In my experience, most companies do not roll out the Power Platform with a clear long-term strategy in mind. Instead, it often sneaks in through the back door.
It starts small. Maybe a SharePoint developer builds a quick Power App to collect feedback. Maybe someone on the Dynamics 365 team sets up a flow to move data between systems. Or maybe a business user discovers Power Automate and starts solving problems on their own.
In most cases, this is not part of a planned platform rollout. Rather, it’s a workaround. A clever shortcut. A proof of concept that never really gets the “solution” label before it becomes production.
Then something happens. It works. It solves a real problem. And people notice.
Suddenly, more teams want in. The requests start piling up. What began as a side project quickly becomes a core capability. As a result, the platform spreads across the organization at a surprising pace.
This is where things start to get uncomfortable.
When success creates risk
As the Power Platform grows, it begins to touch more critical systems, sensitive data, and key business processes.
Automations connect to important records. Apps start replacing legacy tools. Canvas apps become client-facing. Meanwhile, flows run under personal credentials, and model-driven apps expose ERP data.
At some point, someone in IT asks, “Wait, who built all this?”
Someone in Security wonders, “Are these flows compliant with our policies?”
Someone in Operations asks, “What happens if the person who built this leaves?”
Unfortunately, the answers are often unclear. Ownership is ambiguous. Documentation is missing. Environments are used inconsistently. And most concerning of all, no one feels fully responsible for the growing platform.
Governance comes too late, or not at all
In many organizations, governance only becomes a serious discussion after something goes wrong. For example, after a flow silently fails, a data privacy issue surfaces, or an app becomes unmaintainable.
By that point, the platform has already taken root. It is woven into day-to-day operations. Trying to bring structure afterward becomes far more complex than it needed to be.
And yet, the need for governance is obvious. The appetite for low-code tools keeps growing. More departments want access. More ideas are waiting to be built. The Power Platform is delivering real value.
However, the lack of governance is now holding it back.
What does good governance look like?
Governance is not about locking everything down. It is not about saying no to makers or turning the platform into a gated fortress. On the contrary, it should be viewed as a way to enable safe, scalable growth.
Good governance is about building with intention. It provides clarity, consistency, and support. It gives your makers the tools and structure they need to build solutions that last.
Here are a few examples of what that can look like:
✅ A clear environment strategy that reflects how your organization works
✅ DLP policies that protect data while still allowing innovation
✅ A standard way to name and describe apps, flows, and environments
✅ Shared libraries and templates to accelerate development
✅ A process for app reviews, lifecycle management, and support
✅ A community of practice or Center of Excellence that connects people across the business
Most importantly, good governance needs someone to own it. Ideally, this person understands both the technology and the business. They need enough mandate to guide decisions and enough empathy to support the people building on the platform.
My challenge to organizations
If your journey with the Power Platform began by accident, you are not alone. Many companies get started that way. And it is a testament to the platform’s accessibility and value.
Even so, that accidental beginning should not define the road ahead.
Step back, assess where you are, and put someone in charge. Then shape a governance model that supports your goals. Because without it, the platform’s biggest strength — its speed and flexibility — can quickly become its greatest risk.
