
Cost-Effective Software Deployment • Ralph Brackert, Ph.D. • Baseline Data Systems, Inc. • CEO, CTO • Law Office Accelerator • Booth 617 Baseline Data Systems, Inc. 3625 Del Amo Blvd. Suite 245 Torrance, CA 90503 www.lawofficeaccelerator.com
Discussion Background • Based on working with our customers • Baseline Data Systems • 12 years of developing and delivering consumer and enterprise software • Over 500,000 installations • Thousands of network installs
The Big Picture What is Software Deployment? • Everything the customer does to get the users up and running on the software. • Testing • Planning • Customization • Distribution • Data Migration • Training
The Big Picture Software Developer Perspective • Has expectations on how the customer will use the software once running. • For most, how the software gets there is an afterthought. • Pressure to work on the feature list ‘check marks’.
The Big Picture Purpose of Deploying Software • The purpose of deploying software in a business is ROI in the form of: • Increased Revenue • Money Saved • Time Saved • If the software can’t be quantified (explicit ROI) or rationalized (implicit ROI) to one or more of these, it should not be deployed.
The Big Picture Costs of Successful Software Deployment • Or: “How did $300 per seat turn into $1000 per seat, and over a year to roll out?” • Consumer vs. Consultant based software • Initial purchase and maintenance fees • Initial and on-going staff and service fees • Training materials, time, fees • Other new hardware and software, plus setup • Data Migration • Customization • IT and end user productivity loss
Road to Successful Deployment Success Hinges on Software Evaluation • A Conservative Approach Ensures: • Satisfied Firm: Happy Partners and End Users • Smooth, Quick Adoption (Migration and Training) • Conformance with Existing Setup • Customization ROI • “The End” Exists
Road to Successful Deployment Evaluate, Don’t Trial • Don’t waste time “playing” with the software. • Not Trained = Frustration • No one right there to help you. • Get more demos. • Ask more questions. • Bigger Firms: Buy with Contingency
Road to Successful Deployment Satisfying the Firm • Users: “I can’t wait to get it!” • Address Business Problems • “Every month we spend a lot of time doing…” • “When I get a call, I can never find…” • “Every day I have to…” • “To send a package, it takes…” • Not Features • “Is there a checkbox to…” • “Does it link to…” • “Can I click on a button that…” • Write down 10 biz problems before starting. #1 THING TO REMEMBER IS THIS CONCEPT
Road to Successful Deployment Data Migration • Avoiding the rollout that keeps on rolling! • Clean up what you’ve got before you start. • Don’t be afraid to ‘clean house’. • Software Developer • What tools are provided? • Is there an existing plan or method? • What migration training/services are there? • Third party assistance? (watch the $$) • The Software Developer is usually the expert.
Road to Successful Deployment Conformance Evaluation • What does it work with, or not work with? • Hardware Requirements • Existing Software Requirements • Compatibility with Existing Software • Required New Hardware and Software • Security Risks (web!) • Network Traffic • Know the issues • Use Company History as Benchmark
Road to Successful Deployment Customization • The Money Pit • Focus on Solving Business Problems • Know the ROI (include maintenance) • Avoid “Wouldn’t it be cool if…” • Implement what people will use • What alternatives are there? • Typical Customization vs. Baseline’s CIT and Macro Suite
Road to Successful Deployment Training • Maximizing ROI • Biggest impact is mandatory training. • If your firm doesn’t want to train, don’t buy it. • Software Developer • What training materials are there? • What documentation is there? • Available training services? • Are there third party trainers? (watch the $$) • The Software Developer is usually the expert.
Road to Successful Deployment Knowing “The End” • Have a well-defined end point. • You know when you are done. • Set user expectations. • Adhere to a schedule. • Maintain a budget. • Measure the impact of mid-stream changes.
Software Distribution Distribution Requires Planning • Simplify with a Written Plan • Conformance Testing • Phased Rollout • Coordination with Other Projects • Installation • Data Migration • Training
Software Distribution Conformance Testing • Know the Problems • Setup Typical End-User Systems • Install All User Apps • You Can’t Test Everything • Anything is Possible
Software Distribution Planning a Phased Rollout • Integrate with Other Projects, Training, and Migration • Prioritize the Rollout • Small Pilot Group: representative of the entire rollout • Must Haves • VIPs require perfection • Turn the crank!
Software Distribution What Impacts Distribution Choices? • Every Situation is Different • Influencing factors include • Available IT Resources • Current Firm/IT ‘Convention’ • System Standardization • Software Developer Provisions
Software Distribution Standardization • Locking Down or Standardizing the Environment • Every firm should have some form of Standardization. • Even if the standard is ‘no standard’. • Less flexible for user • Enables more sophisticated Distribution Methods • Enforce Standardization
Software Distribution Installation Overview • Manual Distribution • Email Enhancements • Write Scripts • Using a Web Site • Disk Imaging • Microsoft Solutions • Third Party Tools
Software Distribution Impact of Web-Based Solutions • What is a Web-based solution anyway? • Internet vs. Intranet • Client support: HTML? DHTML? Scripting? Components? • Security and Liability Issues • Everything still applies! • Solve Business Problems
Final Thoughts • Common Characteristics of Successful Deployments • Focus on Business Problems, Not Features (think ROI) • Expect Service Costs: 33% to 66% of Enterprise ISV revenue is services. • Enforce Mandatory Training • Enforce Standardization • Define the End Point