Deciding what to do when.
WHY PHASING WORKS
Smaller changes are absorbed; large ones overwhelm.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN A FIRST PHASE
The core process that must work The minimum to operate Nothing optional
WHAT TO DEFER
Advanced features Secondary processes Nice-to-have reporting Integration that is not essential
WHY DEFERRAL IS NOT FAILURE
It is how projects finish.
WHAT SCOPE CREEP LOOKS LIKE
Requirements added during implementation Small requests accumulating Processes discovered late
WHY IT IS INEVITABLE
Discovery reveals what was not known.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
A change process: request, assess, decide.
WHAT ASSESSMENT SHOULD STATE
Cost, time, and effect on other work.
WHO DECIDES
The sponsor, explicitly.
WHAT TO REFUSE
Changes accepted informally, without assessment.
WHY
They accumulate invisibly until the timeline is unachievable.
WHAT BIG BANG MEANS
Everything switching at once.
WHAT PHASED MEANS
Modules or locations going live progressively.
WHAT THE TRADE-OFF IS
Big bang is riskier but avoids running two systems; phased is safer but requires parallel operation.
WHAT TO CHOOSE
Phased, unless parallel operation is impossible.
