Microsoft IT plays two roles within the company. Similar to IT teams in other large enterprises, we help the company transform while managing applications, infrastructure and security. Unlike many of these IT teams, we also serve the role of enterprise customer advocate by testing new software products and services and providing feedback. As Microsoft’s first customer we look at scenarios that cross multiple product groups to make sure there is a great end-to-end experience, and deliver that feedback to the product engineering teams. We then showcase what we do in Microsoft IT to inform and help our customers learn from us.

In the past year, we’ve pushed collaboration across the company to make sure that both IT roles are delivered effectively, regardless of organizational boundaries. To help transform the company, Microsoft’s leaders continue to raise expectations around the role that IT can play by aligning digital services into 15 cross-company service offerings. These service offerings reflect the core processes and capabilities of the company and bring together all facets of IT into what I’m calling “One IT”.