How to start with deploying Unified Communications

Technology deployments need to show a return and an improvement to the business activities. Below are a few helpful tips in ensuring your unified communication solution is deployed in a way which improves rather than impedes your organization.

1. Scoping: Have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve, with defined objectives and an outline of the expected return.

2. Business Processes: Understand your organizations current business processes and try to identify how the deployment of a unified communications solution can support and enhance these processes. Remember, the technology should not define the processes!

3. Optimise: Look at what you already have deployed and investigate how you can optimize these existing investments. New is not always better and comes at a price!

4. Phases: Start small with a pilot or proof of concept (PoC) in controlled environment.

5. Gradual migration: On the successful completion of the pilot or PoC, create a deployment plan using a gradual migration approach. The big bang, all or nothing is a high risk, costly approach which will potentially cause your organization massive upheaval.

6. Measurement: Constantly measure the outcome of each stage of your deployment to ensure deliverable benefits being achieved and the deployment plan is still aligned with the organizations needs.

7. Project Management: Never underestimate the value of good, professional project management – it can be the difference between a successful deployment and a costly mistake.