TechFluent Academy

2026 Cohort: Intro to Delivery Management, with Sienna Howlett-Wagner and Staci Cotter
2026-01-07 09:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago)
Sienna Howlett-Wagner and Staci Cotter
Sienna is an F&SCM Industry Delivery Consultant & TechFluent Board Treasurer
Staci is a Senior Project Manager at WinfoSoft
Introduction to Delivery Management
In this session, we will introduce you to the concept of Delivery Management. At the completion of this course, you will understand the key differences between Delivery Management and Project Management. This course is intended to showcase how Microsoft Partners leverage Delivery Managers / Directors to insure what the client purchased is delivered. By the end of this class you will understand where the role of the Delivery Lead ends and the role of the PM begins – seamlessly managing the client, program and deliverables.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Understand the role and responsibilities of a delivery manager on a D365 or on a Cross Platform Project
Apply delivery frameworks (Agile, Scrum, Success by Design) in real-world scenarios
Manage scope, timelines, risks, and dependencies across complex initiatives
Facilitate effective communication between technical and non-technical stakeholders
Use metrics and KPIs to track progress and drive continuous improvement
Navigate organizational dynamics and foster high-performing teams

2026 Cohort: Leveraging FutureFit AI to Create Your Career Journey
2026-01-08 13:00 - 14:30 | Sabathani Community Center, 310 E. 38th Street, Minneapolis, MN, 55409, United States
Learn how to leverage the FutureFit Platform for the creation of your Career Journey! TechFluent teaches you how this innovate technology will help you bridge any gap in skills you may have to achieving the career you desire from where you are today by mapping exactly which learning paths to take to get where you need to be. This Platform can help you build the resume and cover letter that will help get you through ATS systems, identify how likely you are to match jobs you are interested in and provide you with a plethora of career resource to uplevel your overall career journey.

2026 Cohort: Intro to Business Analysis, with Sienna Howlett-Wagner and Staci Cotter
2026-01-09 09:00 - 16:00
Sienna Howlett-Wagner and Staci Cotter
Sienna is an F&SCM Industry Delivery Consultant & TechFluent Board Treasurer
Staci is a Senior Project Manager at WinfoSoft
Introduction to Business Analysis
In this session, we will review the discipline of business analysis. We will discuss the career for Business Analysts and introduce you the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), its standards and Certifications. You will learn the various types of Requirements that Business Analysts are required to understand and work with. And, finally, you will become familiar with the typical Business Analysis process expected to be followed by all BAs in the technology space – Scrum. Finally, we will complete an exercise in this course to help solidify everything we’ve learned.
Upon completion of this session, the participant will be able to:

Understand the role a Business Analyst fulfills on the Project Team and responsibilities for Project Alignment
Articulate the career pathways within the Microsoft Industry that align with BA associated skills
Identify and properly align appropriate process mapping to the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) approach defined for the project
Properly curate a Communication Plan to distill Requirements into User Stories through the selected project SDLC using the appropriate ceremonies
Identify and leverage the appropriate toolset to support Communication, Risk Management, Issue Tracking and Traceability of the Project

Exercise / Lab: Barista Process Flow

2026 Cohort: User Story Development & Solution Design, with Sienna Howlett-Wagner and Staci Cotter
2026-01-12 09:00 - 16:00
Sienna Howlett-Wagner and Staci Cotter
Sienna is an F&SCM Industry Delivery Consultant & TechFluent Board Treasurer
Staci is a Senior Project Manager at WinfoSoft
User Story Development & Solution Design
In this session, you will learn to properly develop User Stories distilling them from Requirements and gathering the details needed from your client through proper Backlog Grooming techniques. Additionally, we will review ways to manage a backlog properly whether you have basic tools (Excel) or nirvana (GYDE365), or something in between, to assist. After the User Stories are defined, they can be broken down further into Tasks for proper Solution Design, which is the next step in the Development Process and the next logical learning objective for this course. By the end of this course, you will know how to properly document your project’s Scope and Design in a manner that is traceable, trackable and consumable for building, testing and deployment.

Developing User Stories – Learn to distill User Stories from Requirements and gather essential details through effective Backlog Grooming techniques.
Backlog Management – Understand strategies for managing a backlog using various tools, from basic (Excel) to advanced (GYDE365), and everything in between.
Breaking Down User Stories into Tasks – Gain the ability to refine User Stories into Tasks to support proper Solution Design.
Solution Design Process – Understand how Task definition leads into the next step of the Development Process, ensuring a logical workflow.
Project Scope & Design Documentation – Learn to document project Scope and Design in a way that ensures traceability, trackability, and usability for building, testing, and deployment.

2026 Cohort: Intro to Change Management with Staci Cotter
2026-01-19 09:00 - 16:00
Intro to Change Management
with Staci Cotter
Senior Project Manager at WinfoSoft
In this session, we will introduce the concept of Organizational Change Management and how it fits into the framework of successful Delivery Management. You will learn to properly define adoption and change management in the context of technology implementations. You will learn to describe the objectives of change management within a project or program. You will review change methodologies and discuss examples and how they apply to your project or program. And finally, we will discuss why it is important to apply an empathetic lens to interactions with a variety of people involved in your project or program.

2026 Cohort: Intro to CE / CRM, with Timothy Noce
2026-01-26 09:00 - 12:00
Intro to CE / CRM
with Timothy Noce
Founder and CEO of CoreSpire Consulting.
In this session, we will introduce you to the core concept of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and its significance for modern business. We will explore the key benefits of CRM, including improved customer relationships, increased sales, and enhanced operational efficiency. And we will understand which jobs and roles within a business or organization use CRM systems and how. Digging deeper, we will explore how CRM platforms are utilized within an organization’s technical infrastructure to streamline business process, automate tasks, and foster collaboration across teams. And, we will discuss how you can leverage what you learn in this course to gain practical experience toward the first step in your career.
This course was designed by Felix Ndugwa, MSc. of Microsoft.

