Release Management
Communication and Training
It is a frequent, but nonetheless serious, mistake to overlook the human factor when tackling technical issues.
With relatively few exceptions, interaction between users and applications is necessary and this usually represents the weakest link in the chain.
It is useless to have a sophisticated IT service if the users are not able to make use of its advantages because they have insufficient information or training.
This training and information has to be structured on various levels:
- Users should be made aware of the forthcoming launch of a new release and be informed of the planned new functionality or the errors the release aims to solve so they can become involved in the process if they wish.
- Wherever possible functional tests should be carried out by a selected group of end users. During this test process the following will be documented and analysed:
- Users' subjective experience.
- Comments and suggestions on usability and functionality, or the doubts that may have arisen during use of the new version.
- The clarify of the documentation that will be provided to end users.
- When considered appropriate, courses on the functioning of the new version should be run, whether classroom-based or online courses using e-learning modules.
- A page of FAQs will be written, where users can find answers to their most common queries and can ask for help or technical support using the new version.
