Tech publications are abuzz about Windows 7. One article in particular, written by CIO.com’s Shane O’Neill, offers smart ways to use your migration as an opportunity to increase IT department efficiency.
Look for case studies of companies that have already migrated successfully. Use them as a guide.
Good stuff, all around. If there was one loud-and-clear point in the piece, it was that planning is vital to a successful (and not exorbitantly expensive) migration — no matter the operating system or software suite.
And it happens to be this company’s mantra. We know from experience that, whether it is a small firm switching over a few hundred users from Lotus Notes to Outlook or a Fortune 500 company upgrading to Office 2007 en masse, a successful migration depends largely on preparation.
In addition to the four points mentioned on CIO.com, I’d like to add a few more migration tips for CIOs:
1. Seek out proven migration successes: Look for case studies of companies that have already migrated successfully. Use them as a guide. Read up on Windows 7 trouble spots (that is, where users will likely experience productivity loss.
2. Bury yourself in research: White papers from migration partners can add a level of understanding that no news article or Microsoft blog can. (In a recent white paper, we asked the question “How much will a Windows 7 and Office 2007 migration hurt?” – read it here.)
3. Do the math: Make yourself aware of all the variables before you begin. Compare costs and staffing models. For example, how much would it cost you to migrate using existing IT staff? How would it affect their ability to get their regular work done? (When conducting our research, we found that using existing staff for migrations often proves costly – financially, and in its effect on the internal help desk’s reputation. Here’s a rundown of costs with different staffing models.)
Happy migrating!
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