Pre-Launch Meeting

Overview

Review training items, check for any areas for refreshing, finalize promotion & communication plan readiness, required plugins are enabled, confirm there are no open / gating technical items with SSL, SSO, or Theme customization work. Confirm launch date / time and ensure support coverage.

Pre-Launch Checklist Topics

  • Check spaces & permissions – test
  • Finalize seeding of content & enroll early adopters
  • Finalize promotion & communication plan
  • Ensure analytics enabled
  • Confirm no open issues
  • Enable Advance Analytics & shield

By this point, the client should have the site configured, groups and spaces created, have guidelines and seed content posted. The Pre-Launch call should be an opportunity to review a readiness checklist and to discuss some best practices and near-term goals.

Client should verbally sign off that there are no blockers, and that they are confident in moving forward with the launch.

Pre-Launch Checklist Items to Review

  • SSL in place
  • Outgoing email tested
  • If public site, shield enabled & configured; consider recaptcha
  • SSO tested and functioning (if launching with SSO)
  • Custom theme enabled (if applicable)
  • Additional groups created and populated (to aid tracking)
  • Community Help and Guidelines / Rules posted
  • Seed content - all spaces should have some starting content
  • Idea workflow configured (if Ideas are to be used)
  • Topics populated and decision about how these will be managed if users are allowed to create their own
  • Promotion plan in place, navigation links throughout main website
  • Editorial calendar in place to create at minimum, one new article or conversation per week, ideally one per day.
  • Moderation / SME team in place to greet new members, provide answers & encouragement
  • Involvement of super users from existing company sponsored communities & social channels in the launch
  • Discussion of soft launch vs major announcement / reveal
  • Crisis response plan or discussion for putting one together
  • Confirm launch date
  • Confirm access / confidence with JIRA & Success site

What’s Next