The goal of the pilot program is to test your automated installation in everyday use among a limited group of users (for example, between 15 and 50). This process helps to identify problems that may impede or delay the deployment process, and helps to determine what resources you'll require for the final, company-wide rollout. It's important to make the pilot rollout as successful as possible because it sets the tone for the rest of the deployment process. If pilot users are satisfied, their enthusiasm can influence others to cooperate, which in turn helps the rest of the process to move smoothly.
The following checklist outlines the tasks in conducting the pilot rollout. Use the same pilot user group and follow the same tasks when rolling out 32-bit applications.
Conducting the Pilot Rollout
Task | Team | Start week | Duration |
1: Select a pilot user group that is willing and able (particularly in terms of their workload) to handle the installation process. | Planning | Week 8 | 2 days |
2: Train the users. | Training | Week 8 | 5 days |
3: Back up the Windows and DOS directories and the files on the root directory of the test computers. | Installation | Week 9 | 5 days |
4: Following the logistics checklist prepared in the previous phase, perform the installation in the same manner that you expect to install Windows 95 throughout the company. Compare your results against goals and evaluation criteria (developed in the previous task) for this process. | Installation | Week 9 | 10 days |
5: Have your technicians on-site for the initial installations to document the process and problems and to support the users. Have other technicians monitor time and all measurable factors in the installation process. Record these measurements for later evaluation. | Support | Week 9 | 15 days |
6: Ensure that all computers are "up and running" as expected. Make note of possible improvements to the installation, training, or support, where appropriate. | Planning, Installation, Support | Week 11 | 3 days |
7: Survey members of the pilot user group about their satis-faction with the installation process and take feedback on what could have been done better. | Planning | Week 12 | 3 days |
8: Continue to monitor the pilot installation for a week to make sure that everything continues to run smoothly. | Support, Planning | Week 11 | 5 days |
9: Prepare a checklist of issues to resolve for the final rollout. Include in this checklist the areas identified in step 6 as needing improvement, comments from the user survey, and the results of comparing your rollout goals and evaluation criteria against actual performance. | Support, Planning | Week 11 | 5 days |
10: If the pilot program did not run smoothly or user feedback was poor, conduct additional pilot installations until the process works well. | Planning, Installation | Week 12 | See "Planning the Pilot Rollout: An Overview" |