Launch (Production)

EDBOK Guide

What is Launch?

Launching is not a one-day event, but a culmination of successful requirements gathering, analysis, development, testing and preparation for transitioning into production.

The areas discussed in this section include the basics of what is needed to be considered early for successful production / launch in the transaction document space. The inputs and sub-components of launching a change to a new or existing project or production jobs, tracking progress, establishing procedures for back-out, and managing the Launch stage rely on the successful completion of the previous stages. Launch steps and considerations apply to all types of projects including new applications or changes, adding new or upgrading hardware, adding new or upgrading software. It takes into account all stages of preparation and production for each channel from data receipt and composition through production to delivery (print or e-presentment) and archive, and even to return functions when applicable.

Launch defines the activities to run the product / application live for the first time in production with the intent to enable ongoing production.

The following terms are commonly used as synonyms to discuss the process of launching for production:

• Going Live
• Production Step
• Promotion to production
• Hand off to Operations
• Project Close Phase
• Transition Phase

Steps in the Launch Sequence

• Requirements Gathering: Identify target launch date and alternative, if available.
• Business Analysis: Identify and detail what the product components will be in production (physical and electronic). Identify changes to current product / environment; everything from training through to materials and process. Adequate times are allocated for adding or upgrading hardware or software if the project requires it.
• Technical Analysis: Identify how the product will be manufactured in development, test and production (physical and electronic). Impacts to archiving and e-presentment process and systems.
• Stakeholder Adoption: Identify who cares and why.
• Design: How will the design influence manufacturing materials and environment? Will the entire design be archived or e-presented.
• Architecture: How will the manufacturing components work together (physical and electronic? Do the product “cohabits” satisfactorily with the existing architecture portfolio?
• Development: Skills, components and timeline.
• Testing and Quality:: Skills, components and timeline including all channels (print, e-presentment, SMS, voice, social media).
• Production (aka Launch): All previous steps are complete, final readiness and go-live is on track.
• Maintenance: Maintain what went into production (accuracy, quality and on- time) for all channels.
• Decommission: It must be possible to undo the entire production without negatively impacting anything else.

Preparing for Launch

The key activities surrounding the Launch include:

• communication,
• staff training,
• management of process,
• staffing and personnel management,
• logistics planning,
• paper and environmental monitoring, and
• Service Level management.

Communication

There are many participants, constituents, and stakeholders in the communication workflow which require a wide range of communications and coordination requirements. The “ who, how, when, what, and why” all need to be planned for ahead of Launch. Communication goals must include that every department is fully informed of Launch. This includes ensuring that they are fully informed of the intentions and consequences of the launch as well as their role and responsibility during pre-launch, launch, post launch and production.

Speaking the same language from project inception is key to the success of the Launch. Confirming that you will be gathering data and information using the same metrics like impressions (versus sheets or pages) from start to finish will ensure accurate tracking and billing. For example if you bill by impression then you must start tracking impressions as early as file receipt (print ready files) or composition and keep track of them through all processes. Once the impressions have been assembled if you make changes to the impression count in a post-composition process it must be recalculated and tracked as changed.

Some applications require special tracking for billing. Manual jobs or jobs with unique client characteristics can cause major delays if they are not identified and tested during Launch. The testing has to include all facets of the jobs, all of the way through to the billing. Successful Launch assumes you have done everything thoroughly for all variations and communicated well with every participant and stakeholder before and during the launch stage and also immediately following launching into production to ensure a clean hand-off.

Failure to Launch happens for many reasons. It often means someone didn’t know they were supposed to do something or the timing wasn’t clear. Sometimes key items are missed because they were not written down or scheduled. Tasks like using a promote code, executing an alternative script, processes for ordering /receiving / processing stock can cause delays if not including in the Launch plan. Similar problems occur when deadlines are overlooked, data is not received on time and there is no process to manage the delay, when output is not held (a parallel run was not accommodated properly and the wrong output is mailed), wrong stock is used (no plan for business continuity or back out). However, with a formal Launch process it is easier to determine the issue and fix it by examining the audit logs or Launch documentation

Training

Launch requires that everyone involved in handling the product in production receives appropriate training. This includes operators (all shifts), production coordinators, data center teams, inventory management teams, web team/s (internal and external portals and archives) and support groups like production support , call centre, billing groups, escalation groups, and business continuity sites. There can also be special training requirements when something outside of the automated / normal process requires special handling. This generally entails manual handling and tracking for integrity and billing purposes.

