When organizations roll out Microsoft Power Platform, the initial conversations often revolve around governance:

• Who is allowed to do what?
• How do we protect our data?
• What is our environment strategy?

All valid questions. But one critical success factor tends to fly under the radar:
A strong internal community.

Because let us be honest: even the best governance policy won’t help if nobody wants to use the platform – or even knows it exists.

Community Isn’t a Nice-to-Have – It’s the Foundation

A well-maintained Power Platform community isn’t just a nice-to-have for peer exchange.
It’s essential if you want Citizen Development to truly work – that is, enabling business users to create their own digital solutions without involving IT every single time.

Yes, building a community may sound like “more work” at first – especially for IT.
But in the long run, it’s actually the opposite:

• Fewer support requests, thanks to shared knowledge
• Less shadow IT, because people know where and how to contribute
• More reusability, instead of building everything twice
• And most importantly: significantly lower development costs

But all this only works if you trust your people – and believe they can handle low-code tools responsibly.
Governance in this context doesn’t mean control – it means empowerment with clear guardrails.

Here Are 7 Practical Ways to Build a Community Step-by-Step:

1. Start with a Clear “Why”

Why do you want this community?
What’s the mission? What do you want to achieve together?

A clear and simple vision helps align everyone – IT, business, and leadership alike.
It’s not “just another Teams channel” – it’s a movement.

2. Find Champions – and Give Them a Stage

Every organization has those curious, tech-savvy people who enjoy exploring and inspiring others.
These are your champions!

Invite them in, give them visibility and ownership – and most importantly, recognition.
Whether they’re called “Power Champions,” “Low-Code Crew,” or something else, make sure they feel seen and valued.

3. Create Regular, Low-Barrier Exchange Formats

No dry meetings – instead, create real spaces for exchange and learning. For example:

• Show & Tell sessions where people present their solutions (even the small ones)
• Power Hours to answer questions and share ideas
• Or just a well-moderated Teams channel for daily inspiration

The key? Keep it simple, friendly, and authentic. No need for perfection.

4. Bring IT into the Conversation – Early

Community and IT are not at odds. Quite the opposite.
When IT is involved from the start, you build trust and foster a shared ownership model.

5. Share Learning Paths and Success Stories – and Centralize Them

Beginners need orientation. Advanced users need inspiration.
Provide learning materials (Microsoft Learn is a great start) and share internal success stories – preferably through short videos, interviews, or newsletters.

To make all of this accessible:
Create a central learning hub where users can find everything in one place –

• training recordings
• a calendar with future training session
• booking options for support or mentoring sessions

This not only reduces friction but signals that your organization truly supports and values continuous learning.

6. Encourage Reuse and Sharing

Why reinvent the wheel every time?
Create a central library of reusable flows, components, and apps – ideally powered by the CoE Starter Kit.

And remember: celebrate those who contribute! Recognition motivates.

7. Embed Community Work into Your Governance Strategy

Community building is not an “extra”. It should be part of your Power Platform roadmap – with clear goals, responsibilities, and dedicated time or budget.

Why? Because an active community will ease the load on IT, cut costs, and ensure your governance policies are truly lived – not just documented.

Conclusion: Technology Enables – But Community Drives Change

Without a community, the Power Platform often remains in the hands of a few. Or things get out of control. Neither is ideal.

With a community, however, you unlock something powerful:

• Broader adoption
• Higher innovation capacity
• Sustainable value

And most importantly: a culture where digital transformation grows from within – not just from the IT department. Trust your people. Equip them with the right support.
And then watch what’s possible when ideas start to scale.

About the Author

Katharina De Leon

Katharina De Leon is a Power Platform Solution Architect at ORBIS Austria. She supports companies in building scalable low-code strategies – with a strong focus on governance, enablement, and real-world impact. Her approach bridges business and IT to create low-code ecosystems that people actually want to use.
She has been working with the Power Platform for years across various industries and countries, bringing international experience to every project.