometimes complicates solution design. Have you ever caught yourself thinking:

  1. Table Strategy: “I need to rethink my table strategy to avoid excessive storage costs in Dataverse. The client won’t be pleased with the added expense.”
  2. API Calls: “This integration will result in numerous extra API calls, pushing us into the ‘RED zone.'”
  3. Execution Limits: “I have to shift the logic outside of Dataverse due to the 2-minute execution limit.”

If these thoughts resonate, you’re not designing the optimal solution based on what could be, but rather one constrained by cost and enforced technical limitations. When you master this, I name you a “Workaround Specialist.” Coming from me, this is a compliment—it means you truly understand the platform.

I could make a long list of many things that are considered workarounds, but in the last few years the following ones have been the main challenges I have been facing:

1. Storage Challenges

Microsoft values feedback, except when it concerns storage costs. The first issue is the tough price per GB per month compared to other services Microsoft offers. However, it’s cheaper than Salesforce storage, so a price drop seems unlikely soon ☹

Another issue is Microsoft’s inclusion of their solution files and resources, consuming your storage regardless of your needs. This is tied to the cost per GB, prompting partners and customers to push for change.

As a Solution Architect, you must be aware of these factors and plan accordingly, making some projects more challenging and requiring creativity in data storage strategies within Dataverse.

2. API Overages

Microsoft introduced API usage rules years ago, detailing what’s included in licenses and what happens with excessive queries. While free unlimited API access could put a high strain on Dataverse servers, most customers aren’t significantly affected by the limits of today. However, in larger solutions, optimizing API calls is crucial because of the large volumes of data.

This often means offloading logic to other services before Dataverse processes the results. A change chat we all felt when moving from OnPremise to SAAS.

3. Execution Timeout Plugins

The 2-minute execution timeout on server-side code is interesting. New developers don’t always understand why this is a problem, and seasoned developers will always argue that anything running for that long is bad logic or poor design.

While the senior dev’s have a point on the 2-minute limitation design, you often see them offload logic to Azure Functions, which may exceed the 2-minute limit outside Dataverse. So again creating a scenario where logic moves outside of Dataverse to enrich.

What if ?!??!?!?!?!

There may be several reasons why Microsoft needs restraints. Could be technical limitations or the need for monetization. I’m not upset with Microsoft, but it’s interesting to consider what designs could emerge without these restrictions.

  • What if we didn’t need to offload data to save on costs?
    • Provide cheaper storage at reasonable prices. Make the platform a datahub💡
  • What if we could expose our data via “unlimited APIs”?
    • Dataverse could be the master of “all data” where all systems and employees interact
  • What if there were no 2-minute execution limits on Dataverse code?
    • Make async plugins work the same way Azure Functions work. We pay for all compute time over 2 minutes (or something similar).

Do you now see why I call us Workaround Specialists? 😊 Most of us understand how to navigate the platform’s quirks to achieve goals. The “best architecture framework” exists due to cost and technical limits, not because the platform couldn’t handle more (I believe). Without these constraints, maybe we could avoid building a cobweb of services to solve the customer’s challenges!

We are not the only platform with these challenges, but I’m arguing that we represent a platform where this actually doesn’t have to be an issue. Microsoft owns their own infrastructure in a way many other companies don’t, and therefore have the upper hand on infrastructure.

Ribbon Editor Updates: Hide/Show Buttons and Customize NEW Button

Since my last post Advanced Settings Facelift was about old things getting a facelift, I thought I would be ok to continue on another similar post. This time it’s about the good old ribbon.

It’s no news that the ribbon is possible to edit in the make.powerapps view, but we all know that the functionality there has been so poor that you mostly end up customizing the buttons in the good old Ribbon Workbench from Scott Durow. Not that there is anything wrong with the tool, but Scott works for Microsoft ATM, and maintaining an amazing tool like that is not future thinking.

A few days ago, I stumbled upon a post on Twitter/X from Robin that mentioned new updates to the Command Bar (Ribbon Editor in Make). The video might seem a bit simple, but we have to look behind the simplicity to see the complexity 😃

Whats new?

We are now able to Hide/Show (without formula for now) the following buttons

The hide is currently only located on the left side menu

You are probably going to ask yourself WHY exactly these buttons and not all? Well, there seems to be a lot of technical things behind the scenes where a button isn’t just a button. A CRM button isn’t even the same as a Dataverse button in the backend according to sources. We could all complain about this, since RibbonWorkbench doesn’t seem to even care about any of this, but let’s focus on the positive parts here. WE ARE ONE STEP CLOSER 🙂

Next update was the possibility to modify the actually NEW button

This is the first time we have been able to customize an OOTB button with PowerFX or JavaScript. Again, you may ask why only the NEW button. I’m asking the same thing, but also accepting that it’s a step in the right direction 😂

This does bring the possibility to add cool stuff to the NEW button when in Main Grid. Have a look at the Twitter video and you might see what is going on. The button calls a JavaScript that in turn opens a Custom Page. The record itself isn’t actually ever opened. Yes, we could do this with RibbonWorkbench, but again… One step closer 😉

Why is it important?

