Hubs, Maps and Scenarios [Oh my] - New Microsoft Developer Guidance Maps from the Microsoft Connect Innovation Center

J.D. Meier's Blog - Microsoft Developer Guidance Maps

“As part of creating an "information architecture" for developer guidance at Microsoft, one of the tasks means mapping out what we already have.  That means mapping out out our Microsoft developer content assets across Channel9, MSDN Developer Centers, MSDN Library, Code Gallery, CodePlex, the All-in-One Code Framework, etc.

You can browse our Developer Guidance Maps at http://innovation.connect.microsoft.com/devguidancemaps

One of my favorite features is the one-click access that bubbles up high value code samples, how tos, and walkthroughs from the product documentation.  Here is an example of showcasing the ASP.NET documentation team’s ASP.NET Product Documentation Map.  Another of my favorite features is one-click access to consolidated training maps.  Here is an example showcasing Microsoft Developer Platform Evangelism’s Windows Azure Training Map.

Content Types
Here are direct jumps to pages that let you browse by content type:

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The Maps are Works in Progress
Keep in mind these maps are works in progress and they help us pressure test our simple information architecture (“Simple IA”) for developer guidance at Microsoft.  Creating the maps helps us test our models, create a catalog of developer guidance, and easily find the gaps and opportunities.  …

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Microsoft Connect Innovation Center - Microsoft Developer Guidance Maps

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Welcome to the Microsoft Developer Guidance Catalog Project! The Microsoft Developer Guidance Maps Project is an effort to create a model and a map of resources for developer guidance. The goal is to simplify as well as better organize and share our catalog of developer guidance resources. We're using this catalog as a way to model, prototype, and test ways to find, organize, and share developer guidance in a meaningful way. As part of the exercise we'll be creating and sharing our maps of pointers to useful code samples, how tos, videos, etc. for the Microsoft application platform.

For more information about the project, see About the Microsoft Developer Guidance Maps Project.

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Hubs

• Cloud Hub
• Data Hub
• Desktop Hub
• Games Hub
• Phone Hub
• Services Hub
• Web Hub

Content Maps

• ADO.NET Developer Guidance Map
• ASP.NET Developer Guidance Map
• Silverlight Developer Guidance Map
• WCF Developer Guidance Map
• Windows Azure Developer Guidance Map
• Windows Client Developer Guidance Map
• Windows Phone Developer Guidance Map

Resource Types

• Documentation
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Features and Topics at a Glance

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Scenario Maps

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Learning Roadmaps

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Microsoft Developer Guidance Maps - Windows Phone Development Hub

“NOTE: This page is a mock-up intended to solicit feedback on a developing information model.  This information model provides an overview and starting point for making sense of developing applications for Windows Phones.

On this page you will find key resources in helping you make sense of building Windows phone applications from Microsoft technologies. Get up and running in the Getting Started section; learn about Related Technologies to understand the whole picture; investigate Architecture and Design to understand how the pieces fit together, then visit the Product Roadmap for additional resources.

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Microsoft Developer Guidance Maps - Windows Phone Guidance Catalog

“Developer content can be found through many different organizational models or experiences. You can browse by the type of guidance, by topics, or by specific features of the technology.

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We all know EVERYTHING is on the net. The problem is that EVERYTHING is on the net… Finding just the right information can be a major time waster. And with development resources it’s even harder given its rapid, well development, pace. Having a one stop curated shop for major dev topics sounds pretty good to me right now.

Funny how it’s the little things… For example, I really like how the Connect Innovation Center leverages an already existing project and didn’t re-invent the wheel. Anyone who has used CodePlex will recognize the site right away and feel right at home.

This has the potential to be great resource. I hope it continues to flesh out and stand the test of time…