Software Upgrade- A Case Study

Tom Salvon

Overview

Worked at Fenway Health

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IT Department - Tech Support/Systems Assistant General helpdesk queries - Spiceworks Update/create new software documentation Build out new workstations with Windows 7 New IT Director Working on resource consolidation Upgrading workstations from XP -> 7

My Tasks
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Recent change of staff

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The Issue

Dentrix 4.0 - currently in use

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Great for Windows XP Issues on Windows 7 Great for Windows 7 or XP Requested to shadow him Goal: learn about various PM tasks and processes for such a project

Dentrix 6.0 - available

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Director in the process of upgrading software

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Straightforward problem and solution

Planning
Rough WBS Gather estimates
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Price of software, licenses Time, personnel required Dentrix test server, XP/7 test vm's

Test machines
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Communication with executives, dept. heads

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Emails and in person meetings (sit in, take notes) Meet with IT director daily

Scheduling for upgrade

Testing

Single license purchase Virtual test machines

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Server 2008 Windows XP Windows 7 Load backed up copy of patient database

Install SQL Server 2008 and Dentrix 6.0

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Schedule time with users to learn and test software

Training

Build actual dental server

o Install Dentrix 6.0, SQL Server o Load patient database

Set up test center

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Physical workstations with 6.0 software, database Reserve conference room space, gather materials Various features to use Alternate with IT Director, head of dental

Prepare training runthrough script

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Lead training sessions

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Execution

Increased email traffic as date approached

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Updating executives with progress Confirming upgrade date Ensuring sufficient licenses 6.0 would run on new server 4.0 still on old server as backup Call vendor, ensure sufficient licenses Upgrade workstations, point to new server

Plan was for a parallel approach

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On the day of the upgrade

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Follow-Up

Monday check-up
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Make sure workstations are working properly Email executives on status Shifts on the floor - solving minor issues

Future check-ups
Middle of the week o End of the week/next week o End of the month
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Decommission old server after a month

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Kept as backup until new server confirmed

Aftermath/Epilogue

Learned a lot about project management aspects

Communication with upper management Project approval, updates o Time management - training during testing
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Also gained valuable skills/techniques

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Straightforward TPM project, added in agile aspects Scrum - daily status updates VM building/decommissioning Email communication - formal vs. informal Software documentation