ritized and built out incrementally. 5.1 The "Big Bang" Method Though occasionally successful, the "big bang" method is generally plagued by some specific problems. Generally speaking, such projects often The Ultimate Guide to Building and Delivering OSS/BSS take too much time with too few results. With an all or nothing approach to deployment, risks are higher because of higher complexity. The time required for analyzing requirements and rolling out the OSS platform is longer - and often a recipe for disaster. There are numerous examples of IICs that believed they could differentiate by delivering all of their OSS functions at once. When the projects fell short, the businesses and their ability to compete suffered terribly. There is a metaphor often used to describe a common mistake IICs make when going for the "big bang." One of the greatest hockey players of all time was asked how he always managed to get to the puck before any other player on the ice, even though he was not the fastest skater. He replied that he would always skate to where the puck was going, rather than to where it was. An IIC that tries to determine all of its OSS requirements at the outset, building to a stated ideal, is essentially skating to where the puck is now, not where it will be. In this case, the puck is the IIC's business, target markets and OSS requirements. With a 12-month or greater implementation timeframe for a "big bang" approach, it is extremely difficult for an organization to predict its OSS requirements. The first few years of evolution for an organization are critical for its growth, and a number of key factors evolve, such as markets, products, network and people. By taking on all of its OSS challenges at once, the IIC cannot benefit from incremental learning. There is almost no room to learn from mistakes. There are few confidence builders in the "big bang." The project either succeeds all at once, or it fails. With too much on the line at the same time, management is always on the edge, and even little hiccups can c