First Release Improvements

[Cian Allner]

How would you like to see First Release improved? We have seen limitations recently, with First release for everyone vs First release for selected users, if you wanted to try out Microsoft Forms you couldn't test SharePoint Communication sites.

Does First Release need to evolve more, with the ever-changing nature of Office 365? I liked the idea of First Release Actionable Preview Period, that came out of last years Microsoft Ignite but ultimately never materialised.

Should it be clear at any one time, features deployed to Select FR or Tenant FR, so customers can look out accordingly and also better indication of when features are leaving FR and being made available generally in our tenants?

Do most customers need to have a couple of test tenants, should be these provided or made available more easily*.  Dynamics 365 has a concept of sandbox instances, of non-production, test, instances that can all be managed under one account.  You get a free complimentary sandbox instance and more instances can be purchased.  Should Office 365 have something along these lines, if that at all was possible?

As we approach Microsoft Ignite in Septemeber, what would you like to see or do you have any feedback around First Release in general?  

* You can setup a free 5 user dev tenant or get a 25 user tenant with Visual Studio Enterprise - How to set up a free developer tenant.

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Great points Cian. For convenience I'd run multiple test tenants. Currently I switch between the two First Release modes but that can't be practical for most admins. A small further use case has emerged with Workplace Analytics where a minimum seat number, in this case 5000, needs to be procured. Not sure how you would test that out in a test tenant without commitment unless you have a deep Microsoft account relationship! To my thinking, it is these high level issues Microsoft needs to turn it's attention towards. Most small and medium enterprises typically have one global administrator. Realistically, might end up with an 'all on' or 'all off' approach with production being the first experience for some changes I'd love to see Microsoft's stance on this, thanks for raising this.

[#3]

Thanks John! Really good points.

One thing I like about the Dynamics 365 instances model, is you can switch between instances (live, dev, test, training etc), staying logged in as the same account.  If I have three tenants, I have three sets of credentials. So I guess what I am saying, I'd like to see Microsoft offer an easier way to test new features, whether that's providing a complimentary tenant that's integrated somehow or something else (like the First Release Actionable Preview Period idea), I think that would be great.

I'd like to see First Release evolve at the rate that the rest of Office 365 has!  While I'm at it, it needs to be clearer whats available via select FR or tenant FR, or remove this distinction so the same features can be tested by either type of FR, which I know must have some technical challenges.

Workplace Analytics is a curious one and you are right, having that on a test tenant isn't likely, with the costs involved.  Change Management is tough at the best of times and having the right tools is important.  A lot of the pieces are there already but I'd love to see something more by the time we get to Ignite!