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To help take the guesswork out of your upgrade journey, we've employed a proven framework for implementing change. As illustrated below, each step in the framework builds on the step prior and, for optimal results, we recommend following the steps in order.
Begin by bringing together the right stakeholders and defining your upgrade plan (e.g. scope, goals and timeline). With a plan in place, confirm your technical environment and your end-users are ready for Teams. Then, implement your upgrade in stages, moving from a pilot to an organization-wide upgrade when ready. Once your organization is on Teams, establish an operational plan that monitors for quality and accelerates user adoption.
Look for this framework graphic on related pages to identify where you are in the upgrade process.
Sample upgrade timeline
Your upgrade journey begins when you start planning for the change. Leveraging the success framework as a guideline, below is a sample timeline that take you from the pre-upgrade phase where you will plan and prepare for your upgrade, through the upgrade and into the post-upgrade operational phase, designed to sustain and amplify your outcomes.
Note
We understand that your journey to Teams might involve leveraging multiple modes and upgrading groups of users at different times, which will enable you to control the user upgrade experience while maintaining momentum with Teams.
To help demonstrate how your upgrade journey might unfold, we've provided a sample plan below that defines a journey going from Skype for Business Online to Islands mode to Teams only. In addition, the sample plan outlines an organization that has divided their users into four upgrade groups, or cohorts. Using this as a template, customize the plan to encompass your specific journey to Teams, incorporating the various modes you'll use and the number of upgrade groups you'll segment your users into.
Pre-upgrade
Prepare your organization for Teams. To help ensure a successful upgrade to Teams, it's important to allocate adequate time for preparation. Not only will your organization be able to quickly start realizing the value of Teams, you'll be able to accelerate your upgrade from Skype for Business as soon as Teams is ready for you. If you've already enabled Teams alongside Skype for Business, use these pre-upgrade activities as a checkpoint to validate your organization's readiness before you upgrade users to Teams.
Tip
Download the Upgrade Success Kit for template user readiness materials, such as communications and user surveys, in addition to a sample upgrade project plan and pilot test plan. Items that are available in the kit are marked with an asterisk (*) in the lists below.
Plan: Create your upgrade plan to help ensure your organization is set up for long-term success
| Step | Summary | Resource | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Define your stakeholders | Assign project team members accountable for driving upgrade success. | Enlist your stakeholders |
| 2 | Define your project vision and scope | Design your "big picture" vision and current project scope to create a blueprint for your upgrade journey. | Project vision Project scope |
| 3 | Define your project goals | Set targeted goals that enable you to measure progress as well as project success. | Project goals |
| 4 | Identify risks and mitigation plans | Establish a mitigation plan to ensure you can quickly get your project back on track should issues arise. | Risks and mitigation |
| 5 | Define your timeline | Set a timeline and key milestones to help your project stay on time and on budget. | Timeline Upgrade Success Kit |
| 6 | Define the appropriate Skype for Business and Teams upgrade and coexistence strategy | Map your journey to ensure the best path from Skype for Business to Teams for your organization. | Understand Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business coexistence and interoperability Understand Phone System and PSTN connectivity options Choose your upgrade journey |
Prepare: Evaluate your organization's readiness for Teams
| Step | Summary | Resource | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Assess your environment and complete Teams technical onboarding | Ensure your environment is ready for Teams to help optimize the user experience and facilitate your upgrade over time. | Evaluate your environment before upgrading to Teams. Prepare your service for upgrading to Teams |
| 2 | Optimize network for Teams, particularly for real-time media scenarios | If you're deploying audio, video, or meetings, take these additional steps to optimize your network for that functionality. | Prepare your network for upgrading to Teams |
| 3 | Assess organizational change readiness and define teamwork scenarios | Understand your user base to prepare the right value messaging and level of education to facilitate and accelerate user adoption. | Organizational change readiness |
| 4 | Prepare a user readiness plan to define how you will communicate, train, and support users | Personalize your communications, training, and support plan to ensure optimal receptiveness to the new technology. | Prepare a user readiness plan Upgrade Success Kit |
| 5 | Announce the pending launch of Microsoft Teams | Communicate early to help users feel included, reduce confusion, and generate excitement. | Upgrade Success Kit |
| 6 | Prepare your IT staff for Teams | Confirm your technical and support staff has everything they need to ready and support your technical environment for Teams. | Prepare your IT staff for Microsoft Teams Upgrade Success Kit |