Business Solution Roll-out

Description

• A confirmation that the business solution is fully “installed”—i.e. every portion of the newly-designed process has been placed into service and is operating properly in all geographic locations.  This deliverable validates that all changes to hardware/software, organisation structure, physical facilities, policies, etc. are now  in place and in use successfully in all parts of the organisation.

Business Value

• This deliverable ultimately represents “what the customer has paid for” and is the point of culmination for all other BPI deliverables. It ensures the client that the activities associated with installing the business solution have been effective and well-handled at all client sites, as corroborated by the affected employees themselves.
• The realisation of the desired business benefit is completely dependent upon successful installation of the new business solution.  If the roll-out of the business solution is not done well, employee resistance to the changes will be manifest (or exacerbated).

Approach

The complexity and size of the organization and its adopted business solution influence the steps required to complete the roll-out / installation across multiple geographic locations.  Roll-out activities, in most cases, mirror or complement activities undertaken in the Build phase.  (Many of the steps identified below may already have been completed at the original BPI site and therefore will not apply to all installation sites.)

1. Prepare installation site.
1. Survey the installation site to identify and put in place all necessary improvements to the site or environment required for installation
2. Brief all site personnel on the upcoming process and schedule.
3. Finalise any last-minute details to ensure that all equipment and consumables (e.g. disks, tapes, pre-printed materials) required for installation have been procured.  Reconfirm delivery schedules and responsibilities.
2. Conduct pre-implementation awareness and technical training, if required.
1. Ensure employees are prepared for the transition—i.e. they are informed of how their jobs will change, what benefits the business solution represents to them, and their role in implementing the work approaches.
2. Communicate upcoming changes to key customers and affected external stakeholders (e.g. auditors).
3. Install and test business solution components.  Complete pre-implementation training, as appropriate.
1. Install and test changes to physical infrastructure/facilities.
2. Install and test organisational components of the BPI program.
3. Institute new policies and supporting documentation .
4. Put in place the support infrastructure (e.g., help desks).
5. Install and test information technology components—hardware and databases, application software, network / communications equipment and data. (Refer to the IT checklist in   “Guidelines” section of this deliverable.)
6. Conduct parallel testing (i.e. operate the old and new systems in parallel until a decision is made to “go-live” on a specific cutover date.
4. “Go-live” with new business solution
1. A business solution cutover is generally complex and usually requires that a significant amount of work be accomplished in a short period of time.  Naturally, it is impossible to anticipate all possible problems that might encountered.
5. Discontinue obsolete aspects of the old approach and IT system.
1. Decommission, remove or dispose of remnants of the past (e.g. old paper forms).
6. Complete post-installation activities
1. Address/resolve any problems that arise.
2. Monitor and fine tune the new business solution.
7. Obtain client agreement that installation and roll-out activities are now complete.
1. Obtain formal sign-off by the client stating that all necessary activities for the business solution installation have been completed and that the project team no longer accepts operational responsibility for the business solution.

Guidelines

Tactics/Helpful Hints

• Consult with hardware vendors about the “physical environment” requirements of their products:
• Electrical load requirements and surge protection
• Heating and cooling requirements
• Fire and water protection
• Raised floors
• Physical security
• Wiring, cabling, receptacles and outlets
• Workspace, furniture and storage requirements.
• “Checklist for IT Roll-out Components”
• Hardware and databases
• Developers can access the business solution and use any development tools
• Production data can be backed up routinely and restored without problem
• Staff have appropriate levels of access defined by the business solution’s security controls.
• Physical file security is addressed (data cannot be corrupted or lost due to errors or equipment failures during processing).
• Logical file security is addressed  (ID’s and passwords have been assigned).
• Network/Communications Equipment
• Application Software
• The package’s business solution parameters, codes, structures, etc. are set up.
• Customisable screen layouts, inquiry facilities, and reports are set up.
• Data
• “Live” data are frozen.
• All data conversion activities are completed.
• New information is loaded.
• Validation reports are run.
• Starting data  are validated and signed off.

Resources/Timing

• Forewarn project team members and users that long hours may be required during the cutover period and start-up.  Make provisions for overtime or the use of temporary staff, as appropriate.
• Allow line departments to take ownership and responsibility for the new business solution as soon as they are fully-equipped and ready.  The changeover from project control to client management should be gradual, however, with shared support responsibilities temporarily shared between project team members and line departments.