The Timken Company is currently looking into implementing a Release Management Process for all application software supported by our Corporate Information Systems department. The objective of this program is to establish a process/program where small enhancement efforts as well as significant projects would be grouped into a software upgrade ‘release’. These releases would be implemented into production environment on a predetermined schedule (schedule likely would be different based on application software ‘groupings’). Each release would have project lifecycle steps, including but not limited to:
o Design
o Development
o Testing (including ‘regression’ testing)
o Training
o Application and user documentation
o Deployment/cutover
To emphasize, although Timken utilizes SAP’s ERP software globally for its bearing business, upon completion, the release management process would encompass all application systems (Engineering systems, .net, etc.)
We would like to know if any other companies have implemented a similar software release program (for SAP only or for multiple applications). If so, how has implementing a release management program helped your company? What problems\issues are associated with implementing this? Any feedback or thoughts would be very helpful and appreciated. Additionally, we’d like to know if you’d be willing to talk with us via teleconference regarding implementation of your release program.