Implementing ESS/MSS before LSF 9 security?

My answer would be that it depends (of course). There are really two factors to consider:

1) How much / quickly do you need ESS/MSS in your organization. If you're like most organizations, you're realize a pretty quick bang out on implementing self-service, as it gets your HR department out of a lot of day-to-day inquiries/changes, etc. that get shifted to the employee base. Not sure if anyone has done an ROI study or not, but I'd venture a rough guess that you probably save 1/2 to 1 FTE per thousand employees. That's measurable payback, and the sooner you implement it the quicker the payback.

2) The big difference is the security model, which is optional. If, when you get to LSF9, are you planning to jump into Lawson Security for ESS? My guess is that, like most organizations, you'll take a wait-and-see approach, and will probably stick with LAUA security for ESS/MSS users unless you have a really compelling need (read: a complex organization with complex security requirements). The switchover from LAUA to Lawson Security is done on a user-by-user basis, so most organizations model certain user groups/classes and migrate over on a staggered basis. So, assuming you make May 2008 for a cutover to LSF9, plan on another 6-9 months before you tackle setting up security rules for ESS/MSS users.

As always, these are just my thoughts...how about some others?