Management of Process

Launch requires knowing how to manage the project lifecycle going into the launch phase and subsequently managing the product in production. Pre-launch and post- launch management may incorporate different tasks depending on the project plan and organizations launch process, but Management of the product and process does not stop once the project has launched. Moving into production should engage rigorous policies and procedures to ensure that:

• the job scheduler is updated to run automatically or as needed,
• new or upgraded hardware or software is completed,
• back-out procedures have been documented and communicated,
• the dataset space is properly allocated and accounted for,
• ABEND (abnormal end) instructions are available,
• code freezes have been addressed,
• 3rd shift production teams know who to call with problem, and
• any unique processes are documented and well understood.

For example, when a newly composed statement package is moved into production via a formal process:

• object code itself is promoted,
• resources used are promoted,
• any new emitters are promoted,
• scripts (or JCL) used to run job are promoted,
• tracking process, data/codes etc. are running to capture billing and integrity reporting information, and
• entries in a scheduler to kick off the jobs have been promoted (script or JCL):
• batch process,
• manual.

Using a formal process provides you with the advantage of knowing if anything has gone wrong and with the ability to ‘back-out’ if needed.

Launch objectives are typically two-fold:

1. Document the software and/or hardware (and results) as it goes into regular production.
2. Every department is fully informed of the launch and what they need to know or do.

Post-launch management of the product relies on proven and consistent processes on and off the production floor including but not limited to:

• inventory management,
• workflow management,
• tracking and reporting,
• environment management,
• supplier support, and
• staff management.

Staffing and Personnel Management

Moving a product from a project lifecycle into a production lifecycle not only requires training and communication, but often disrupts normal work cycles. There is often a requirement for a subject matter expert to be available in their off hours for extended periods, therefore staff management has to take into account how Launch and immediate post-Launch will be manned.

Staffing for Launch can incorporate weeks of preparation, including training, testing, equipment moves and general preparation. Staffing appropriately for the preparation must take into account that the actual launch event is also staffed appropriately.

Personnel management includes, but is not limited to:

• managing inaccurate / incomplete tasks or assignments which can result in service level penalties,
• rewards and recognition, and
• career advancement and succession planning.

Logistics Planning

There are many tasks in launch, most of which must be identified and planned for in advance. Identifying the tasks, planning for the complexities of production and implementation, and controlling the flow of production (the manufacturing process) across all delivery channels requires planning and testing. Considerations include, but are not limited to:

• adequate lead and execution time allowed for adding or upgrading hardware or software,
• adequate lead and execution time allowed for system / network environment changes,
• the support groups can manage product nuances / changes reliably,
• ensuring that the files can be received and run at the expected time,
• ensuring enough IT capacity (processor, memory, disk, bandwidth etc.) to handle the workload at the expected time,
• the print and finishing floor can manage and process the output,
• production floor has required room to receive and process product,
• environment is managed to support paper types and forms working reliably,
• integrity checks work at each manufacturing step,
• rerun/reprint facilities are in place and tested,
• suppliers can deliver as required,
• warehouse can handle additional inventory volumes as required, and
• archive and e-presentment environments can process and present at the expected times.

Paper and the Manufacturing Environment

It is important to plan for the handling of the paper products for implementation and ongoing production. These products include all the substrates for the document set created on the manufacturing floor, including paper (roll, cut sheet, or fanfold), inserts, tip-on material, outer envelopes (OE) and business reply envelopes (BRE).

For Launch, the previously approved products be received in advance, unpacked, checked and validated as correct and in good order. If they are accepted they must be entered into inventory, acclimatized and properly prepared for production. The final step will be to move them to the production floor ready for the manufacturing run.

Monitoring the manufacturing environment for production is an important part of everyday planning. The environment should be adequately vented, heated, and humidity-controlled to accommodate both the substrates and the equipment according to both the vendor/supplier specifications and to the fluctuating conditions of the location. Open delivery doors, improper humidity levels, heat and cold all impact how well the paper behaves during printing and finishing.

