Managing the tech evolution of your business
Most cutovers involve thousands of individual tasks to be completed. Plan and sync all steps of the cutover process so everyone knows exactly what to do and when to do it.
Task delegation can feel nearly impossible with so many people and moving parts. Assign tasks so all people involved know exactly what they are expected to do
Cutovers are highly time-sensitive. If one task takes just a few minutes too long, it can cause a ripple effect and throw the entire timeline into disarray. Time each task precisely down to the nearest minute to ensure that the cutover adheres to your predetermined timeline.
No two cutovers ever run exactly the same. Time- and situation-specific logistics make each cutover a unique independent event. As a result, providing the necessary training to all personnel beforehand is imperative. Include detailed training instructions and runbooks in the planning phase to ensure all participants understand their responsibilities.
Not long ago, Excel spreadsheets were the most practical way to manage IT system upgrades. When executing cutovers with Excel spreadsheets, one manager would be the only person with access to the entire plan. Fortunately, ICEFLO makes this old-fashioned workflow structure a thing of the past. ICEFLO enables everyone involved in the cutover to build and revise plans. It facilitates group collaboration to speed up and simplify the planning process.
Planned change involves people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Senior company management wants big picture overviews. IT engineers need to meticulously design and execute every granular task. ICEFLO enables all collaborators -- CEO and administrative assistant alike -- to access holistic plans and work on designated tasks that are relevant to them.
IT teams usually have wide ranges of experience and are often scattered around the globe. Centralise communications so all runbook data is accessible to all cutover collaborators -- regardless of specialty or location. Mobilise and manage multi-party teams stationed anywhere. Uniting global teams as a cohesive unit simplifies pre-cutover collaboration.
Miscommunication is all too common during cutovers. Factor in the high stakes and stress, one slip risks leading to chaos. ICEFLO’s unmatched level of transparency opens clear communication channels. Transparency is especially key when old-school and new-school IT professionals disagree. Having the entire plan at everyone’s fingertips helps to resolve culture clashes and smooth process changes.
Service outages are inevitable during any system upgrade. The challenge is to minimise the length of time and amount of risk that service is unavailable. ICEFLO helps to manage risk strategically and minimise the impact of server downtime.
Cutover preparedness substantially increases the likelihood that a system upgrade will be successful. Rehearsals expose issues that might otherwise go unnoticed and help you avoid issues on cutover day.
Dress rehearsals help cutover participants understand their responsibilities and build confidence in their roles. Secure accurate task definitions, dependencies and runbook schedules. Identify kinks when the stakes are low so all tasks are clearly defined and transitions can run smoothly.
After a rehearsal, participants will have access to accurate timings and a list of ‘issues’ that arose in the rehearsal. With these data points, it’s easy to devise efficient mechanisms to handle those inevitable issues that could arise.
Most successful cutovers run numerous dress rehearsals. With ICEFLO, run as many rehearsals as you need and automate sections that have already been optimized.
By running multiple dress rehearsals and thoroughly ironing out all potential issues before the cutover, teams are able to foster a culture of opess and forgiveness.
It’s the big day. Processes have been planned and rehearsed. All collaborators know their responsibilities. After countless hours of preparation, it’s finally ‘Go-Live’ time.
As initial tasks are completed, ICEFLO’s contemporary forecasting engine provides the cutover team and key stakeholders with accurate instrumentation on the progress of each task.
By continuously calculating the critical path of the tasks in front of you in real time, ICEFLO helps leaders make definitive decisions.
ICEFLO’s real time progress tracking minimises the risk of human error in the spur of the moment because information and contingencies are easily accessible.
With ICEFLO, it’s easier to relax, execute the cutover gameplan and be successful.
The cutover is finally complete. Your stress levels are down and you’re up and running on the new platform.
While you’re through the most challenging phase of the cutover, there is still work to be done. You need to make sure that all platforms are running properly, including assurance that all payment systems are operational.
ICEFLO produces a report after the cutover is completed that compares the plan to what actually happened. This report is intuitive for technical and non-technical users alike and captures evidence for audit purposes, learning and post-implementation remediation.
As the dust settles and the ‘new’ platform becomes the ‘established’ platform, it’s time to reflect on your cutover and apply lessons for future cutovers. Post-cutover reports shed light on successes, failures and areas in need of improvement.
ICEFLO’s post-cutover reports analyze the results of individual tasks, dependencies and the collective cutover as a whole.
No two cutovers are ever exactly the same, but identifying issues and learning from them is one of the best ways to ensure success in future cutover events.
Planned change is inevitable and essential for businesses of all shapes and sizes. ICEFLO enables significantly faster and more succssful technology changes. More confidence in cutover plans means:
From chaos to coordination. ICEFLO improves how businesses deliver change. As you prepare for your next planned change, try ICEFLO risk free!