|
| Release Activity | Project Management Process |
| Initiating | Planning | Executing | Monitoring and Controlling | Closing |
|
| Release Policy | Determine optimal policy for the organization with appropriate stakeholders | Develop the release policy and add to procurement documentation | Negotiate policy with vendor at software procurement time. Enforce changes | Ensure policy is followed by vendor and document changes if necessary | Document and archive lessons learned |
|
| Release Planning | Integrate lessons learned from prior releases. Review prioritized request for changes (RFC). Identify impacted end-users and address end-user enhancements needs | Plan release’s scope (RFC, enhancements), schedule, potential costs, UAT (use cases, quality control testing), resource roles, communication strategy, risks, hardware/software procurement needs, roll-out strategy, training, distribution, and installation strategy. Re-plan based on changes | Coordinate plans with the vendor’s release manager. Communicate plans with release stakeholders. Procure hardware or software. Enforce changes | Document changes based on vendor’s release manager’s feedback. Track and document any changes | Document and archive lessons learned |
|
| Design and Develop the Software | Review the release scope, schedule, end-user resources plans, and integrate lessons learned on UAT cases from prior releases | Plan required use cases for the RFCs and enhancements with end-users and vendor release manager. Re-plan if there are new changes | Direct and manage the documentation effort of end-users. Coordinate progress and distribution of use cases with vendor’s release manager. Enforce changes | Verify all use cases have been completed and delivered. Track and document any changes | Document and archive lessons learned |
|
| Build and Configure the Release | Integrate lessons learned on build and configuration from prior releases | Re-plan if there are changes | Address potential issues associated with the compilation and configuration with vendor release manager (version, access permissions, and security). Enforce changes | Track and document any changes | Document and archive lessons learned |
|
| Fit-for-Purpose Testing | Integrate lessons learned on fit-for-purpose testing from prior releases | Plan the testing of a pilot. Re-plan if there are changes | Direct and manage the pilot testing. Enforce changes | Document and communicate issues and potential changes with end-users and vendor release manager | Document and archive lessons learned |
|
| Release Acceptance | Integrate lessons learned on release acceptance from prior releases. Review release plans | Re-plan if there are changes | Direct and mange the deployment of release into test environment, the acceptance testing and communications of issues with vendor release manager, and the deployment of fixes to issues. Adjust release plans based on progress. Enforce changes | Document and track reported issues, changes, and report on progress with stakeholders | Document and archive lessons learned |
|
| Roll-out Planning | Integrate lessons learned on roll-out from prior releases. Identify stakeholders involved in the roll-out (e.g. IT, key end-users, vendor resources) | Prepare distribution and installation time table checklist including back out procedures, production testing, each roll-out activity, and each participant’s role and responsibility. Re-plan if there are changes | Coordinate roll-out plan with vendor release manager. Enforce changes | Track and document any changes | Document and archive lessons learned |
|
| Communication, Preparation, and Training | Integrate lessons learned from prior releases. Identify stakeholders who will perform the training | Review release plan for training, levels of support after the release installation. Re-plan if there are changes | Document any procedures, and communicate with end-users and vendor release manager to address any improvements. Direct and manage training. Make final decision on go/no go for release with vendor release manager and stakeholders. Manage trial runs for the installation. Enforce changes | Track and document any changes | Document and archive lessons learned |
|
| Distribution and Installation | Integrate lessons learned on distribution and installation from prior releases | Re-plan if there are changes | Direct and manage the roll-out. Ensure backups are completed. Direct production testing and make decision of go-live versus stopping the release. Enforce changes | Track progress, document issues, and communicate with stakeholders | Document and archive lessons learned |
|