Electronic document environments and paths must also be considered. Ensuring that all files are received with ample time and space to prepare and consolidate data/files into the finished product. Check temporary storage levels and file security settings as part of the checklist.

Service Level Management

There are many elements to managing the manufacturing processes to maintain contracted / expected service level agreements (SLAs). Key to the process is the management of the metrics to ensure that SLAs are met are and the metrics required for management and client reporting are gathered and forwarded.

Metrics for tracking on-time delivery and quality are two of the most common requirements. If the manufacturing environment is not set up at an Automated Document Factory then there are many pieces of paperwork and many sign offs that follow the product as it progresses along the manufacturing workflow, usually in the form of a job docket/ticket.

Capturing these same metrics is also required for electronic delivery ensuring the full (expected) electronic lifecycle is achieved. It begins with the successful manufacturing of the files, initial delivery to consumer, delivery to call center/agent, delivery to archive, and the copy to the backup location at a minimum.

Launch Infrastructure

Some of the tools for Launch consist of:

Strong project team management, for example:

• Good communication, appropriate approvals, failover, documented back-out, appropriate tracking, status reporting.

Good documentation:

• Pre-launch documents will consist of a variety of sign off/ acceptance documents (test, materials, training, operations, executive, client to name a few), new / updated process documents, vendor/supplier approvals.
• Post-launch documents will consist of operations sign off, client sign off, post implementation review brief, executive sign off to name a few.

Access to support:

• Knowledgeable skilled support staff, appropriate hours of availability, adequate authority to make decisions.

Product Integrity and Project Integrity

Product integrity refers to the quality of the output (paper or electronic). The documents intended for the recipients (and only those documents) are present either in the envelope or electronically available, the document set is complete, accurate and of good quality and the document package is delivered / presented on time.

Project integrity is not only specific to the Launch, but covers all steps leading up to Launch, and the post implementation steps. It also refers to how well the project is managed, communicated, documented, and implemented.

Key Stakeholders

Launch requires coordination with more departments than any other phase; other departments may be directly / indirectly affected by launch or during launch phase and consideration of the impact to each of them is crucial.

Notification and approval for Launch should be accomplished with formal meetings, not just by email.

Nearly all stakeholders have a requirement (or interest) to sign off. The Launch can be killed by any key stakeholder if something goes wrong or is perceived to be wrong to the point that it will affect the outcome (e.g. operations management, compliance / risk, document owner/s, technology, business sponsor).

Vendors do not usually promote or Launch, however they can play a part if they have been contracted to have a role. Even facilities with long term contractors usually use only employees for formal Launch processes.

Key staff should understand the new or changed product or service in order to train: Ongoing trainers (to cover for absentees, career changes etc.)

• sales people,
• call centers, and
• operations.

Stakeholders will include, but are not limited to:

• Quality Assurance (QA): Generally defines the activities conducted throughput the project (especially the testing phases which are usually a subset of QA) to ensure accuracy and completeness of project execution. QA sign off is a precursor to Launch.
• Sales may have been involved throughout the project or may need to be responsible for client care during Launch.
• Call center / customer service: Must have received notification / training on the changes and may even have signed off on some business requirements or goals.
• Call center / order entry: Must have received notification / training on the changes.
• Web services: Electronic launch needs to be appropriately coordinated with physical Launch.
• Upstream departments (e.g. DBAs, support, Legal/Compliance, etc.) must receive notification / training on the changes.
• Downstream departments (mail room, billing, reporting etc.) must receive notification / training on the changes.
• Operations (e.g. print room, finishing, distribution, support) must receive notification / training on the changes and likely have signed off on some business requirements or goals.
• Disaster recovery/Business continuity must receive notification / training on the changes.
• Training: On standby for support.
• PR department: Announcements need to be appropriately coordinated.

Launch is not an end step in the document lifecycle, but it is usually a well-defined one indicated by successful output, client and operations sign off. Successful Launch is worth celebrating.

References

Some materials are courtesy of acadami™ course materials