Robert's approach to the question on Release Management

This is a very straight-forward question, but it is also going to require a lot of words to respond properly. Remember to write this like it is a letter or an email.

Robert's Outline

• An Opportunity
  • Define a release and explain that this project is a release
  • Benefits of release management
  • Possible problems - resistance to change, some costs
  • Ideal opportunity in that resistance to change is already being dealt with at the senior management level
  • Ideal opportunity to manage the risk and get the full benefit of this change
  • Need a manager to handle the deployment anyway so no net cost for that person
• Job Description
  • Plan the content of the release - refine the work from the pilot study
  • Testing - compatibility
  • Sign off from users for deployment
  • Work with Change Manager and Configuration Manager
  • Manage the deployment
  • Preparations for back-out
  • User verification
• Compare and contrast with Change Management
  • Change authorizes, but Release implements
  • Both need user signoff but Release will get it and let Change know it was done
  • If the change fails, Release needs to back-out. Change will do PIR later.
  • Change often has multiple changes that are outside the scope of Release
    • Change is broad and includes documentation, hardware and software
    • Release often focuses on just software development
    • Might be a different person responsible for release of hardware
  • (see if I have enough words on this section because it is worth 8 points)