The Trial Stage: Try It Out
The solution must be acceptable to the users, functionally correct and highly likely to meet the organisation’s business objectives.
‘The full area of ignorance is not yet mapped. We are at present only exploring the fringes.’
J D BERNARL
Overview
During this stage, your partially proven solution is validated in the operational environment with live users and/or customers. The purpose is to validate whether:
- the solution is acceptable to the users and customers;
- all the capabilities work in a live environment, including all the business processes and supporting infrastructure;
- the business objective is likely to be met.
In this respect, the solution must be acceptable to the users, functionally correct and highly likely to meet the organisation’s business objectives (see also p. 67 if you are not sure if you need a trial). The trial confirms that you have ‘built the right thing’.
Key deliverables
The Trial Results is a summary document which confirms that the trials have been completed in accordance with the plan and acceptance criteria, and the developed solution is now ready to move to the Release Stage. Any outstanding issues are also noted (see the CD-ROM for a template).
The Ready For Service (RFS) Review Report is a short report which confirms that all deliverables and prerequisite activities required before starting the Release Stage have been completed (see the CD-ROM for a template).
The Project Plan: the schedule, resource and cost plan for the Release Stage should be fully detailed.
| Deliverable | Prepared by | Review by | Approved, prior to gate, by |
| Trial results | Project manager | Team members | Project sponsor |
| RFS review report | Project manager | Team members | Project sponsor |
| The project plan | Project manager | Team members | Project sponsor |
Note: These above are minimum review roles and deliverables only. Each project manager should define the full set prior to the start of the stage.
Process steps
Trial Gate. This gate determines whether you can start a trial of the proposed solution using real users or customers. If the Ready for Trial Report is authorised, the Trial Stage is started. See checklist on p. 112.
| 1 | The project manager informs the relevant stakeholders and key team members that approval to start the Trial Stage has been given. |
| 2 | The project manager assembles the team and confirms the project controls, roles and accountabilities for each individual. The plan (as produced at the end of the previous stage) should be reviewed to ensure it is still valid. |
| 3 | The final preparations for the trial are carried out, as laid out in the project plan. |
| 4 | The trial is carried out, the results are reviewed and any modification and retrials done. |
| While the trial is being carried out, other activities and deliverables (such as training) are being delivered from the Develop and Test Stage. | |
| 5 | A review is done to check the trial was acceptable, all activities have been done and deliverables are ready for the Release Stage to start. All project documentation (including the project plan, output definition and business case) is updated. |
The Ready for Service Review Report is submitted for gate authorisation.
