Oracle is redefining the digital workplace experience with Redwood UX—a modern, intuitive design system that simplifies navigation, enhances usability, and brings consistency across all Oracle Cloud applications. As Oracle gradually phases out its classic interface, Redwood becomes the new standard for organizations aiming to stay current and deliver a seamless employee experience.
Migrating to Redwood is more than a visual upgrade—it’s a strategic step to improve adoption, productivity, and alignment with Oracle’s future roadmap. Understanding the migration timeline and preparing a robust testing approach ensures a smooth transition without disruptions to day-to-day operations.
What is Redwood UX?
Oracle Redwood UX is a unified design framework that introduces:
- Modern UI design: A clean, responsive, and mobile-friendly interface.
- Personalized experiences: Role-based dashboards and guided navigation tailored to users.
- Consistency across modules: A single design language across HCM, ERP, SCM, and CX applications.
- Accessibility and inclusivity: Built with accessibility standards to support diverse user needs.
In essence, Redwood is designed to boost efficiency, reduce training effort, and make enterprise applications feel as easy to use as consumer apps.
Why Oracle is Transitioning to Redwood
Oracle’s shift to Redwood is part of a broader strategy to modernize the cloud experience and help organizations unlock more value from their investments. The transition ensures:
- Alignment with Oracle’s innovation roadmap – Classic pages are being phased out, and Redwood will be the default experience for all new features.
- Enhanced productivity – A streamlined, intuitive UI reduces complexity for end users.
- Future-proofing – Early adoption ensures businesses remain compliant with upcoming Oracle updates and avoid last-minute migration rushes.
- Better adoption and engagement – With a consumer-like design, employees adapt faster, driving higher system utilization.
In short, Redwood isn’t just a cosmetic change; it’s a critical evolution that organizations must plan for to stay ahead.
Why Redwood Migration Matters
Migrating to Oracle Redwood is not just about keeping up with technology updates—it’s about unlocking business value, improving user adoption, and staying aligned with Oracle’s long-term vision. Organizations that act early can maximize efficiency and avoid disruption when classic pages are retired.
Business and User Experience Benefits
Adopting Redwood brings measurable improvements for both employees and the enterprise:
- Improved productivity: A modern, intuitive interface reduces clicks, saves time, and simplifies routine tasks.
- Enhanced employee experience: With personalized dashboards and a consistent design, employees can access the information they need faster.
- Reduced training costs: A consumer-grade design minimizes the learning curve, helping new users adapt quickly.
- Stronger decision-making: Visual layouts and streamlined workflows allow managers to act faster with clearer insights.
- Greater accessibility: Redwood is designed to meet global accessibility standards, ensuring inclusivity for all users.
By prioritizing usability and efficiency, Redwood directly impacts adoption rates and overall business performance.
Compliance with Oracle’s Roadmap
Oracle is gradually phasing out classic pages and making Redwood UX the default across all modules. Organizations that delay migration risk:
- Losing access to new features – Many future innovations will only be available in Redwood.
- Facing compliance challenges – Remaining on classic may lead to unsupported configurations.
- Dealing with rushed migrations – Waiting until the deadline could cause resource and testing bottlenecks.
Early migration ensures you are aligned with Oracle’s roadmap, remain future-ready, and gain a competitive advantage by leveraging new Redwood capabilities as soon as they are released.
Oracle Redwood Migration Timeline
Migrating to Redwood is not a one-step upgrade—it’s a structured journey that requires careful planning, testing, and phased execution. Organizations need to align their migration strategy with Oracle’s quarterly HCM Cloud releases to minimize disruption and stay on schedule.
Key Phases of Migration
1. Assessment & Planning
- Review current usage of classic pages.
- Identify impacted business processes, modules, and customizations.
- Define a phased migration strategy and allocate resources.
2. Preparation
- Enable Redwood pages in non-production/test environments.
- Train administrators and business users on the new UX.
- Update integrations, extensions, and workflows for Redwood compatibility.
3. Migration Execution
- Roll out Redwood pages module by module (e.g., HCM, ERP, SCM).
- Migrate critical business functions first, followed by secondary processes.
- Maintain parallel access to classic pages (if possible) for fallback.
4. Testing & Validation
- Conduct functional, regression, UAT, and accessibility testing.
- Validate security, data consistency, and performance.
- Resolve issues proactively before full rollout.
5. Go-Live & Adoption
- Deploy Redwood across all users.
- Provide end-user training, knowledge sessions, and support.
- Monitor adoption and collect feedback for continuous improvement.
Release-Wise Technical Timeline
23D Release
- Overview: Early Redwood pages introduced as optional in select HCM modules.
