How, where, when, and why should you deploy SharePoint 2010?

Microsoft plans to release its long-awaited next version of SharePoint in June. The new platform brings significant changes in some areas, and merely ‘cosmetic enhancements’ in others. As an enterprise customer, how should you respond -if at all? If you have not yet made an enterprise-wide commitment to SharePoint, should you now wait until the 2010 release to evaluate your options? If you have already got an extensive  SharePoint 2007 deployment, when and why should you upgrade?

After Microsoft’s SharePoint Conference in Las Vegas in late 2009, Alan Pelz-Sharpe from technology evaluation firm The Real Story Group (formerly CMS Watch), posted a commentary asking: Is the SharePoint bubble going to burst? In his view enthusiasm for SharePoint is waning and demand for the platform is likely to begin to plateau. J. Boye analyst and moderator Peter Nissen also shared his impressions from the conference. He reported on Major progress in SharePoint 2010 and SharePoint déjà-vu. Peter shared a few recommendations including allowing sufficient time for analysis and familiarisation with SharePoint 2010 at all levels.

In Philadelphia next month, you can meet Alan who will lead a 3 hour tutorial with a critical, independent evaluation of the new SharePoint 2010.  Through presentations and discussion, the workshop will help you answer some of the many questions — and review how well it “fits” into different types and sizes of enterprises with different business objectives.

If you are keen to learn more about SharePoint, you can also meet distinguished Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley, who will surely mention SharePoint in her Thursday keynote on What is ahead for Microsoft? In addition to the analysts, we also have  a few experienced SharePoint practitioners on the program, including 3 talks on the intranet track:

• Andy Jayne is the Knowledge Manager for Transfield Services North America, a company whose global offerings include facilities management, natural resources & industrial services and transportation infrastructure.  He recently created three distinct iterations of the corporate intranet for recently acquired companies with diverse requirements and goals.
• Barbara Schelkle who is Manager for Knowledge Sharing Systems at UNDP – the United Nations Development Program. Barbara coordinated the corporate Intranet Task Force in 2009 and currently manages the Intranet Implementation Project, based on MS SharePoint.
• Robert Polkowski is the Senior Knowledge Manager at Perkins Eastman Architects.  Most recently Robert designed and oversaw the implementation of SharePoint as the new intranet platform at the firm

Have you had some early success or failure with SharePoint 2010? If so, please share add a comment below and join the conversation in Philadelphia.