When new technology is being adopted, there will be a transition period between the old and new systems. This transition phase needs to be carefully managed to ensure that problems do not occur and that the EMB can continue to effectively carry out its functions.
Strategies to minimise the effects of adoption of new technology on readiness and service provision include:
- Allow plenty of time for implementation - never start implementation just before an election - and remember that implementation will usually take longer than you expect
- Plan for new systems to be finished well before the earliest practicable election date, and enforce cut off dates after which no system changes are allowed
- Leave a back-up system in place in case an election is called before the new technology is ready
- Manage expectations so that stakeholders do not impose unrealistic or impossible deadlines
- Guard against external imposition of immature or unsuitable technology
- Remember to schedule time for testing new systems and training staff, and for any other essential part of the implementation process such as a public communication campaign
Implementation schedules will be influenced by whether there are fixed term or variable term election systems. With fixed term elections, implementation schedules can be based upon a known election date (though there are sometimes mechanisms for early elections in the case of extraordinary circumstances). With variable term elections, new systems should ideally be in place and ready to go into production before the earliest likely date for the election.
