Big Bang Adoption - Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages and Disadvantages

This sudden changeover is quite drastic. This has advantages, but because of the instant changeover there are also disadvantages (Koop, Rooimans and de Theye, 2003).

The advantages of this method:

• Training is only needed for the new method, not also for the changeover period.
• User documentation does not need to be updated during the implementation process, because it happens in such a short period.
• The changeover is at one date and this date is clear for everyone.
• There are no special interfaces needed to be able to get used to the new system, because the new system is all there is.

The disadvantages on the other hand are:

• There is no time for extra additions
• The completeness and validity of the converted data is not completely proved, only in the pre-phases, but not in the whole system situation.
• Start up problems are a problematic factor
• The operation is complex, one of the main complexities is tuning all activities to happen on one moment: the big bang
• ‘Fall back’-plans are hard to develop and become more impossible when the big bang has taken place
• There can be a catch up period (as explained above)
• This adoption is vulnerable because of the limited possibilities to maneuver. There is a lot of pressure because the deadline must be met.