Deployment Overview

How Is G Suite Deployed?

Deploying Google Apps (G Suite) is not like any other enterprise migration project. The deployment is faster, more streamlined, and causes less friction. A typical G Suite deployment is measured in weeks, not months for organizations of 5,000 or less employees. The reason for this is because Google is deployed in three well planned deployment phases, each addressing a specific group of users: Core IT, Early Adopters, and All Remaining Users. By separating the deployment into three targeted phases, organizations can significantly reduce risk; lower the cost of deployment in the areas of migration, training, change management and support; and optimize the user experience. Economies of scale are leveraged in the areas of migration, change management, training, and support resulting in lower costs and a better transition experience for end users. The three transition phases are described below.

PHASE I, CORE IT USERS: Phase I Core IT is comprised of a small user group with approximately 50 IT users to help confirm technical components are integrated and the system is working properly. The number of participants will provide the opportunity for key IT representatives to test and validate results which ensures a successful transition experience for the next phase of users. Before users are migrated, the transition infrastructure will be prepared, the Google environment will be setup and configured, and a Readiness Review will be completed before a single user is moved to G Suite. Our team and Core IT participants will test the system, including data migration for all users. During Phase I, the IT staff will be trained on how to administer and manage the new system. Core IT participants will take on the role of “Google Guides” who champion the new system.

The purpose of the Core IT phase is to ensure all technical components are working properly via a proof of concept (POC) designed to validate results, uncover risk, identify issues, solve problems and develop solutions.

PHASE II, EARLY ADOPTERS: Phase II Early Adopters are a medium-sized group comprised of approximately 250 representatives across the organization functioning in different roles of formal and informal influence. Early Adopters should represent a microcosm of the user demographic. Ideal candidates include business users, functional owners, Executives, Executive Assistants and other users. Early Adopters have a key role—they will function as organizational change agents, promoting the project and its benefits to others within the organization. Participants from this group provide critical feedback in the areas of training, change management and support. Feedback from this group enables the project team to adjust our approach for the last phase of users. During Phase II, Help Desk staff will be trained on how to support users on the new system and escalate issues to Google support.

The purpose of this phase is to test the training and change management efforts in earnest, prepare the end user support infrastructure, complete systems integration and update documentation. This approach empowers organizations to make adjustments to the transition strategy on a small scale before exposing it to the larger user community in Phase III.

PHASE III, ALL REMAINING USERS: Phase III groups all remaining users together and transitions them to Google in a single migration. This last phase will migrate all remaining users who will be informed and prepared for the change in advance. Messages will be strategically timed and will provide targeted information such as migration information, training dates, and support mechanisms. Tempus Nova will provide training to ensure users are trained and supported on G Suite to help reduce workforce disruption and encourage widespread user adoption. Google Guides will provide additional support, leadership and assistance to help their colleagues get started on the new system. Tempus Nova will conduct a series of Open Microphone Q&A Support Sessions to further assist users with the change and answer any questions they may have.

The purpose of this phase is to concentrate migration, training and support into a single effort which lowers the cost often associated with long term cyclical enterprise migration projects. This is accomplished by using Phase I and Phase II as a proof of concept and dress rehearsal respectively; leveraging feedback from the Core IT and Early Adopters phases as success metrics and applying them as lessons learned for Phase III.