[Year 12 Its] 2006 exam post mortem

[Robert Hind]

Don't be so picky!

Yes you can mix and match but

The definitions are quite simple and clear.

Direct: you do it all at once, in with the new and out with the old (but of 
course you have tried it out first somewhere - pilot?)
Parallel: you keep the old system going alongside the new system while any 
problems are sorted out
Phased: you bring in the new system a bit at a time - let's try the new data 
entry module - ok that works well then let's try . . . .
Pilot: you try it one in one location first and the if that works, you 
implement in all locations (either direct or parallel) and maybe your pilot 
is direct, parallel or phased.

"Life wasn't meant to be easy."

Robert Hind (Semi-retired)
Ex Traralgon and Ashwood




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark Kelly" <kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au>
To: "Year 12 Information Technology Systems Teachers' Mailing List" 
<is at edulists.com.au>
Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 4:25 PM
Subject: Re: [Year 12 Its] 2006 exam post mortem


> Hi David.  I always tell my kids in IPM that pilot and parallel are not 
> actually implementation strategies: they are optional extras.  You can mix 
> & match the strategies.  e.g. pilot, then parallel, then direct or phased. 
> But yes, neither pilot nor parallel achieves much by themselves.
>
> David Dawson wrote:
>>  Thanks Mark and Kevork for making this exam more easily understood.
>> The only thing I might add to this discussion is for the implementation
>> strategy mentioned in Section B Qn 13.
>> It would seem from the question that the desired answer is "pilot".
>> However, when you think about it IMHO a pilot is not an "implementation
>> strategy" as after it is tested it still needs to be implemented - and
>> if it is used in a small section of a network and then expanded
>> throughout - then it is indistinguishable from "phased implementation".
>> (I might be shaking the foundations here a little.)
>> If a pilot was trialled outside of the system - as a much smaller system
>> - it could still be implemented in the real world using a "direct
>> cutover" - or in theory, it could be applied in parallel across the
>> system - hence it could be "parallel" conversion. Or it can be expanded
>> from use in a part of the system - "phased".
>> There is nothing in utilising a pilot that determines 'implementation',
>> I feel.
>> So IMO the answer in this case should probably be either "pilot" or
>> "phased" depending on student descriptions.
>> David Dawson
>>
>>
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>>
>
> -- 
> Mark Kelly
> Manager - Information Systems
> McKinnon Secondary College
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> Doctor - We must all face reality sooner or later.
> Dowd   - I wrestled with reality for 35 years, doctor, and I'm happy to 
> say I won out over it.  ('Harvey', 1950)
>
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