Expert Insight – IT Deployment Planning

Don’t Get Caught With Your Head In A “Word Cloud”: When It Comes To IT Deployments, Murphy Is Everywhere!

When embarking on any IT Deployment … planning is everything. Make sure you work with a reputable vendor who will walk you through the process, and avoid vendors who promise you that there won’t be any issues. It is inevitable … every deployment has issues. They vary in magnitude, but it is the nature of the beast. The difference between success and failure is the ability of both parties to identify potential issues, minimize their impact when they arise, keep communication channels open, and focus on resolutions.

Select a reputable vendor, pre-audit everything, create a “Murphy’s List”, understand and scale support resources, and build 20 percent extra into your budget! Establish and communicate milestones and remember that IT project timelines can vary by as much as 4x either way versus initial projections. It is called the “THE CONE OF UNCERTAINTY”, and it does exist!

To minimize delays and reduce payment disputes, discuss your “Murphy’s List” with your vendor. Depending on the number of deployments you have managed, don’t be surprised if your vendor doubles the size of your list. Next, create a mitigation plan for each item on the list, and agree on a pricing and approval process up front. This transparency not only prevents budgetary surprises, but it also keeps the working relationship healthy.

You can’t eliminate all issues, but you can work to minimize them. Happy Deployments!

For information on how SabeRex can help with your deployment needs, check out our Integrated Logistics offerings as well as our full-range of service capabilities.