Scripting and Toolmaking with PowerShell (M55627A) — Lesson 1: Professional PowerShell Scripting

Learning Objectives

• Structure scripts with clear inputs, processing, outputs, and documentation
• Use conditions, loops, collections, files, structured data, and exceptions
• Debug scripts and implement logging, tracing, and defensive validation

Detailed Topics

• Structure scripts with clear inputs: Structure scripts with clear inputs, processing, outputs, and documentation
• Use conditions: Use conditions, loops, collections, files, structured data, and exceptions
• Debug scripts and implement logging: Debug scripts and implement logging, tracing, and defensive validation

Guided Demonstration

1. Review the requirement, environment, dependencies, roles, risks, and expected outcome.
2. Demonstrate the relevant configuration, analysis, code, or administration workflow step by step.
3. Capture settings, outputs, logs, screenshots, calculations, or test evidence.
4. Compare the observed result with the stated acceptance criteria.

Hands-On Activity

Refactor a basic script into a maintainable automation solution.

• Document assumptions and the planned sequence before making changes.
• Complete the activity and preserve evidence of normal and exception behavior.
• Record issues, corrective actions, and reusable operational or development notes.

Troubleshooting Focus

• Separate symptoms from causes and collect evidence before applying a fix.
• Check configuration, permissions, data, dependencies, capacity, connectivity, and recent changes.
• Validate rollback, recovery, support ownership, and user or business impact.

Validation Checklist

• The requirement and expected outcome are clear.
• The selected configuration, design, query, code, or process is documented.
• Normal, boundary, failure, security, and operational conditions are reviewed.
• The result is supported by evidence and the next improvement is prioritized.

Lesson Outcome

Learners can explain and apply Professional PowerShell Scripting in a realistic scenario and validate the result with documented evidence.