Just to reiterate what I wrote earlier. Scott now works at Microsoft, and leaving the Ribbon Workbench unattended for the next years is not a viable option! Microsoft has to realize that the Command Bar has to get better fast. A LOT BETTER. This update might seem like a small/insignificant change, but this is jumping a few hurdles that will get us closer to the end goal. 🏁

In the future, we can hopefully retire the Ribbon Workbench and be thankful that Scott got us through a lot of hard situations😃. Just imagine the weight Scott has had on his shoulders since the release of the first Ribbon Workbench! Everyone is reliant on his work, but we all probably take it for granted every time we use it. Just think of how many hours it has saved you, and it’s designed and maintained by a single person receiving no money for it!

Model Driven App Advanced Settings – New look

We all knew it was a matter of time before the old UI would be replaced, and soon we are one major step closer to being rid of everything old UI.👏🏼👍🏼

The old Advanced Settings that so many people are used to navigating is about to get a new look, and this time as a separate APP. APP you say… Well, yes.. Just like the Sales HUB configuration, lots of parameters are not typical records in a table, and therefore it needs to represent configuration parameters in a different visual experience.

This is obviously still in preview and only available via the USA preview environment, but it should be arriving soon. Of course, there will be lots of initial bugs with this, but give it some time before it hits GA. Be constructive in the criticism and you might actually see the changes implemented 💡👍🏼

Why are some skeptical to the change?

There are 2 obvious reasons why some are still skeptical about the loss of classical UI.

  1. Advanced Find is soon GONE.
  2. Classical Solution config will also be GONE

Advanced Find has been given a new UI through the global search feature, BUT this search doesn’t include all tables. Only includes the tables that have been included in the application. This is a huge limitation for those who actively use Advanced Find a lot to really understand the underlying data.

Classic Solution Configuration is still the preferred way to navigate within a solution for many. Mostly because the navigation itself is a lot faster between entities (once loaded), and because it’s really well known for most OG’s 😉. Another point to be made is that not all configurations are possible YET in the MAKE portal (some components), but I am sure they will be rushed along once we finally land on 1 common config platform for all consultants.

Thank you to https://www.linkedin.com/in/allandecastro/ for notifying me about this preview feature.

ACDC 2024 – Why this is the ultimate hackathon

It’s almost been 3 weeks since the hackathon and I am a bit late on my summary of experiences. February has been hectic, but better late than never 🙂

I have written about ACDC earlier and they all have a bit of a different perspective each time that I participate:
ACDC 2021 – Summary
ACDC 2022 – Summary
ACDC 2023 – Summary

This hackathon provides the most unique learning experience for Microsoft techies in every single way. 13 teams locked into a giant auditorium for 3 days having a blast learning things they didn’t know before! Sure there are other hackathons with many teams, but they are not forced to eat, sleep, breathe together for 3 days straight 😂

Being humbled is a valuable learning experience

I have about 16 years of experience in this world of Dynamics / Power Apps, and have to admit that I am extremely comfortable in the space of Dynamics 365. Like many other people in my situation, it’s easy to stay inside my safe area, and let others handle technology that is not so well known. This also defeats the purpose of the hackathon.

Long story short, Nick Doelman contacted me this year asking if he could be a part of Point Taken’s team, and I was instantly intrigued about it. I know him as an MVP, but we haven’t hung out a lot before. Nick is one of the best you can get on Power Pages, and is generally a very high end consultant within Dynamics / Power Platform. It was given that he would provide the team with a lot of important knowledge, so we agreed to give it a go. Ohhhh what a joyful experience it was! 🥰

Nick’s first demand was:

No one is going to do what they normally do in their everyday work!

Nick Doelman

Probably a bit dramatic quoting him like that, but what’s not to love with a little theatrics😂 The main reason for him to say this was because we are here to learn. If we end up solving Business issues like we do every single day, we could just as well stay at our customers and billed hours. He literally pushed us out of our comfort zone even before we had started. We all agreed that it would be fun, but none of us at this point were sure what to expect.

Nick took the lead on the app that would be the main point of our delivery. In short, it was a Canvas app (😂”low code”😂 ) that would use OpenAI to randomly generate maps for a game. Not only was the game randomized, but the themes would also be random based on keywords entered at the beginning of the setup. Read more about our app below⬇️

What impressed me the most was seeing how Nick embraced the new technology that he hadn’t worked a lot with yet, while mastering highly advanced elements in such a short time. I do often mention the quote of the “Old dog new tricks”, but it’s a real feeling. Having the energy to constantly learn new technology is not easy.

While sharing his knowledge with the team, he also showed us some really important skills as a consultant. His logical approach to solve a problem, and his ability to talk about what was going to be solved. A good sales pitch itself can land large scale projects even before the customer has seen any evidence that it works. This could also have been on of our problems as a team, because the first day pitch was so amazing that we almost couldn’t deliver on our promise in the end😂

I consider myself a quick-thinking consultant with a charm that usually helps me win projects. However, Nick’s many years of experience not only nailed the pitch but also showcased how to be a top-notch consultant in all aspects during a challenging 3-day hackathon. I’m not trying to be Nick – I’m Thomas. I can take his wisdom and make it work with my own style, learning and growing in the process.

That is the core value of ACDC https://arcticclouddeveloperchallenge.net

Final Delivery

Interested in seeing what we did, have a look at our blog post

Donkey Kong Koders – Final Deliery