I know what you did last release...

Maybe I should call this one, “I know what you complained about last article, Jim!”

Well, here you go! 

Continuing on with our Halloween scary movie themed series…

I Know What You Did Last Summer, of course, is the 1997 SARAH MICHELE GELLAR-led (for all the SMG Buffy apologists out there that raked me over the coals for the Incident Slayer article) slasher thriller (that was not nearly as good as Scream, though it was written by the same screen writer Kevin Williamson in an apparent cash grab to capitalize on the late 90's teen slasher movie craze) about a group of high kids that get stalked by a crazy dude with a hook for a hand after they hit him with their car and throw him in the ocean.

I must confess as a teen in the late 90's early 2000's, me and all my buddies were there for it. 

So let's grab our letter jackets, pile into my 2000 Pontiac Sunfire with electric sunroof, crank some Creed, and head to the Cinema 8 for I Know What You Did Last Release…

Secrets, Regret, and the Return of Bad Decisions

In I Know What You Did Last Summer, a group of teens makes a terrible decision, tries to bury it, and spends the next year being hunted by the consequences. Sound familiar?

In ServiceNow, a release that skips documentation, ignores testing, or pushes changes without proper review is just like that fateful night on the coastal highway. You might think you’ve gotten away with it — until the bugs start showing up, users start complaining, and your dashboards start bleeding errors.

Just like the hook-wielding fisherman, bad release decisions always come back.

Release Risks That Haunt You

• Undocumented Changes: If it’s not tracked, it’s not trusted. And when something breaks, you’ll have no idea what caused it.
• Skipped Testing: That “quick fix” might be a silent killer. Without automated testing, you’re flying blind.
• No Rollback Plan: When the release goes sideways, you need a way out. Otherwise, you’re stuck in the sequel.
• Poor Communication: If your stakeholders don’t know what’s changing, they’ll be the ones screaming when things go wrong.

Best Practices to Survive the Release

• Track Everything: Use change records, update sets, and version control. Even “minor” tweaks deserve a paper trail.
• Automate Testing: Validate workflows, integrations, and UI elements before they hit production.
• CAB Reviews Matter: Don’t skip the Change Advisory Board. It’s your final girl — the one who makes it to the end.
• Post-Release Audits: After the release, check the logs, review feedback, and hunt down any lingering issues.

The Final Jump Scare

You stare into the mirror. Everything seems fine. But then like a hook handed guy through a mirror — out pops a broken notification, a misfiring flow, a user ticket titled “Why is this button gone?”

That’s your past catching up.

So before your next release, ask yourself: Did I do the right thing last time? 

Because in ServiceNow, the ghosts of poor decisions don’t rest. They linger in the shadows of your instance, waiting for the next deploy.

Don’t Get Hooked

Before you push your next release, take a moment to reflect. Audit your last deployment. Document what changed. Test what’s critical. Communicate what matters.

And if you need help — we're here. Let’s make sure your next release doesn’t end up in the horror section.

Because in ITSM, the only thing scarier than a hook-handed fisherman…is a broken production environment with no rollback plan.