Success by Design
Microsoft's current implementation methodology for Dynamics 365, replacing the older Sure Step.
Success by Design (SBD) is Microsoft's published implementation methodology for Dynamics 365. Replacing the older waterfall-flavoured Sure Step, SBD is iterative, fit-to-standard-first, and built around regular checkpoints rather than gated phases. It has five overlapping phases — Initiate, Implement, Prepare, Operate, Optimize — each with documented practices, deliverables, and review rituals. The headline ritual is the Solution Blueprint Review (SBR), a mid-implementation architecture review against a published rubric. FastTrack engineers use SBD; mature partners adopt it. Templates, checklists, and reference architectures are freely available on Microsoft's SBD website.