Power Platform Hackathon - Manufacturing

Transform your organization's incident reporting from manual, paper-based processes to a modern, automated, data-driven solution using Microsoft Power Platform. Work with real-world scenarios from Contoso Manufacturing to build end-to-end business applications that improve safety operations and decision-making.

Business Challenge

Contoso Manufacturing faces critical operational challenges with their current incident reporting system:

• Manual paper forms and unstructured emails cause delays
• Critical safety incidents don't reach the right teams quickly enough
• No visibility into incident trends or analytics for decision-making
• Lost productivity due to inefficient processes

Solution Vision

Build a comprehensive digital solution that enables:

• Mobile-friendly incident reporting for factory workers
• Automated alerts and routing to appropriate teams
• Real-time analytics and dashboards for leadership
• Improved safety outcomes and operational efficiency

Day 1: Foundation & Core Applications

Opening Session: Setting the Stage

Contoso Manufacturing Challenge Deep Dive

• Explore the current state of incident reporting
• Understand business impact and stakeholder needs
• Define success criteria for the digital transformation
• Review available data sources and integration points

Power Platform Environment Setup

• Platform architecture overview and service capabilities
• Environment configuration and team workspace setup
• Best practices for solution development and collaboration

Challenge 1: Building the Employee Incident Reporting App

Power Apps Canvas Application Development

Create a mobile-friendly application that enables factory workers to easily report safety hazards, equipment failures, and IT issues.

Key Features to Build:

• Intuitive incident type selection interface
• Rich text description capabilities with photo upload
• Location capture and timestamp functionality
• Integration with Dataverse for secure data storage

Business Value:

• Reduce reporting friction for employees
• Ensure consistent data capture across all incidents
• Enable real-time incident logging from mobile devices

Challenge 2: Automating Critical Incident Notifications

Power Automate Workflow Development

Build intelligent automation that ensures the right teams receive immediate notification of relevant incidents.

Automated Workflows to Create:

• Safety Incidents → Instant Microsoft Teams alerts to Safety Team
• Equipment Failures → Email notifications to Maintenance Team with priority routing
• IT Issues → Automated SharePoint ticket creation for IT Helpdesk

Business Value:

• Eliminate manual sorting and forwarding of incident reports
• Reduce response time for critical safety issues
• Ensure no incidents are missed or overlooked

Daily Wrap-up & Progress Review

• Team demonstrations of completed applications
• Peer learning and best practices sharing
• Preparation for advanced analytics and integration

Day 2: Analytics, Advanced Features & Complete Integration

Challenge 3: Executive Incident Analytics Dashboard

Power BI Business Intelligence Development

Create comprehensive dashboards that provide leadership with actionable insights into incident patterns and trends.

Analytics to Deliver:

• Incident volume trends across time periods
• Geographic distribution by factory location
• Category analysis (Safety vs. IT vs. Equipment)
• Performance metrics for response times and resolution

Business Value:

• Enable data-driven safety and operational decisions
• Identify recurring issues requiring systematic solutions
• Demonstrate ROI of digital transformation initiatives

Challenge 4: Extended Safety Application for Fleet Operations

Advanced Power Apps Development

Expand the solution to address fleet vehicle and sensor safety reporting with enhanced capabilities.

Enhanced Features:

• GPS location capture for precise incident tracking
• Pre-configured inspection checklists for vehicles and equipment
• Incident status tracking and assignment workflows
• Integration with existing notification systems

Optional Advanced Features:

• Experiment with Copilot in Power Apps for enhanced user experience
• Implement predictive analytics for maintenance scheduling

Optional Challenge 5: Enterprise Application Lifecycle Management

DevOps Integration for Professional Development Teams

For organizations with development teams, implement enterprise-grade application management.

ALM Components:

• Service Principal configuration for automated deployments
• GitHub repository setup with version control
• Continuous integration and deployment pipeline creation
• Security and compliance validation workflows

Business Value:

• Enable professional development practices for Power Platform
• Ensure consistent deployment across environments
• Maintain audit trails and change management

Final Integration Challenge: Executive Demonstration

Complete Solution Integration

Prepare a comprehensive demonstration showcasing the entire incident reporting ecosystem.

Integration Components:

• End-to-end user journey from incident reporting to resolution
• Real-time data flow between all applications
• Executive dashboard with live incident analytics
• Mobile and desktop user experience validation

Executive Presentation & Business Impact

Solution Demonstration

Each team presents their integrated solution addressing:

• Employee Experience: How workers report incidents efficiently
• Operational Excellence: How managers receive and act on real-time alerts
• Strategic Insights: How leadership analyzes trends for continuous improvement

Business Transformation Outcomes

Immediate Impact:

• Streamlined incident reporting reduces administrative overhead
• Faster response times improve safety outcomes
• Real-time visibility enables proactive decision-making

Long-term Value:

• Data-driven insights inform strategic safety investments
• Scalable platform foundation for additional business processes
• Enhanced employee engagement through modern digital tools

Success Criteria & Next Steps

Technical Deliverables

• Fully functional incident reporting mobile application
• Automated notification and routing workflows
• Executive analytics dashboard with real-time data
• Integrated end-to-end solution demonstration

Business Outcomes

• Measurable improvement in incident response times
• Enhanced visibility into safety trends and patterns
• Foundation for continued digital transformation initiatives
• Scalable solution architecture for enterprise deployment

Professional Development Pathway

• Microsoft Power Platform fundamentals certification preparation
• Advanced Power Platform development learning resources
• Community engagement and ongoing support options
• Enterprise adoption best practices and governance guidance

Transform your organization's safety operations with the power of low-code/no-code development. Build solutions that deliver immediate business value while establishing a foundation for continued digital innovation.