Introducing the Visual Studio ALM Rangers – Michael Wiley

This post is part of an ongoing series of Rangers introductions. SeeRanger Index (Who is Who?)for more details.

Who you are?

Michael Wiley, Senior Premier Field Engineer with Microsoft.  I work primarily with our customers on Visual Studio ALM, Windows/application troubleshooting, and Internet Explorer migration.

What makes you “tick”?

I have an insatiable thirst for more knowledge around development products on the Microsoft platform, as well as how to manage development efforts.  My primary goal in working on these technologies (and everything else) is K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Silly).  I love to engage with our customers in helping improve and simplify their development processes.  I also am still active in the Developer community and am passionate about working with user groups.  Scuba diving, hiking, and building haunted houses help bring me back to earth in my spare time.

Where you live?

Being born and raised in West Texas makes me call that my home.  However, I currently reside outside of Charlotte, NC, and am now adopting the area as my second home, with its access to mountains and beaches.

Why are you active in the Rangers program?

I saw what great work that the Rangers created when I first began working with VS ALM, and I was absolutely astounded!  I wanted to be part of this group – smart, adaptable, and having the desire to make the lives of VS ALM users much more productive and easier.  Additionally, it gives me the opportunity to work with some of the experts in the field, and continue learning.

What is the best Rangers project you worked in and why?

While there are many great projects, my personal favorites are the Branching and Merging Guidance, TFS Upgrade, and TFS Planning Guides.  I have used these quite frequently, and have helped improve the processes of our customers with these.