Information Technology

Information Technology
by Arleen Yardley and Greg Damon
Managing technology changes
or many organizations, managing
Identifying and assessing changes
Managing changes
technology changes is a relatively
Changes should be evaluated to
A key element to effectively man-
Fnew concept. Most consumer-
identify the extent to which the change
aging technology change is to have
owned utilities have systems that will
will impact the organization; they
clear, predefined processes and proce-
be either upgraded or replaced within
should be assessed based on antici-
dures that the organization can follow.
the near future. These upgrades, acqui-
pated impact and risk to minimize the
A documented policy, with associated
sitions, and/or implementations pose a
impact on operations and mitigate risk
procedures, that defines protocols
significant risk, and new system imple-
associated with the change. Therefore,
around change management will help
mentations oftentimes have a high rate
it is a good idea to categorize changes
to ensure that changes are managed in
of failure. In many cases, these systems
based on impact and risk, perhaps
a controlled manner following stan-
fail to meet expectations or are not
using a simple scale consisting of
dard operating procedures. Typically,
implemented on time or on budget.
minor, moderate, and significant
these policy/procedure documents
With some key controls in place, orga-
changes. For significant or major pro-
should address the following key
nizations can effectively manage and
jects, non-technology management
aspects of change:
implement technology changes.
should be included in the prioritization
and risk assessment process. This
• Identifying and requesting changes
• Reviewing, categorizing, and
Types of changes
ensures that changes are in alignment
approving change requests
Changes occur for many reasons,
with the organization’s current and
• Defining changes, including the
but typically arise out of an opera-
long-term operational plans. Steps
level of effort
tional or business need. For example,
associated with a minor project may be
• Planning changes
growth could require that additional or
relatively contained and involve fewer
new infrastructure components be
people since the risk to the organiza-
Continued on page 12
acquired and implemented, or regula-
tion is lower.
tory changes can trigger modifications
to operational and/or financial applica-
tions such as billing rates and taxes.
Technology changes fall into two
key categories: application and infras-
tructure. Application changes refer to
changes to business systems, such as a
CIS/billing system, and may include a
new application implementation, an
upgrade to an existing system, or modi-
fications to an application. Application
changes may also include new or modi-
fied reports. Infrastructure changes refer
to those technology components that
support the applications, such as servers
and operating systems.
Upgrades to existing applications
and/or infrastructure tend to have a
lower risk and impact than new imple-
mentations. These factors should all be
considered when identifying changes
within the organization and determin-
ing best practices for management
and/or implementation of these
changes.
NWPPA Bulletin May 2007
11

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Information Technology
• Making changes, ideally in an
against the baseline and can help to
An established change manage-
environment separate from the
keep a project on track and on budget.
ment process will help organizations
production environment
identify and reduce risks associated
• Testing changes
Testing change
with these changes, and provide clear
• Reviewing and approving changes
One of the most critical compo-
guidance on how the organization is
• Implementing changes
nents of change management is testing,
going to identify and manage changes
• Documenting changes
including unit testing, regression test-
on an ongoing basis. These processes
• Training users on new systems or
ing, and user acceptance testing. While
will provide management with reason-
functionality, as needed
unit testing refers to testing just the
able assurance that changes will meet
changed component of the systems,
both the stakeholders and users expec-
Significant or major projects
regression testing involves testing other
tations, and that they are enacted on
should follow key project management
key system components to make sure
time and on budget. NWPPA
principles, which include establishing a
the change did not have any adverse
project plan with timelines, resources,
effects. Changes should be tested in a
Arleen Yardley and Greg Damon work in
and budgets. Project plans should be
test or development environment, with
Moss Adams’ Northwest Consulting
reviewed and have authorizations and
user acceptance prior to promotion to
Group’s Information Technology divi-
approvals from non-IT management
sion. Damon is a senior manager and
the production environment. This will
Yardley is a senior consultant in Moss
and stakeholders. Without a roadmap
provide for acceptance and buy in
Adams’ utility services group. Both are
and a clearly defined beginning and
prior to going live. As changes are pro-
based out of the Portland, Ore., office
end, many projects go off course and
moted to the production environment,
and can be contacted at (503) 242-1447.
never recover. Project plans provide a
clear segregation of duties should be in
method of tracking tasks and resources
place when moving these changes to a
production environment.
12
NWPPA Bulletin May 2007

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