The SAP Launch methodology (Implementation methodology for the cloud)

The SAP Launch methodology was launched as a replacement (rebranded) for the BizX methodology for cloud implementation in August 2014. It was launched as the methodology to be applied universally across all SAP SAAS implementation. It describes the various implementation activities that need to be performed and the resulting deliverables.

The salient key features of SAP Launch are:

• The core concept of SAP Launch is the "Let us guide you" approach, which is a complete contrast to the traditional approach of, "Can I take your order?"
• A Jam () group, "SAP Launch implementation methodology for cloud solution", was created to help partners.
• Sample project management templates were introduced to help customers and partners jumpstart their projects. The templates also include (checklist for go-live, project closure templates, project preparation Quality Gates (Q-Gate) acceptance document for each phase and others).
• Quality Gates are also included in SAP Launch for the four phases of methodology (Prepare phase | Project Verification; Realize Phase | Solution Acceptance; Verify Phase | Readiness Acceptance and Launch Phase | Go-live).
• The solution-specific delivery toolkits complement the SAP Launch methodology by providing content such as workshop presentations and project accelerators. The contents of the delivery toolkits guide consultants and customers on how tasks are executed for a specific SAP solution. More specific examples of what you might find in a delivery toolkit are the project kickoff workshop presentation and the project schedule template.
• SAP Launch implementation methodologies are harmonized across the success factors, Ariba, cloud for the customer, business bydesign, cloud for travel, and expense solutions.

SAP Launch is a very prescriptive and predictable methodology that is lean and fast, while at the same time it incorporates the iterative and agile approach where it makes sense, like with configuration and testing. This allows us to lead with best practices, yet involve the customer in the configuration and testing cycles to ensure that the solution fits their business.

As we dive into the SAP Launch methodology, we'll notice that there are four phases of the implementation project lifecycle, including prepare, realize, verify, and launch:

The following are the phases in the SAP Launch methodology:

• Streams: The main components of the methodology are streams. Streams are collections of tasks required to achieve one or many deliverables. Streams can span many phases (as can be seen in the preceding diagram, for example, the project management stream spanning across all the four phases and solution adoption spanning across realize, verify, and launch).
• Q-Gates: The streams are grouped into milestones called Quality Gates. The examples are the solution acceptance Q-Gates and go-live Q-Gates. Quality Gates are executed to confirm that all stakeholders of the implementation project agree that specific deliverables meet the requirements and consequently that the project can continue. They also help maintain the expectation and make sure that the project is heading in the right direction. Points undertaken as a part of Q-Gates also act as an agreement between both the project team and the steady state/release management team. They help in taking objective decisions.
• Ellipsis: The streams that show an ellipsis (...), for example, which can be seen after cutover planning in the preceding diagram, indicate that other services/streams can be connected, depending on the customer's business requirements. For example, if a cloud for customer implementation has custom content in scope, then the extensibility stream would be plugged into the methodology.

The phases, streams, and Q-Gates establish the sequence of the activities. Let's dive deeper and take a closer look at the deliverable of each stream.