- Migration Focus: Enable Redwood in non-production/test environments for pilot testing.
- Key Action: Assess which business processes and customizations are impacted.
24A & 24B Releases
- Overview: Redwood UI became widely available with enhanced HCM and Payroll features.
- Migration Focus: Begin pilot migration for selected users or modules.
- Key Action: Test dashboards, custom reports, and integrations for Redwood compatibility.
24C Release
- Overview: Redwood became the default interface for certain modules, though classic pages remained available.
- Migration Focus: Expand Redwood adoption beyond pilot users.
- Key Action: Conduct full functional testing and UAT for migrated modules.
24D Release
- Overview: More features exclusive to Redwood; classic pages start deprecation.
- Migration Focus: Identify critical workflows still using classic pages.
- Key Action: Plan enterprise-wide migration, update integrations, and finalize training materials.
25A & 25B Releases
- Overview: Redwood default for most HCM modules; many classic pages phased out.
- Migration Focus: Continue enterprise-wide rollout and monitor performance.
- Key Action: Implement regression testing and post-migration UAT.
25C Release (Current Release)
- Overview: Complete Redwood adoption across HCM, ERP, and Recruiting modules.
- Migration Focus: Fine-tune dashboards, optimize performance, and ensure full user adoption.
- Key Action: Begin continuous monitoring and implement quarterly updates; train remaining users on new features.
Recommended Timeline for Organizations
- Immediate (0–3 months): Start assessment and enable Redwood in test environments.
- Short term (3–6 months): Pilot migration in selected business areas with thorough testing.
- Medium term (6–12 months): Roll out Redwood enterprise-wide with user training.
- Ongoing: Continuously monitor Oracle release notes and optimize Redwood features.
Preparing for Redwood Migration
A successful Redwood migration begins with clear preparation and careful planning. Before enabling the new interface across your organization, it’s critical to evaluate your current environment, identify potential challenges, and build a structured approach for change management.
Pre-Migration Assessment Checklist
- Inventory classic pages in use – Document which modules, roles, and processes are most dependent on classic pages.
- Identify impacted customizations – Extensions, workflows, and reports may require adjustments to align with Redwood.
- Review integrations – Validate if external systems or APIs need updates for compatibility.
- Assess training needs – Determine which employee groups require early Redwood training.
- Evaluate testing scope – Outline the functional, regression, and UAT testing required.
Identifying Impacted Modules and Customizations
Not all modules will be equally affected. Core areas such as HCM, ERP, and Recruiting often undergo the most significant UI and process changes. Pay special attention to:
- Custom pages built on Visual Builder Studio
- Role-based dashboards and workflows
- Reports and analytics tied to classic layouts
Documenting these impacts early helps avoid surprises during migration.
Change Management Considerations
Technology migration is only successful if users adopt it effectively. To drive adoption:
- Communicate early – Inform stakeholders and employees about Redwood benefits.
- Provide training resources – Offer workshops, demos, or quick reference guides.
- Engage super users – Leverage champions within each department to guide peers.
- Plan phased rollouts – Introduce Redwood gradually, starting with pilot groups before enterprise-wide adoption.
Testing Strategy for Redwood Migration
Testing is the backbone of a successful Redwood migration. Since Redwood impacts the user interface, workflows, and potentially customizations, a structured testing strategy ensures business continuity, smooth adoption, and minimal disruption.
Importance of Testing During Migration
- Ensures business processes run smoothly after migration.
- Validates integrations and customizations so they remain compatible with Redwood.
- Reduces risks of downtime or errors during go-live.
- Improves user confidence by ensuring the system is reliable and consistent.
Types of Testing to Consider
1. Functional Testing
- Validate core processes (e.g., payroll, recruiting, approvals).
- Ensure UI elements and workflows perform as expected.
2. Regression Testing
- Confirm that existing functionality works seamlessly after Redwood updates.
- Prevent new UI changes from breaking existing configurations.
3. User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
- Involve end-users to test real-world scenarios.
- Gather feedback on usability and performance.
4. Accessibility Testing
- Ensure Redwood’s inclusive design works for all users.
- Validate compliance with accessibility standards (WCAG).
5. Performance Testing (optional but recommended)
- Assess system response times under high usage.
- Confirm dashboards and reports load efficiently.
Tools and Automation for Redwood Testing
- Oracle Testing Tools – Leverage built-in testing support where available.
- Test Automation Platforms – Use tools that support Oracle Cloud applications for faster regression cycles.
- Custom Scripts – For organizations with unique extensions or APIs.
- Continuous Testing Approach – Integrate testing into each quarterly release cycle for ongoing reliability.
Best Practices for Smooth Migration
While Redwood migration is a mandatory shift, following proven best practices can make the process seamless, minimize risks, and maximize business value.
