Built to Last?
The handover from project to operations has always been a challenge (see ‘throw over the fence’) but it seems that in recent times it’s hitting new peaks. Most people I have talked to have recently experienced, or are experiencing, the challenges associated with keeping a service running optimally once its been handed over into operations.
I think a bunch of the issues stem from not properly involving the operational team members in the project from the outset. Providing handover documentation is certainly necessary but far from sufficient. For example, I’ve seen a plenty of instances – usually in an outsource environments – where new technologies are introduced but little or no training on them is provided to operational staff who are expected to support and maintain them.
Operational teams members, who will be responsible for the ongoing delivery of a service, are critical stakeholders in project initiatives but are seldom thought of as such – the focus tends to be on ‘the business’. I’d suggest that this is shortsighted.
The challenge is that operational teams are usually very busy and cannot afford to spend too much time working in the projects space but not spending time with projects usually only adds to their workload. The key is to involve them at the right ‘gates’ to ensure they understand the business context, the solution & how it will be used and the functional & non-functional service requirements that will ultimately turn into Service Level Agreements (SLAs). They should also look at what new technologies & capabilities will be introduced to ensure they have the right mix of staff and skills to support the solution.
Some well-planned involvement up front not only reduces the potential for operational risks & impacts but also breaks down the silos that often exist between project and operational teams.
