Implementation Methods
Bridge the gap!
Introduction
When you're building a new system, be it a software product, or a combination of hardware and software etc, one of the things you should consider is the method by which it will be implemented. By this we mean, how will it be installed, introduced and rolled out / deployed to the users (as opposed to building or programming the system).
It's common for people to say "well don't you just install the product, tell the users, and off you go?"
This is one way you can approach deploying your product (in fact this is essentially the direct method of implementation but for a lot of systems, in particular, larger and more complex systems with many users and integrating into a larger overall environment of integrated systems, this method will not the be the most effective.
When considering how we will implement a system, there are various methods we can consider :
Direct cut-over
With direct cut-over you get the new system ready then you turn the old system off, turn the new system on and start using the new system straight away.
Advantages
- Easiest of the methods in terms of planning.
- Least cost involved in managing the process.
- Quickest of the methods. It is all done in one step
Disadvantages
- Riskiest of the methods. If something goes wrong it is often very difficult if not impossible to go back.
Example Scenario
The software that runs a custom piece of machinery would often be updated using this approach. You would turn the piece of machinery off. Install the new software, replacing the old version. Then turn the equipment back on and start using it.
Parallel conversion
Parallel conversion involves running both the old and the new systems side by side for a period of time before the old system is taken offline.
Advantages
- Safest of the methods. If something goes wrong you still have the old system fully functional to fall back on.
- Gives good data to benchmark the new system off as you can compare results of both the old and new systems.
Disadvantages
- Costly as you have to run both systems simultaneously.
- Extra workload for users as they have to generally perform tasks twice, once on both the new and old systems.
- Can be complicated to coordinate and manage.
Example Scenario
New equipment to monitor the vital signs of a patient in a hospital may be installed in this manner. As a persons life would be potentially at risk if the new system didn't work as intended it would be safest to have both the old and new systems running in parallel for a period of time. When the doctors are confident that the new system gives accurate and reliable data then they can discontinue use of the old system.
Phased
With the Phased method a system is broken down into modules (the old system is also in similar modules). Those modules are then incrementally switched over from the old system to the new system. This method is really only doable when the system exists in modules and those modules can interoperate between the old and new systems. It is mostly used with larger systems that are actually made up of a series of smaller systems.
When using the phased method, you generally try to identify the least critical or minor modules and switch those over first. You use them as a testing ground before moving over the more critical modules. Users can get used to the new system and technical staff can identify any potential technical issues on modules that aren't mission critical. You then use what you have learnt to make sure that when you switch over the more critical / major modules it will run smoother.
Advantages
- A less risky method as if a new module fails the rest of the system should still be operational.
- Allows users to get used to the new system progressively which can help with people that are averse to change.
Disadvantages
- A lot of planning involved to make sure that modules will interoperate between new and old systems.
- Potentially a lot of work involved in configuring and reconfiguring systems as you switch modules over.
- A large amount of testing and retesting needs to be done as you switch over the modules.
Example Scenario
A retail store is developing a new system to help manage their daily running activities in a better way than their current system. The system will have various components to manage sales, stock levels and ordering, a customer database, newsletters and staff details. Some of these systems are less cricital than others (eg. the newsletters) and could be switched over to the new system before others. As systems are deemed to be stable and work as intended, new components can be brought on-line.
Pilot
The Pilot method involves selecting a small group of your users to trial the new system before the rest are moved over to the new system.
Picking the right group of people to be part of the pilot can dramatically help with the success of the project. You generally want to select more tech savvy users that are excited by change as opposed to averse to it.
Advantages
- A small group can test out the system before rolling out to everyone else. They can ensure that it works and iron out any bugs.
- The small group can aid in training the other users.
- Can help when there is aversion to change as users can see what the new system looks like before moving over.
Disadvantages
- Can take longer as you have to go therough the trial phase before rolling out to everyone else.
- Will only work if it is feasible for some people to be on the new system whilst most users are still on the old system.
Example Scenario
A school is considering a new on-line learning environment for their classes. They are slightly unsure on if the new system will meet their needs better than the current system or not. They select the Science facutly to test the new system with their Year 7 and 8 classes for a term. The teachers generally like it and expand to other years in the next term. Students are also positive about it's use. After this the Science teachers show the teachers in other facutlties what the new system looks like and explain how it is superior to the old system. They then give some training to the other teachers how to do some of the more interesting activities in the system before it is fully rolled out and everyone starts using it.
A Combination of Approaches
Of course it's important to remember that these are not hard and fast ways you must implement a conversion to a new system. They are just general patterns to help guide your strategy. A lot of the time your overall plan may incorporate elements of several of these.
For instance, you may be installing a product across several venues. You could use the pilot method in terms of testing at one venue before rolling out to other venues. Each actual venue may have the system installed via a direct cut-over method however.
Considerations
Considering your implementation plan can have a big influence on the success of your project / product. Developing the system is one thing (and that is very important to manage well too) however the implementation plan will have an impact on how the users percieve your product and whether they accpet it favourably or not.
It is possible for a good system to be rejected due to a poor implementation plan. Don't just assume that because your system is good it will succeed no matter what.
When selecting your implementation plan you should think about :
- How different your system is from the old system?
- How crucial is the operation of your system?
- How averse to change are your users liable to be?
- How tech savvy are your users?
- How long do you have to complete the implementation?
Remember that a new system will most likely impact the work flow of your users. In some ways this could be good, in some ways this could be bad. Does the new system mean that more work can be completed by less people and some people will lose their jobs?
Effective communication is important regardless of which implementation method you go with. Your users need to feel in control and confident that the new system will improve some aspect of their lives to ensure the most chance of success.
Activities
For the following scenarios, decide which method may be the most appropriate. Suggested answers have been provided however don't consider them to be "the" answer. There could be several valid answers for these scenarios depending on how you choose to justify them.
Scenario 1
You are developing an app that employees in a warehouse will use on their smartphones to help them in picking orders and tracking inventory. At the moment they use a paper based system when moving around the warehouse which is then entered manually into a spreadsheet on a computer at the front of the warehouse.
Pilot - Some of the more tech savvy employees will test using the app in place of paper and then train the others on how it works.
Scenario 2
A company is currently using Microsoft Office to manage its documents (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) and is going to migrate over to using LibreOffice (Writer, Calc, Impress) instead.
Phased - The company could start by switching over to Impress first. When they are happy that this works they could move over to also using Writer then finally Calc.
Scenario 3
A farm is experimenting with more eco friendly ways to manage the vegetation on their land. They have developed a self driving vehicle that can roam their land and perform a variety of tasks. At the moment it is a single vehicle they have. A new version of the software that manages the self driving aspect of the vehicle has been developed.
Direct - The self driving module is a single component. It would also not be practical for the old and new versions to run simultaneously on the product.
Scenario 4
A developer is producing a multi player game that is plaed online. Every year they release an updated version of the game.
Direct - The game is not a mission critical product (people will not be harmed or adversely affected if there are bugs) and if some players go the updated software whilst others did not it could unfairly advantage certain players. Direct cut-over would be the easiest and fairest.
Scenario 5
A particular brand of car has self driving functionality for their cars. They improve and update the software, deploying new versions each month.
Pilot - Although they do extensive testing of the software it is not possible to test all of the many many scenarios that drivers will experience. The software is first piloted with employees cars before being released to a small number of normal drivers cars (a different batch is picked at random each time). All going well the updated software is then deployed to the remaining cars.
