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

Community buy-in

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 (?)

Establishing the groundwork Upgrade windows established by the

Executive Committee December or August

Channels of communication Committee meetings Blogs Listservs Webinars

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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?

Thank you!

Shauna Borger, sborger@library.in.gov