Software release management involves overseeing the integration and flow of software development, testing, deployment, and support. A typical software release cycle includes pre-alpha, alpha, beta, release candidate, general release, and end of life phases. Release management ensures reliable planning, scheduling, and deployment of software releases to end users. It is a growing discipline important for coordinating activities between development, testing, and release teams and addressing challenges like software defects, changes, new features, and deployment risks across different platforms and environments. An effective release manager acts as a coordinator, gatekeeper, diplomat, and point of contact to balance requirements from various stakeholders and customers.

1. Software Release Management

2. What is a Software Release?
• Software Code
• Documentation
• Support Materials (e.g. CD / Web
Download)

3. Typical Software Release Cycle
• Pre-Alpha –all activities prior to
α testing.
• Alpha – code tested by developers
and testers
β • Beta – feature complete, tested by
developers, testers and specific
customers (open beta).
• Release candidate – version
R? viewed as final product for general
release.

4. Typical Software Release Cycle
• Release – version confirmed as OK
to be released to the world
• General availability – product with
deployment, documentation and
support completed
• Support release – e.g. Windows
Service Packs
• End of Life – software no longer
supported

5. Software Testing checks that it:
• Meets the business & technical
requirements
• Works as expected
• Can be implemented

6. Software Verification / Validation
• Have we built the software
correctly – does it match the
specification?
• Have we built the right
software – does it do what
the customer is asking for?

7. Release Management
• Release Management is a recent
and rapidly growing discipline
• Process of ensuring releases can
be reliably planned, scheduled and
deployed to the mass market
• In the past Project Managers have
performed some of this function
with the bias being on the high-level
aspects of the projects

8. Development
Release Test
Software products typically have ongoing cycle of development, testing and release

9. Bugs can
Software
be reported Development
at many
stages from
many SW Release Software
Team Test
places
Release
Coordinator
Field
Sales &
Application
Marketing
Engineering
Require dedicated resource to oversee the integration and flow
of the development, testing, deployment and support of the
software and systems

10. Challenges
• Software Defects (bugs)
• Software Change Requests
• New Features & Functions
• Risks (various – e.g. Part testing)

11. More challenges!
• Deployment – to multiple software and
hardware platforms, systems,
environments (e.g. Mac / Linux /
WinXP / Vista / Win7, service packs,
PC, Laptops, Netbooks, Mobile)
• Release to global community –
millions of users
• New Product Lines – new
environments to test (e.g.Mobile), new
features, new complexity.

12. Need to know?
• What is new in this release
• What is the new code
• Where did it go
• Why did it go there
• How to deal with this release when
bugs are reported
• Business requirements from
engineering, sales, marketing, FAEs
• Customers’ priorities (will conflict!)

13. What is a Release Manager?
Businessman/woman

14. Facilitator

15. Gatekeeper

16. Architect

17. Diplomat

18. Coordinator

19. The ‘go to’ person

20. Questions?
Software
Development
SW Release Software
Team Test
Release
Coordinator
Field
Sales &
Application
Marketing
Engineering
Lewis Turner, Technical Manager
Lewis.Turner@displaylink.com