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Managing a software upgrade

Managing a software upgrade. Shauna Borger, Evergreen Indiana. Managing a software upgrade. Necessary disruption in service to staff and patrons Balancing end-user expectations with new version of software Technology/change-resistance Preparing and educating Internally Externally

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Managing a software upgrade

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  1. Managing a software upgrade Shauna Borger, Evergreen Indiana

  2. Managing a software upgrade • Necessary disruption in service to staff and patrons • Balancing end-user expectations with new version of software • Technology/change-resistance • Preparing and educating • Internally • Externally • Community buy-in

  3. Upgrade history • Launch version: 1.2 • September 4, 2010: Evergreen 1.4 • March 21, 2011: Evergreen 2.0 • December 9, 2011: Evergreen 2.1 • August 21, 2012: Evergreen 2.2 (Current) • August 9, 2013: Evergreen 2.3 (?)

  4. Establishing the groundwork • Upgrade windows established by the Executive Committee • December or August • Channels of communication • Committee meetings • Blogs • Listservs • Webinars

  5. Testing • Set up test server with future version • Set up admin and permissions exactly as in the live version. • Create test accounts for each permission group to use. • Have an exercise sheet with daily activities for circulation staff, catalogers, admin, reference, etc. • Ask participants to work through exercise sheets and take notes if there are problems or major differences. • Use staff feedback to create an introductory webinar/video for consortium staff members.

  6. Making the announcement • Detailed timeline with instructions • Include dates along with time. • Sample announcement available here: http://blog.evergreen.lib.in.us/?p=1232 • Do not assume anything!

  7. Upgrade instructions • Monday, August 6 – Friday, September 14: Inform local library staff and patrons. • Provide customizable patron fliers which explain the limitations during that period of time. • Monday, August 6 – Friday, September 14: Train staff on using offline mode. • Provide links to offline mode tutorials. • Ask them to reach out to the staff at Indiana State Library to help them practice.

  8. Upgrade instructions • Friday, September 14 (8PM) – Sunday, September 16 (8PM): Run in offline mode • SIP2 connection will also be down. • Sunday, September 16 (Evening): Listserv message • Email to the listservs indicating that the upgrade is complete.

  9. Upgrade instructions • Monday, September 17 (Before business day begins): Accessing the 2.2 auto-update staff client and completing offline mode transactions • Processing offline transactions before creating new transactions. • Monday, September 17 (Beginning of business day): Backdate checkins

  10. Fail fair • Provided the test server but no exercises or facilitation for completing them. • Results: Few libraries explored the test server before the upgrade and were therefore unfamiliar with new features. • Lack of communication • Results: Angry customers! • An ebook vendor agreed to use their own server during the time our SIP2 connection was down. • Results: Vendor dropped the ball on their end, confusing staff and patrons.

  11. Lessons learned • Establishing policy for new features ahead of time • Listing permissions assigned to each group before upgrade • “I could do that with my circ1 username before the upgrade and now I can’t.” • Providing webinars/videos before the upgrade (and after) • Better and higher quality communication

  12. What about you? • Upgrade horror stories? • Upgrade success stories? • What types of training opportunities have worked best? • What types of communication do you use? • How does your team recover after an upgrade? • Organization techniques that work well?

  13. Thank you! • Shauna Borger, sborger@library.in.gov

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