3. Open Source Software (OSS)
Features & Benefits
Allow everyone to use, copy & redistribute
Huge IT cost saving
No risk of copyright infringement
Source code always available
Transparency - No backdoor
Reliable & Secure - Less vulnerability
Store & exchange data using open standards
Easy to exit - No vendor lock-in
No corporate Alzheimer
You plan your IT investment
not “the vendors”
5. The Two Extremes
Not just an
“office software” OpenOffice OpenOffice
change migration
is an is not
“organization usable
Migration to change”
OpenOffice
is very easy
Impossible
to overcome
resistance
8. Osdev Migration Process
Software & Provide
Provide
Software & User
User Training
Document Format
Document Format Training
Standardization Assessment
Assessment
Standardization
standardization
standardization application
application user issue
policy
policy compatibility
compatibility user issue Cutover
Cutover
database
database (remove old apps)
(CEO signed)
(CEO signed) database
database (remove old apps)
Application
Application Deploy &
Deploy & Provide
Provide
Assessment
Assessment Announce the List
Announce the List Tech Support
Tech Support
of Green User
of Green User
9. Challenges in OpenOffice Migration
Challenges in migration come from 4 sources
Document conversion
OpenOffice capabilities
Enterprise applications
Change management
1-3 are much easier to manage than 4
10. Challenge #1 Document Conversion
Word, Excel, PowerPoint documents
Conversion may cause small formatting error
Can be fixed manually
VBA macro conversion doesn't work yet
Access database applications not convertible
11. Challenge #2 OpenOffice Capabilities
Small differences in look & feel
Known set of missing features
Need more RAM to open large files
No Outlook replacement yet
12. Challenge #3 Enterprise Applications
Packaged Software
SAP, MS Exchange, MS SharePoint
Custom Software
Internal development
External development
13. Challenge #4 The changes
People hate changes, esp. if consider unnecessary
Inconvenience during changes
Belief that resistant can stop the changes
Gasohol effect
the latest change to be blamed for all problems afterward
14. Success Factors…
Apply comprehensive change management
Recognize that this is as an organization change
Enforce as organization policy signed by CEO (no u-turn)
Good planning
Set a workable goal, prefer quick wins
Migrate the right people, the right time
Continuous Communication
Tell why, how and when to everyone
Tell the truth, all limitations and problems
Provide enough support
Train all users, provide quick tech support
Desktop management system
15. Conclusion
OpenOffice migration leads to substantial cost saving
It is possible if you
recognize that it is an “organization change”
follow the change management best practices
It requires going from both
Top-Down (CEO buy-in)
and Bottom-Up (Everyone buy-in)
It is possible, we did it several times
TISCO FG, Bechachinda group, BTS