How To Migrate Data Without Slowing Down Business Operations
Migrating from a legacy system to a new one can be a daunting experience. You have to hope that your data moves without any hitches, and more importantly, your business is not affected by the transition.
So, how do you achieve successful data migration while ensuring business continuity? There’s only one answer: execute a project management plan for your data migration project. No shortcuts.
Below we outline the steps involved in a project management plan for data migration.
Create a solid initial plan (and a fall-back plan!)Migrating to an advanced data management system is far from a cakewalk- it requires some serious thinking and plan. It is crucial to be thorough and cover all angles.
Start by dedicating the human resources and time to planning how you’ll approach data migration. The good news is, many of today’s data management solutions will have processes in place to help you maximize your resources and time.
Digital internal systems will bring together all your legacy data, but then it’s up to you to decide how you want to refine your data migration. This is where forward-thinking and planning will come in handy.
While creating the master plan, it’s best to ask your software vendor the following questions:
- Can you keep data elsewhere and not in your new data management platform?
- Will your legacy system still be available for backup in case of a system breakdown?
- If yes, will you be able to store external records that are no longer necessary?
Answers to these questions, coupled with proactive planning, will allow you to make adjustments and implement them without hiccups. Ultimately, your healthcare business will remain unaffected in the long run.
- Engage key users and power players from the get-go
Key users are staff members who use the legacy system every day. They know the nooks and crannies of your old data system- and all of the tricks needed to run it.
Power players are an incredible source of feedback to ensure the new software delivers the best user experience and has all the requisite features.
Migrating to a new data management system shouldn’t be contained in an IT silo- a new system can impact how the entire business runs. Engaging key players from the start minimizes errors and ensures your organization runs without interruptions.
- Only migrate what you must
There’s no better time to trash your obsolete data than during the migration.
The important thing here is that you don’t have to transfer everything, and you don’t have to do it all at a go. The less data you migrate, the fewer problems you’ll face, and the simpler it will be to operate your new system.
As part of the transition, make sure your departmental heads and other senior staff members are all part of the conversation on what’s needed and what needs to be discarded.
- Train your staff before migration
Instead of training your power users when all content has moved to the new system, do it before the actual transition.
For example, you can have them take external training courses based on data solutions you plan to integrate. The skills your team needs might be data-specific, such as security, confidentiality, and integrity. However, skills such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and Coperor Core might also prove valuable for your staff to learn.
This way, you can prepare your employees for the new DMS (data management system) and ensure your business remains operational in the peak of things.
- Test, test, test!
Once you’ve trained your power players and discussed all your options with your DMS provider, it’s time to execute the new system.
Before you go live, a great way of ensuring the migration happens smoothly is to test tiny amounts of data in your system. Then build up the capacity bit by bit until the entire migration is successful. This will allow you and your employees to spot any issues if and when they appear.
Lastly, but certainly not the least, test whether you can view, access, and manipulate ‘live’ data. This way, you’ll make sure that every bite of data moves successfully.
The Bottom-line
By using all the five steps outlined in this blog, you’ll be able to move your data from legacy to new data management system- without any hitches. The best part? You’ll be able to run your business with minimal disruptions while staying on top of day-to-day operations.
Want in on a data migration platform that helps your healthcare organization to become truly data-driven? Contact Gaine Solutions today and let us be part of your success story!