Managing the Migration Process

Define the Project

The first section of the Vision and Scope document should provide clear direction to the team by defining project vision, scope (given the schedule and constraints), and assumptions. Asking questions such as the following will help you in this effort:

Vision At a high level, what final outcome or result do we envision for the project? For example, a vision statement might be, “To leverage information technology through fast and cost-effective development and deployment of crucial line-of-business applications.” The following is an example of a vision statement for a Web server migration project, using a fictitious company, Contoso Pharmaceuticals:
Contoso Pharmaceuticals will replace its current UNIX Apache Web server environment with Windows 2000 Server and IIS 5.0, a more efficient and flexible solution that will maximize competitiveness in our industry while reducing operational and administrative costs. The company will implement a global Windows 2000 Server domain model and will begin a scheduled deployment program to 20,000 worldwide users at 100 locations by the third quarter of 1999. It will start an enterprise-wide rollout within three months and will be user-complete within 18 months, or the first quarter of 2001.
Implementation will require a conversion and coexistence infrastructure in order to seamlessly move users to the new platform. To accomplish this, the company will use Windows 2000 Server integration tools and third-party UNIX conversion tools.
A vision statement can also include a conceptual design drawing, as described in Develop a Conceptual Design.
Scope What functionality can we reasonably implement during this project, and what should be postponed to a later date? Project variables—resources (people and money), schedule (time), and features (the solution)—exist in a triangular relationship, as depicted in the figure below. Setting project scope requires balancing these variables. This could be accomplished by trading desired, but inessential, features for a shortened project schedule or reduced resource requirements.
Assumptions What assumptions are implicit in the project plan? Some assumptions might include that a valid Windows 2000 Server domain design has been implemented, or that qualified staff is available.