2026 Cohort: Resume, Cover Letter & LinkedIn Profile Workshop
2026-02-02 09:00 - 12:00
Resume, Cover Letter & LinkedIN Profile Workshop
• Understand keys to successful resumes and how to stand out as an applicant
• Understand various approaches and benefits/drawbacks of each
• Understand best practices and different approaches for common scenarios
• Understand fundamentals of LinkedIn
• Understand various aspects of SEO and getting one’s profile viewed
• Understand best practices and different approaches for common scenarios

2026 Cohort: Mock Interviews Workshop
2026-02-04 09:00 - 12:00
Mock Interviews Workshop

2026 Cohort: Career Coaching Workshop
2026-02-06 09:00 - 12:00
Career Coaching Workshop

2026 Cohort: Real Life Use Cases with Chris Cognetta
2026-02-11 09:00 - 12:00
Real Life Use Cases
with Chris Cognetta
Chief Technology & Innovation Officer at congruentX
In this session, we will review use cases for Customer Relationship Management Platforms in the Modern Workplace. By the end of this session, you will understand and have experienced why and how CRM works in a business today.

2026 Cohort: Intro to UX / UI, with Lenore Flower
2026-02-13 09:00 - 12:00
Intro to UX/UI
with Lenore Flower
Founder/Chief Data Plumber at Data Plumber
In this session, you will be introduced to the concepts of User Experience and User Interface, what they are and how they differ. By the end of the course, you will be able to describe what UX / UI design is and why it’s important for creating easy-to-use and visually appealing digital products. You will be able to explain the needs and preferences of users and how they influence the design of websites and apps. You will be able to define the basic steps involved in UX / UI design, including researching user needs, creating simple designs, and testing them with real users. You will be able to explain simple design principles like clarity, simplicity, and consistently, and how they help make digital products easier to use. And finally, you will be able to describe basic tools and techniques used in UX / UI design, such as sketching, wireframing, and using simple design software.

Power BI Presentations
2026-02-18 - 2026-02-19 | Sabathani Community Center, 310 E. 38th Street, Minneapolis, MN, 55409, United States
Power BI Presentations
Capstone Style Projects are presented on-site for Industry Professional review and feedback.
Panel of Judges will review via Teams Meeting; Presentations will be given in-person and streamed on camera via Teams.

Intro to ERP, with Bobby Small, MVP
2026-02-23 09:00 - 16:00 | Sabathani Community Center, 310 E. 38th Street, Minneapolis, MN, 55409, United States
Introduction to ERP
with Bobby Small, MVP
Community Strategy Director at Dynamics User Group
Course description TBD.

Enterprise Resource Planning & What it Means in the Modern Workplace, with Bobby Small, MVP
2026-02-24 09:00 - 16:00 | Sabathani Community Center, 310 E. 38th Street, Minneapolis, MN, 55409, United States
Enterprise Resource Planning & What it Means in the Modern Workplace
with Bobby Small, MVP
Community Strategy Director at Dynamics User Group
Course description TBD.

2026 Cohort: Introduction to Microsoft's Success by Design
2026-04-16 09:00 - 16:00
Introduction to Success by Design
In this session, we will introduce you to Microsoft’s premier FastTrack methodology agnostic delivery tool to ensure successful solution implementation end users and Microsoft Partners. Participants will explore the Success by Design framework and its pivotal role in guiding Dynamics 365 implementations. You will receive an in-depth review of key project phases, best practices, and FastTrack techniques, as well as gain practical strategies for planning, execution, and risk mitigation of projects on which you participate. The course will also emphasize solution architecture, governance, and compliance, ensuring secure and efficient deployments. Hands-on workshops will provide an opportunity to assess scalability and performance, while real-world case studies will prepare participants for implementation challenges. By the end of the session, learners will be equipped with actionable insights to optimize solution design, development, and deployment.

2026 Cohort: Introduction to Microsoft's Success by Design - Day 2
2026-04-17 09:00 - 16:00

2026 Cohort: CE / Power Platform Project Presentations
2026-04-29, 2026-04-30, 2026-05-01
CE / Power Platform Project Presentations
All students will present their projects for feedback from Industry Professionals.
Panel of Judges will review via Teams Meeting; Presentations will be given in-person and streamed on camera via Teams.

2026 Cohort: Power BI Presentations
2026-06-23 - 2026-06-24, 2026-06-24 - 2026-06-25, 2026-06-25 - 2026-06-26, 2026-06-26 - 2026-06-27

2026 Cohort: Testing Accommodations, Exam Preparation, with Carol Smock
2026-06-29 09:00 - 10:00
Testing Accommodations, Exam Preparation
with Carol Smock
Executive Director at TechFluent Academy
In this session, our Executive Director will help you understand the Testing Accommodations available as you prepare to take your Certification Exams. She will also provide Study Guides and resources available to help you prepare for the Certification Exams.

2026 Cohort: Enterprise Resource Planning & What it Means in the Modern Workplace - Day 1
2026-07-13 09:00 - 16:00
Enterprise Resource Planning & What it Means in the Modern Workplace
Course description TBD.

2026 Cohort: Enterprise Resource Planning & What it Means in the Modern Workplace - Day 2
2026-07-14 09:00 - 16:00
Enterprise Resource Planning & What it Means in the Modern Workplace – Day 2
Course description TBD.
