SST.SP 2.2 Assess and Control the Impacts of the Transition

Transition activities extend past installation of new service system components in the delivery environment. The service provider must ensure that service operations are not adversely affected by recent changes.

Often this assessment period may extend through several iterations of the new functionality to help ensure that unintended effects are not realized. For example, in the medical domain a pediatric clinic may implement specific services to support parents of children with special needs. Services could include a facilitated parents group, centralized therapy sessions, and educational guidance. Assessing the impacts of these new service system changes would require gathering input from families with children of various ages and diagnoses. It may take some time to gather this data and ensure that the new services are positively affecting relevant stakeholders.

Additionally, this practice ensures that a deployment does not degrade other aspects of the service system or service delivery in general. Unanticipated impacts are addressed in a timely manner and as detailed in the tactical plan for transition. Back-out plans may be implemented as needed based on adverse system impacts.

Example Work Products

1. Post deployment review
2. Deployment assessment artifacts

Subpractices

1. Use data gathering methods to obtain input from relevant stakeholders about the deployment.

 

2. Proactively communicate information about deployment impacts.

Communication should be handled as determined by the tactical plan for service system transition and should, at a minimum, include confirming with relevant stakeholders that a transition has completed successfully.

 

3. For significant impacts, refer to the tactical plan for details about how and when deployment backout or rollback should be performed.

4. Continue to assess and control impacts until deployment issues are resolved.

Impacts that potentially or actually interfere with service delivery are service incidents that should be handled through the incident management system.

5. Conduct a post-deployment review.

This review identifies, collects, and documents lessons learned from the deployment. This information can be useful both for current service system operation and for future transitions.