Plan for Life After Launch.

Launching a system is an important step, but it is not the whole journey.

People need to understand how to use it. Someone needs to manage access and updates. Technical questions need a clear route for resolution.

These matters are easier to address when they are considered before handover.

Prepare the people who will use it. Training should relate to the work people actually do.

Different users may need different guidance, depending on their responsibilities and the functions they will use. Practical explanations and appropriate documentation help make the handover more useful.

Clarify who manages what. A system can involve several responsibilities: user accounts, software updates, network administration, backups and technical support.

An agreed handover should make those responsibilities clear so the organisation knows who to contact and what is covered.

Define the support arrangement. Support should be more specific than a general promise of help.

The agreement can identify the systems covered, support hours, onsite or remote arrangements and how requests will be raised. It should also distinguish routine assistance from additional development or new features.

Consider backup and recovery. Important business information needs an appropriate protection and recovery approach.

Planning should consider what requires backup, how it will be managed and what the organisation would need to restore following a disruption.

Leave room for improvement. An organisation’s requirements can change after implementation.

Maintenance and review provide an opportunity to consider improvements. New requirements can then be assessed and agreed rather than added without a clear scope.

Mudango provides training, maintenance and technical assistance within agreed service arrangements.