What are the objectives of release and deployment management?

The primary objective of release and deployment management is to ensure knowledge transfer. This involves effectively and efficiently transitioning new or updated services into production while minimizing disruptions to existing services. By facilitating knowledge transfer, the organization can ensure that relevant stakeholders—such as IT staff, developers, and end-users—are adequately informed about new features, changes, and operational procedures associated with the deployment. This process enhances collaboration, reinforces accountability, and ultimately leads to successful adoption and utilization of the deployed service or application.

While reducing costs may be a beneficial outcome of a well-executed release and deployment management process, it is not its primary objective. Similarly, focusing solely on software quality is an important aspect of software development, but release and deployment management encompasses broader considerations beyond just quality, including planning, scheduling, and coordination among various teams. Increasing vendor risks is contrary to the goals of effective release and deployment management, which seeks to mitigate risks rather than increase them.