Align IT and Business Teams
- Ensure both technical teams (IT, developers) and business stakeholders (HR, finance, operations) are aligned.
- Joint workshops help bridge the gap between technical execution and business needs.
Leverage Oracle Documentation and Updates
- Regularly review Oracle’s quarterly release notes to track Redwood changes.
- Use Oracle’s official Redwood adoption guides for feature-by-feature clarity.
- Stay updated on deprecation notices for classic pages.
Engage with Implementation Partners
- Work with experienced Oracle partners like Kovaion who specialize in Redwood migration.
- Partners bring expertise in testing, customization, and phased rollout strategies.
- External guidance can help organizations avoid costly mistakes.
Train and Support End-Users
- Provide hands-on training sessions for different roles.
- Develop quick reference guides and FAQs to reduce support tickets.
- Encourage feedback loops to continuously improve adoption.
Adopt a Phased Rollout Strategy
- Start with pilot groups in one department.
- Gather feedback, resolve issues, and then extend to other business units.
- This reduces the risk of large-scale disruption.
Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Even with careful planning, organizations may encounter obstacles during the Redwood migration. Identifying these challenges early and applying mitigation strategies ensures a smoother transition.
UI/UX Adaptation Challenges
- Issue: Users accustomed to classic pages may find Redwood’s interface different.
- Solution: Provide role-based training, interactive demos, and quick reference guides to help users adapt.
Data Consistency and Integration Issues
- Issue: Legacy integrations or custom reports may fail due to UI or API changes.
- Solution: Conduct thorough integration testing, validate reports, and update API endpoints where necessary.
User Adoption Hurdles
- Issue: Employees may resist change or prefer classic pages.
- Solution: Communicate clear benefits, involve super users as champions, and provide continuous support.
Performance and Functionality Concerns
- Issue: Some dashboards or processes may experience latency or minor functionality gaps.
- Solution: Perform performance testing, optimize workflows, and monitor system metrics post-migration.
Managing Multiple Releases
- Issue: Oracle Redwood is updated quarterly, which may require frequent adjustments.
- Solution: Maintain a release monitoring plan and integrate updates into regular testing cycles.
Post-Migration Steps
After migrating to Redwood, the work doesn’t stop. Proper post-migration activities ensure that the system remains efficient, users are fully comfortable, and the organization continues to reap the benefits of the new UX.
Performance Monitoring
- Track system performance, response times, and dashboard load speeds.
- Identify and address any bottlenecks in workflows or reports.
- Use Oracle’s built-in analytics and monitoring tools to ensure smooth operations.
Continuous Updates and Enhancements
- Stay aligned with Oracle’s quarterly Redwood releases.
- Test and implement new features incrementally to avoid disruption.
- Update customizations and integrations as needed to maintain compatibility.
Training End-Users for Maximum Adoption
- Conduct refresher sessions to familiarize users with advanced features.
- Share how-to guides, tips, and best practices regularly.
- Encourage feedback loops to continuously improve usability and user satisfaction.
How Kovaion Can Help
Migrating to Oracle Redwood requires expertise, planning, and precise execution. Kovaion offers end-to-end services to ensure a smooth, risk-free transition while maximizing business value.
Kovaion’s Redwood Migration Services
- Assessment & Planning: Evaluate your current Oracle environment, identify impacted modules, and create a phased migration roadmap.
- Implementation & Testing: Execute migration with robust functional, regression, UAT, and accessibility testing.
- Customizations & Integrations: Ensure all extensions, reports, and integrations work seamlessly in the Redwood interface.
- User Training & Adoption: Provide hands-on training, quick reference guides, and post-migration support to drive adoption.
- Continuous Support: Monitor performance, implement updates, and ensure alignment with Oracle’s quarterly releases.
With Kovaion as your trusted partner, organizations can accelerate Redwood adoption, reduce risks, and fully leverage Oracle’s modern UX.
Conclusion
Migrating to Oracle Redwood is a strategic imperative for organizations using Oracle Cloud HCM, ERP, and Recruiting modules. By understanding the release-wise timeline (23D to 25C), following structured migration phases, and implementing a robust testing strategy, businesses can ensure a smooth, low-risk transition.
Proper preparation, phased rollout, and user training not only minimize disruption but also maximize adoption, productivity, and alignment with Oracle’s ongoing roadmap.
Partnering with experts like Kovaion can accelerate Redwood adoption, optimize performance, and provide end-to-end support—from assessment and migration to testing and post-go-live enhancements.
Take the next step today: Plan your Redwood migration proactively to unlock a modern, intuitive, and fully optimized Oracle Cloud experience.
