Defining the Role of the Lab in Change Management

To reiterate, it is important that you use testing in the lab as part of your process for implementing changes. It is also important to define how you use the lab in that process. You can reduce the chance of oversights in the lab by describing the steps and requirements for common changes. For example, it is helpful to identify the following:

• Components required before implementing the change in the lab.
• Steps required to implement the change.
• Documentation to be produced in the lab.
• Action to take if lab tests fail.
• Action to take if lab tests succeed.

Figure 4.7 illustrates how one major organization uses its client computer lab to test changes to the standard desktop configurations.

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Figure 4.7 Sample Use of a Lab in the Change Management Process

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