ctcLink Deployment Schedule Review Under Way
The ctcLink Project Management Office (PMO) has begun conversations with college ctcLink project managers (PMs) regarding deployment group implementation schedules for Deployment Groups 3 and 4.
When the original high-level deployment group timelines were developed, typical implementation schedules and project durations were considered, but they did not account for time off for holidays, quarter breaks and college blackout periods which require additional time to accommodate in an implementation timeline.
Based upon the work completed for DG2 and DG3, the ctcLink Project team now has a better sense of how long it takes for implementation activities and is working on schedules that work for everyone. Implementation activities include global design adoption, business process fit/gap sessions and related configuration homework, data validation, and user acceptance testing.
It is important to note the current start date for each deployment group has not changed.
In addition, these conversations do not affect the October 2019 go-live date for DG2 (Clark, SBCTC and the PeopleSoft upgrade for Community Colleges of Spokane and Tacoma Community College).
What is the schedule review process?
With a project of this magnitude, ongoing schedule review is common and collaborative discussions are critical to an overall schedule that leads to a successful go-live for every college. As the DG3 and DG4 colleges move ahead in the implementation, the ctcLink PMO and college PMs are now working together to discuss all aspects of the schedule.
These discussions will drive the optimal go-live dates for each deployment. Duration of key ctcLink implementation activities, blackout dates for critical college business activities (e.g. key academic calendar dates, payroll dates, financial aid) and holidays are all taken into consideration.
College PMs will discuss schedule scenarios with their ctcLink teams and leadership to review the implementation activities, resource constraints, blackout dates and holiday periods.
Next steps
Deployment Group 3
ctcLink PMO spoke with DG3 PMs on Wednesday, July 31, and shared a draft timeline with the remaining implementation activities, assumed holiday breaks and breaks for critical college activities that pushed the go-live date from February 2020 to early March 2020.
The PMs will discuss and review the draft go-live schedule with their college teams and leadership. As a deployment group, they will work with the ctcLink PMO to finalize the DG3 schedule. Once the schedule is finalized, it will be presented to ctcLink governance (Steering Committee) for approval.
Deployment Group 4
The ctcLink PMO initially discussed schedule issues with DG4 PMs on Tuesday, July 30, during the DG4 Initiation Phase Peer Review. They went over a draft timeline with implementation beginning as planned in October 2019, with a February 2021 go-live (instead of October 2020). This change assumes time for holiday breaks and critical college activities
The PMs will discuss and review the draft go-live schedule with their college teams and leadership. As a deployment group, they will work with the ctcLink PMO to finalize the DG4 schedule. Once the schedule is finalized, it will be presented to ctcLink governance (Steering Committee) for approval.
Deployment Groups 5 and 6
Once the schedule for DG3 and DG4 are finalized, the ctcLink PMO will begin work with DG5 and DG6 on their implementation timelines.
