Change Your Authoring Tool with Zero Downtime
Deepa Aswani, Steve AndersonSalesforce Documentation and User Assistance
What we set out to doSmoothly transition our large doc team to using a new authoring tool…• In a single day• With no downtime
How we did this
Planning & Procureme
nt
Beta
Rollout
Support
Feb ’14
April ’14
Jun ’14
Ongoing
What this talk is really aboutManaging big process changes across your team in the least disruptive way.
• Communication• Validating the upcoming change • Rollout and support
But first, a couple things…
Thank you
We won’t be (intentionally) using the names of the software we use.
Talk to your team
Talk to your teamOver-communicate.
• Ask and listen• Broadcast
• Plans• Point of contact• Documentation• Dates
Planning & Procureme
nt
Beta
Rollout
Support
Planning & Procurement
Feb ’14
April ’14
Jun ’14
Ongoing
Identify your goals and issues
• Agree on what you are trying to accomplish.
• Identify the issues that make it hard for you to accomplish that goal.
• Keep asking yourself, “Is that actually an issue or is that a symptom?”
So we want a CMS right?
Don’t worry about the solution (yet).
Propose some solutions
• Identify some solutions
• Narrow down to 2-3 options
• Test them
• Present your proposal
• Have the team pick one
Set the stageDo everything you can beforehand.
• Licenses
• Security
• Configuration
Planning & Procureme
nt
Beta
Rollout
Support
Feb ’14
April ’14
Jun ’14
Ongoing
Beta
Beta testing
Beta testing
• Train the beta users• Collaborate (Chatter/Slack, etc.)• Trust your beta testers• Track enhancement requests and
issues publicly• Fix issues that arise• Iterate based on beta testing
– Update training– Add customizations– Create workflows
• Back out what doesn’t work
Planning & Procureme
nt
Beta
Rollout
Support
Feb ’14
April ’14
Jun ’14
Ongoing
Rollout
Manage expectations
Manage expectationsBe frank about the learning curve.
• You can’t make everyone happy. (But promise to try.)
• Things will break.
• Remind them about what’s improving (or not).
Get them prepped earlyHave the software available a few weeks before training.
• Handle issues before the
training
• Provide clear instructions
and doc
• Package key configuration
When, How, Where
• One session or four?
• Presentation or workshop?
• Need help?
• Communicate milestones
In the training• Go over all key tasks at least once
• Show, don’t tell
• Take as long as you need
• Inform them about known issues from the beta
Planning & Procureme
nt
Beta
Rollout
Support
Feb ’14
April ’14
Jun ’14
Ongoing
Rollout
Follow up
• Formal and informal– Collaboration forum – Office hours– Walk the halls and ask personally
• Encourage and track enhancement requests
• Plan additional training if required
Measure success
• Track and analyze reported issues
• Hold a retrospective
• Get productivity metrics if possible
• Send out a survey
So how did it go?
“I’ve been through a number of tool transitions over the years and this was by far the best organized and smoothest.”
“I've been a tech writer for 25 years and I've *never* seen such a smooth transition from one tool to another. EVER.”
A Quick Summary• 70 writers, 5 people in the tools team• 6 months from procurement to transition• 4 workshop-style training sessions
– 4.5 hours per session– 2 trainers + 2 helper experts per session
• Training goals– Author in the new tool by the end of the training session– Zero downtime
• We were able to transition in one day, with no downtime!
Thank you!
Got questions?Deepa Aswani
https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepaaswani
Steve Andersonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelanderson @sanderson_sfdc