Importance of OCM in an Upgrade Project

[Former Member]

Many times when upgrade projects are commissioned, the need to involve the business community is often overlooked. However, upgrade projects can be defined in different ways, all of which require more or less change management activity. The idea is to get IT and the business to recognize the differences (i.e.upgrade entails switching out hardware behind the scenes with no new functionality for end user to learn v. upgrade that introduces a new user interface or new module). Once the difference in definition of "technical upgrade" is acknowledged, IT and the business can start appropriate converstations as to how they will work together to make the upgrade a success.

What was your experience in applying OCM to an upgrade project?

Also, for those interested in continuing this conversation in a live forum, I will be hosting such a discussion at TechEd. See you at the BPX roundtable at 11:00 on October 3rd!

Rebecca Potts

[Former Member]

More and more businesses are waking upto the fact that even an Upgrade project needs Change Management to make it a complete success. I have led CM in 2 upgrade projects (technical upgrade) and agree with you on the fact it is essential to understand the differences b/w the two systems.

There are certain essentials which pertain to an upgrade:

Identifying the objectives and the benefits envisaged from the Upgrade

Communication to key stakeholders

Business Impact Analysis (This is where a large portion of the business users get involved)

Training on delta changes

My personal experience has been that the sponsors of the Upgrade are always keen on having CM but they lack the drive and the support that is essential to any CM success. The inherent resistance also lies in the fact that it is ingrained in peoples mind that a technical upgrade hardly requires any CM.

I refer to Upgrade as CM keeping in mind the scope, the criticality and the magnitude of change which is quite limited in this case. (CM being a subset of OCM)

Roshik Shenoy