The schedule for the pilot rollout should simulate — on a smaller scale — the schedule of the final rollout. In this phase you test the capabilities and performance of the system and gather feedback from the users affected by the pilot deployment.
As you conduct the pilot rollout, you may find that certain tasks take more or less time than expected, that some tasks need to be added, or that some tasks can be left out. Be prepared to modify the pilot rollout schedule to account for such changes, and use the pilot schedule for projecting the final rollout timetable.
The following is a summary of the tasks involved in conducting the pilot rollout:
1. Select a pilot user group that is willing and able (particularly in terms of their workload) to handle the installation process. Typically, "power users" provide the ideal target groups for the pilot rollout.
2. Train the users.
3. Back up the Windows and DOS directories and the files on the root directory of the target computers.
4. Following the logistics checklist prepared in the previous phase, perform the installation in the same manner that you expect to install Windows NT Workstation 4.0 throughout the organization. Compare your results against goals and evaluation criteria (developed in the previous task) for this process.
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. The measurable factors might include the number of attempted installations, the number of successful installations, the elapsed time for each installation (user downtime), and the number of support calls regarding installation. Record these measurements for later evaluation.
6. Make sure that all computers are "up and running" as expected. Make note of possible improvements to the installation, training, or support, where appropriate.
7. Survey members of the pilot user group about their satisfaction with the installation process and take feedback on what could have been done better.
8. Continue to monitor the pilot installation for a week to make sure that everything continues to run smoothly.
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, along with comments from the user survey, and the results of comparing your rollout goals and evaluation criteria against actual performance.
10. If the pilot program did not run smoothly or user feedback was poor, conduct additional pilot installations until the process works well.