Principal Consultant and Microsoft MVP, Vesa Nopanen, discusses some of the top Microsoft Technology Trends

The importance of partnerships for business expansion cannot be overstated. Considering the scale and speed of innovation within the Microsoft ecosystem, businesses must specialize in providing high-quality services.

At DynamicsSmartz, our primary goal has been to promote partner enablement, work with industry experts, and partner with the right businesses.

During our conversation with Principal Consultant Vesa Nopanen, we learned how Microsoft is revolutionizing the industry and what technology trends to watch out for in 2023.

Let Us Quickly Get To Our Expert's Point Of View.

What according to you are some of the top Microsoft technology trends to watch out for in 2023?

Microsoft has a spectrum of technologies you should keep an eye on in 2023, most of which are evolving rapidly. First, I need to pick Artificial Intelligence services running in Azure, they have gotten significant improvements and capabilities already during 2022, and we will be utilizing AI even more throughout all domains.

Language understanding, speech services, and machine learning are constantly changing the field. Additionally, synchronized Digital Twins will play a significant role in 2023, even more than before.

As the list grows larger, you want to include low and no-code solutions, especially in Business Applications: Dynamics 365 offering and Power Platform. For example, Dynamics 365 Guides is one powerful example of a solution that emerged in 2022.

Overall this means you need to watch out for Mixed Reality solutions. And, of course, I want to highlight Microsoft Teams, Collaboration, and Employee Experience- this area also includes the Microsoft Viva family. You will see a broad spectrum of technology trends gaining more momentum than before: AI, Digital Twins, Mixed Reality, Industrial Metaverse, Metaverse, and Employee Experience.

Question 2: What are some opportunities you would be looking at the next year?

I am, of course, looking forward to Microsoft Teams' evolution - bringing in the Metaverse with Mesh for Teams and including everyone together. This means field workers using HoloLenses or other Mixed Reality tools and being able to collaborate with experts, using AI and Digital Twins to enable better productivity and decision-making. I can see that technological evolution is accelerating, which means we will see our ways of working changing as new opportunities are arriving more than before.

Question 3: Would you like to share some tips on Microsoft 365 implementation?

Consider how you can use what is available if you haven't already. Adopting low/no-code practices and governance should be in every organization's DNA. Don't reinvent the wheel - stay up to date on what is happening within the Microsoft ecosystem and see if you can get a head-start with what's out there. Adopt the agile and early Proof-Of-Concept culture to your organization: don't wait for a year to start with something but instead learn today and gain experiences that matter to your organization.

Question 4: What is the potential for Microsoft Partners in Finland?

We have a lot of potential considering Finland's technological and innovation advancements. We have excellent relationships with Microsoft Finland and also with Microsoft product groups. This means we can help our customers in multiple ways. Additionally, Finland has an active partner network - we know there is a lot of market, so we can work together to create more market through innovation.

Question 5: A piece of advice that you’d like to share with our readers?

Never stop learning. Stay up to date with trends and what's coming out. As you can see from the Microsoft Teams roadmap, Microsoft is bringing out new features a lot! To capitalize on new features and capabilities, you need some sense of what's happening. Many Microsoft Partners can help you - we are experts in this field, so we can recommend a list of resources your business needs.

Get to Know Our Influencer

What is the best event that you attended recently? What were your key takeaways?

The best recent event was ESPC 2022, which was held in Copenhagen. It brought in the friendly tech community in a very great way. Go to sessions and learn, network, and talk with speakers before and after sessions. My key takeaway: excellent conversations with people and making new friends. The network of technology friends is a very valuable asset.

What's your success mantra?

Keep your mind open, include everyone and never stop learning. Try to have some fun too!