Slashdot Mirror
Project Management Methodology for IT Operations?
sleeperservice asks: "There are a multitude of books, tools, and educational programs that deal with managing development projects. Whether you subscribe to IBM's Rational Unified Process or maybe SEI's Capability Maturity Model, whether you read Tom DeMarco's Peopleware or possibly Brooks' Mythical Man Month, there's something out there for you. However, most of these deal with projects that have a heavy amount of development, often new development associated with them. What about the folks in Operations? Let's say you need to upgrade your Oracle-based data management system for 1000 non-technical users? Or maybe you need to migrate your enterprise off of Outlook/Exchange and onto an alternative? What pointers are out there that Slashdot readers have used in such situations?"
Just keep the IT staff off slashdot and pr0n sites all day, and things should take care of themselves.
"The Practice of System and Network Administration" by Limoncelli and Hogan.
The book I wish I'd had when I started doing this 35 years ago.
"Security Engineering" by Ross Anderson.
Even if you think you don't need it. Especially if you think you don't need it.
"If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."
The biggest problem you'll face is that people hate change. They worry about learning new things, about being replaced by computers, about all sorts of things.
The key to success is getting your users to accept the changes, and for that you need to communicate with them. Explain why the changes are needed, how it will affect them and how they are going to be assisted in dealing with the new setup.
The communication needs to be a two way thing as well. Ask them questions, ask if THEY'VE got any questions. Get their feedback and get them onside. If you can do that, you've only got to worry about getting the new system set up.
If ignorance is bliss, knock the smile off my face.
One methodology that is gaining popularity for larger organizations is IT Service Management. It started in the uk, and is now being followed internationally. From the bit I've seen of it, it doesn't look harmful. Jury's still out on whether it's helpful.
--(())
ITIL stands for IT Infrastructure Library, and defines an IT Service Management structure that can be applied to IT Operations as an effective framework. There are two main areas within ITIL, Service Delivery and Service Support.
Service Delivery includes:
Service Level Management
Capacity Management
Availability Management
Financial Management
IT Service Continuity
Service Support includes:
Service Desk
Incident Management
Problem Management
Change Management
Release Management
Configuration Management (arguablely also part of Service Delivery)
If you apply an ITIL methodology throught IT Operations you will find that the IT operational projects are run more smoothly in a well controlled environment. You can google for a lot more information on ITIL, but I recommend certification, at least to Foundation level for anyone seriously interested in implementation. See also BS15000, the British Standard associated with ITIL which is expected to become an ISO (International Standard) in the future.
-- Pete.
Monochrome - Probably the UK's largest internet BBS
1. Obviously beta test the new system with a select group of people who will use the new system.
2. Explain the rollout of the new system during a company meeting and why you're doing it and what benefit it is to everyone. Explain that the first week on the system may be a bumpy ride, and that you're not afraid nor ashamed to revert to the old system if things get too messy.
Don't use broadcast email to communicate about major rollouts unless you don't mind that only 30% of the company bothered to skim through your email and among them only 10% of what they read made any sense to them. People have better things to do then thoruoughyl digest mundane IT announcements. Important to you, boring to them.
3. Hard rollout: Use a weekend to rollout the new system. This may include backups, installing clients on desktops you have access to, etc. Come Monday morning the old system is not available (but can be switched back on in a hurry) and only the new system is available. You have wisely forewarned the bosses that Monday might be a low productivity day as people get used to the new system.
4. Bumpy landing: Expect that people will complain, be confused, ask questions, blame random errors on the new system rollout, misc coworkers can't install the new client. Everyone should expect the next several days to iron out the kinks.
5. Fallback if necessary: As you warned during the company meeting do not be afraid to revert back to the old system if the new system is not cutting it.
Huh. We must have never worked together. Or maybe you were on the development side of the house.
1. Create an impact analysis document (how is what we are about to do going to affect current operations). This should tell you if what you are planning to do is possible and should have all of the systems affected listed. You may have to travel out to the field and interview people directly.
2. Develop the specifications before implementation (programming) begins. Having those battles at this point (before coding) is better than having them while you are coding. Create prototype reports and screenshots and have people sign them if you have to...
3. Make it incredibly hard (and let people know it will be) to change the specifications once they have been agreed to (this will help with scope creep).
4. Document, document, document. Program based off of the documentation. These documents, completed as you go, will bring new team members up to speed on what is happening.
5. Have team members check each other. Have people read other people's documentation.
6. Test, test, test (use the documentation as a basis to develop test plans). Preferably have someone who didn't write or implement the code test it based off of an independently developed test plan.
7. Create backout procedures (make it so that you can get out of trouble as fast as you go into it).
8. Communicate the installation date/time to operational units. Try not to do the whole company at once (pilot it at typical sites or locations). Do not hesitate to back it out if your end users report trouble. Backout first and figure out what went wrong later.
9. After all units are up to date, do one final install to the entire company to make sure that the codebase is consistent.
10. Follow up.
Customer service and communication are critical to the success of any systems change that will affect operations.
Why should you listen to me? I did manufacturing and planning applications maintainence for a Fortune 100 company for 6 and half years and all the plant managers loved me, because I follow this method. I never interrupted a facility's operations, ever -- and neither did anyone whose work I supervised.
Best of luck.
I've distilled the 9 knowledge areas from PMI into plain english.
0 69945X/qid=1109447541/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-8164 264-6245456?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
What are we doing?
Who wants it?
What could go wrong?
Who's gonna do it?
How long is it gonna take?
How much is it gonnna cost?
To get it done, what all do we have to buy?
How are we gonna make sure that stuff works?
How are we gonna bring this whole mess together?
Recite that to yourself every day and you've covered the 9 PMBoK knowledge areas.:
Scope
Communications
Risk
HR
Schedule
Cost
Procurement
Quality
Integration
Also, get the PMBoK Guide
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/193