Rollout plans: Big Bang vs Pilot

In every kickoff call with new customers, one of the core topics we discuss is best practices for your technology rollout plans. Every company needs to think about the approach that’s right for their industry, company size, and company structure. 

Here are a few tips to help you decide which rollout method would work best for your organization – as well as our Worksuite approach.

This is where implementation of your new technology happens in a single instance. All of your users move to the new platform in your system on a given date.

The advantages of this type of rollout are that it means a shorter implementation timeline for your company if everything launches smoothly, and there’s a smaller crossover cost between systems if you’re switching from another technology provider.

On the downside, Big Bang rollouts are more resource intensive. They require detailed testing of all components and modules, which can come at a significant time cost to customers. 

The risk also increases with this type of deployment. A failure in one element of your technical or business processes during this implementation can cause problems in many areas of your organization, and put a strain on your teams – especially your IT team.

Approaching and during this type of rollout, your IT team needs to prepare themselves to deal with a large number of issues in a small space of time as potential bugs and fixes are dealt with.

This phased rollout approach is less risky than a Big Bang deployment. A minimum viable product is created, and then rolled out to a key group of stakeholders for their input.

The benefits of a Pilot rollout are agile quality improvements and customizations, with a reduced risk of issues on the primary rollout date.

On the downside, this rollout approach means that ​​it will take longer for your organization to switch systems of record and onboard all your users.

Outside of the two main implementation approaches as noted above – there’s another way for your organization to navigate deployment and adoption of a new technology system.

Worksuite’s approach to deployment allows you to focus on achieving functionality and a smooth, effective rollout to your talent while you plan for the next phase.

It’s often difficult to draw a line between implementation and account management. But we believe that the implementation never stops – there is always a process and improvements that you can continue to optimize on for your organization.

That’s why we created the GOAT methodology. This implementation method enables your business to focus on specific objectives for your rollout, so they can be prioritized as you move forward with customization, testing, and deployment.

Let’s take a look at the breakdown of each of these primary rollout objectives:

By identifying and prioritizing your objectives based on the GOAT method prior to rolling out your new technology, it’s easier to manage new technology deployment, mitigate the risks for your organization, talent, and customers – and take some of the stress away from your IT team!

Author,
Aaron Anderson