I recently had the opportunity to run a “Power Pages in a Day” session on behalf of Microsoft. For those who are not familiar, Power Pages in a Day is hands-on training where teams spend a full day learning how to build a basic Power Pages site from start to finish. The day is not just slides and theories but building something while learning how the pieces fit together. After spending a full day with teams working through real scenarios, there were a few elements that stood out.
They attended with purpose. Most people did not show up just because they were curious about Power Pages. They showed up because they already had something they needed to build. Their projects include a customer portal that had been sitting on a backlog for months, a partner site that never quite made it past planning, and a process that still lived in email because no one wanted to take on a full web project. These were not hypothetical ideas or future wish list items; they were real needs that teams had been trying to address for some time.
They could see their ideas take form. What surprised many attendees was how quickly those ideas started to feel real. They weren’t polished or production-ready, but they were concrete enough to generate meaningful discussions. People could see data showing up on a page. They could see security working without a long setup conversation or a separate discussion about identity. At some point during the day, the questions shifted. Instead of asking whether something was possible, people started talking about what they should build next and who they should show it to. That change happened faster than most expected.
They felt motivated by seeing real progress. Several attendees shared stories about portal projects they had worked on in the past, many of which involved long timelines, heavy coordination, and long stretches of planning before anything tangible existed. In comparison, Power Pages felt different because progress happened early. Even a rough first version gave teams something concrete to work with, which made conversations more practical and decisions easier to make. Seeing something take shape early also helped teams maintain momentum instead of losing energy during extended planning phases.
They prioritized progress over completion. To get the most value out of the day, they were not trying to do everything at once, instead they stayed focused and asked practical questions about their specific scenarios. They were comfortable leaving some things unfinished and understood that not every decision needed to be made immediately. The goal was not to build a perfect portal in a single day. It was to confirm that the idea itself was worth moving forward.
The biggest takeaway wasn’t tied to any single feature or capability. Instead, it was how quickly teams could move from an initial idea to something tangible. It was about a real experience they could see on screen, click through, and start meaningful conversations around.
At Topline Results, this is something we see often. When teams start in the right place, everything becomes clearer and progress feels achievable. Power Pages fit well when speed matters, but how you approach that first step is just as important as the tool itself. If you are thinking about utilizing Power Pages and want to talk through where it would work best in your organization, we are always happy to have that conversation. Contact us today at 1-800-880-1060 or email info@toplineresults.com.
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