A question that often pops up in front of the CRM Consulting teams is whether to use Sure Step Methodology with the latest version of Dynamics CRM (2015). More often now, since the methodology isn???t evolving as fast as the product.
Microsoft developed the Sure Step methodology with the good intent of providing a guideline to the implementation partners. It has not upgraded since 2012 to cover the product enhancements due to reasons unknown to me. However, the methodology can still be used as the project types, roles, responsibilities and activities in each phase remain same. Some of the tools may need be worked upon based on the recent features of CRM but the existing ones are a good place to start from.
Below are the models I have experienced in my CRM implementations.
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Most big consulting companies (firms that implement multiple CRM products and other enterprise applications) have their own implementation mythology for enterprise applications that they prefer to use while referring to Sure Step for something very specific to Dynamics CRM.
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Microsoft partners that primarily work on Dynamics CRM as majority of their consulting business generally use Sure Step as the methodology or improvise on it by building templates/content based on their implementations.
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In some cases the Customer has specific processes or few templates that they are familiar with and would want to use them while depending on the Sure Step methodology for the rest.
In my opinion, Sure Step methodology has a Dynamics flavor that other generic mythologies wouldn???t provide especially the Decision Accelerators. I have implemented CRM even before Sure Step was available and used other frameworks/methodologies. However, I have found it advantageous and believe that it certainly helps the consultants to be aware of the tools & templates that are available.