Is Anyone Using Release Management

[Natina Gomez]

Our IT department is wanting to utilize Release Management. We have Epic as our EMR and in most cases do not use agile methodology or Stories.

Are there any organizations that successfully use Release Management in ServiceNow willing to share with us how you use it?

While we are interested in those not using Epic, if there is an Epic shop who also successfully uses Release Management it would be very helpful to learn from you as well.

Thank you,

Natina Gomez

nagomez@honorhealth.com

[Ralph Hand]

We use Epic and are trying to implement release management as well.  I cannot say that we are successful at this time.

[Maureen Schemme]

We utilize Epic and also trying to implement Release Management.  I would love to brainstorm and discuss with anyone doing the same.  Perhaps we can hold a meeting and learn some new things together along the journey.  

We would be very interested in hearing from organizations successfully using Release Management in ServiceNow.  

Thank you so much!

Maureen Schemmel

Maureen.Schemmel@franciscanalliance.org

[Punahele Tanne1]

We are also considering Release Management for the Epic CAT process.  But it does require culture change to Agile.  Given all of the Youtube demos and white papers available, the 4th Change Request might be the simplest option.  Not the best, but the simplest.

A 4th Change Request process alongside Normal/Emergency/Standard would not allow for future automations via Data Courier/Content Management (CM).  It also may open the door for other larger platforms (finance, HR, etc) to want their own Change processes, leading to 5th, 6th, etc.  Not that there's anything wrong with that but it doesn't feel like the best match for the process.  And should the 4th, 5th, 6th change requests be based on a table extended from CHANGE_REQUEST to help delineate records and simplify ACLs?  Currently testing this solution now.

We are been using a rudimentary Scope»Dev»Test»Prod for other enhancement/feature requests via Service Catalog that is working OK.  Editable Variables for data gathering, workflow can create CHG records with gathered data if required to go to CAB.  But getting data and metrics from Variables is painful.  Reports based upon database views are slow and get slower as records are added.  No workbench for RITM-based approvals for group or department meetings (tried, failed spectacularly).  The REQ/RITM/SCTASK is confusing to the analysts and more importantly to the customer.  And for communication, I created a solution (it's a hack) that adds Customer Comment to SCTASK but sends it through the RITM and informs the analyst of an update or reply (via SCTASK update event).  This is not the solution for CAT.

The ROI on Release Management is high, as it could be used for Hardware refreshes, used with other software development/support teams other than the EMR.  

Would love to participate in any think-tank or conversations before I create or complete something that I would then dismantle and replace.

[Ryan56]

Hi Natalie.  We've been using ServiceNow's Release Management module for our Epic releases for years.  We started with RM 1.0 with Features, then switched to RM 2.0 with Stories about three years ago.  Don't let the terminology throw you off.  Although we use Stories, we're hardly "Agile".  They're just records to track different pieces of work that are then grouped under a Release - it doesn't matter whether ServiceNow calls them Stories, Dev Logs, or something else.

I'm happy to chat and go through details.  It looks like others are interested as well.  Let me know and I'll try to schedule something for those interested either as a group or individually if needed.

- Ryan
Ryan.Perkins@OhioHealth.com