Lync Server 2010 contains such a wealth of features that planning a
deployment, even one limited to internal non-voice features, can seem
quite daunting at first. This section provides some guidance that can
assist with the process and assist adminstrators in creating a
well-thought-out and structured implementation plan.
Rather than forging ahead with no plan or goals and simply building
new servers, loading application software, and inserting them into an
existing network environment, a more organized process will control the risks involved and define in detail what the end state will look like.
The first steps involve getting a better sense of the scope of the
project; in essence, writing the executive summary of the design
document. The scope should define from a high level what the project
consists of and why the organization is devoting time, energy, and
resources to its completion.
Creating this scope of work requires an understanding of
the different goals of the organization, as well as the pieces of the
puzzle that need to fit together to meet the company’s stated goals for
the project. For Lync Server 2010, this means understanding how the
various parts of the business will use the new functionality to improve
collaboration and real-time communication. Different groups will focus
on different aspects, such as IM with federated partners, or on
leveraging video conferencing for departmental meetings. Understanding
the needs of the various groups is key to a successful deployment.
Identifying the Business Goals and Objectives to Implement Lync Server 2010
It is important to establish a thorough understanding of the goals
and objectives of a company that guide and direct the efforts of the
different components of the organization, to help ensure the success of
the Lync Server 2010 project.
Note
It might seem counterintuitive to start at
this very high level and keep away from the bits- and bytes-level
details, but time spent in this area will clarify the purposes of the
project and start to generate productive discussions.
As an example of the value of setting high-level business goals and
objectives, an organization can identify the desire for zero downtime
on IM and conferencing services. Starting with the broad goals and
objectives creates an outline for a technical solution that will meet
all the organization’s criteria, at a lower cost and with an
easier-managed solution.
In every organization, a variety of goals and objectives need to be
identified and met for a project to be considered successful. These
goals and objectives represent a snapshot of the end state that the
company or organization is seeking to create. For a smaller company,
this process might be completed in a few brainstorming sessions,
whereas larger companies might require more extensive discussions and
assistance from external resources or firms.
High-Level Business Goals
To start the organizational process, it is helpful to break up
business goals and objectives into different levels, or vantage points.
Most organizations have high-level business goals, often referred to as
the vision of the company, which is typically shaped by the
key decision makers in the organization (such as the CEO, CFO, CIO, and
so on); these goals are commonly called the 50,000-foot view. Business
unit or departmental goals, or the 10,000-foot
view, are typically shaped by the key executives and managers in the
organization (such as the VP of sales, Director of Human Resources,
site facilities manager, and so on). Most organizations also have
well-defined 1,000-foot view goals that are typically tactical in
nature and implemented by IT staff and technical specialists.
It is well worth the time to perform research and ask the right
questions to help ensure that the Lync Server 2010 implementation will
be successful. To get specific information and clarification of the
objectives of the different business units, make sure the goals of a
technology implementation or upgrade are in line with the business
goals.
Although most organizations have stated company visions and goals,
and a quick visit to the company’s website or intranet can provide this
information, it is worth taking the time to gather more information on
what the key stakeholders feel to be their primary objectives. Often,
this task starts with asking the right questions of the right people
and then opening discussion groups on the topic. Of course, it also
matters who asks the questions because the answers will vary
accordingly, and employees might be more forthcoming when speaking with
external consultants as opposed to coworkers. Often, the publicly
stated vision and goals are the tip of the iceberg and might even be in
contrast to internal company goals, ambitions, or initiatives.
High-level business goals and visions can vary greatly among
different organizations, but generally they bracket and guide the goals
of the units that make up the company. For example, a corporation might
be interested in offering the best product in its class, and this
requires corresponding goals for the sales, engineering, marketing,
finance, and manufacturing departments. Additional concepts include
whether the highest-level goals embrace change and new ideas and
processes, or want to refine the existing practices and methods.
High-level business goals of a company can also change rapidly,
whether in response to changing economic conditions or as affected by a
new key stakeholder or leader in the company. So, it is also important
to get a sense of the timeline involved for meeting these high-level
goals.
Note
Examples of some high-level business goals
include a desire to have no downtime, access to the communications
infrastructure from any of the organization’s offices around the world,
and secured communications when users access the network from home or a
remote location.
Business Unit or Departmental Goals
When the vision or 50,000-foot view is defined, additional
discussions should reveal the goals of the different departments and
the executives who run them. Theoretically, they should add up to the
highest-level goals, but the findings might be surprising. Whatever the
case turns out to be, the results will start to reveal the complexity
of the organization and the primary concerns of the different
stakeholders.
The high-level goals of the organization also
paint the picture of which departments carry the most weight in the
organization, and will most likely get budgets approved, which will
assist in the design process. Logically, the goals of the IT department
play an important role in a Lync Server 2010 deployment project, but
the other key departments shouldn’t be forgotten.
Note
As an example of the business unit or
departmental goals for an organization, an HR department might
typically influence the decision for right-to-privacy access to core
personnel records. Or a legal department might typically influence
security access on information storage rights and storage retention.
These groups will prove invaluable when discussing topics such as
archiving and whether to allow integration with public IM
infrastructures.
If the department’s goals are not aligned
with the overall vision of the company, or don’t take into account the
needs of the key stakeholders, the result of the project might not be
appreciated. Technology for technology’s sake does not always fulfill
the needs of the organization and in the long run is viewed as a
wasteful expenditure of organizational funds.
In the process of clarifying the goals, the features of the
collaboration system and network applications that are most important
to the different departments and executives should be apparent. It is
safe to assume that access to collaboration and presentation tools as
well as the ability to raplidly communicate with one another will
affect the company’s ability to meet its various business goals.
The sales department most likely has goals that require a specific
type of communication to be supported and will likely push hard for an
optimal conferencing experience. The IT department has its key
technologies that support the applications in use, store and maintain
the company’s data, and manage key servers and network devices, and
these need to be taken into consideration to ensure that Lync Server
2010 follows similar practices to those of existing systems.
It is also worth looking for the holes in the goals and objectives
presented. Some of the less-glamorous objectives, such as a stable
network, data-recovery capabilities, and protection from the hostile
outside world, are often neglected.
A by-product of these discussions will ideally be a sense of
excitement over the possibilities presented by the new technologies
that will be introduced, and will convey to the executives and key
stakeholders that they are involved in helping to define and craft a
solution that takes into account the varied needs of the company. Many
executives look for this high-level strategy, thinking, and discussions
to reveal the maturity of the planning and implementation process in
action.
Note
Examples of some departmental goals include a
desire to have an integrated address book that enables them to quickly
add contacts for partner companies, the capability to add web-based
conferencing to meeting requests, or the capability to participate in
video conferences from home.
