1. Understand the current state of release management.
- test environment limitations
- how long to setup / refresh a new environment
- manual or automated regression testing?
2. Establish a regular release cycle.
- draft installation instructions
- dry run by people responsible for release
- review the process after every release, improve the document if neccessary.
3. Get lightweight processes in place. Test them early and review them regularly.
4. Establish a release infrastructure early.
5. Automate and standardize as much as you can.
- regression testing (at least for key examples)
- acceptance testing
- packaging
6. Establish positive expectations.
Standard:
- versioned
- tested
- documented
- packaged
7. Invest in people.
References: