Project Management Framework
Execution - Implementation and Transition
The system or product is now ready to be used by the customer. By executing the Implementation and Transition Plan, the project manager will be able to formally turn over the technology solution to the customer with as little disruption as possible. Once the functionality and reliability of the product is shown to meet the acceptance criteria and the customer buys off on it, the ownership of the new product or service can be transferred from the project team to the customer.
For Best Results
- Perform a formal turnover whether the project uses a phased approach or not.
- Conduct a walk-through of the Implementation and Transition Plan with stakeholders right before execution of the plan.
- Obtain formal buyoff from the customer that a Test Plan has been successfully completed according to pre-determined test criteria.
- Complete product documentation in advance of transition.
- Establish a baseline of the product or service at the time of turnover, using change management, problem or issue resolution, or other processes to log and track changes to this baseline functionality.
- Notify customers of the implementation date well in advance.
- Implement the system or product on a smaller "pilot" scale to lessen impact to the business area in the event problems are experienced.
- Establish contingency plans to recover if the system/product fails upon cutover.
- Provide additional support staff when implementation is at full cutover.
- Keep the customer extensively involved in the deployment so they are aware of any potential disruptions to the production environment.
- Provide a convenient and publicized means (e.g., centralized Help Desk) for customers to report problems to the appropriate party (e.g., vendor, project manager, system administrator, etc.).
- Communicate status to customers, project team members, and stakeholders on a frequent basis so changes are expected and prepared for.
- Ensure business and technical support staff receive training as close to the implementation of the product as possible (just in time training).
- Create a written production turnover document and get buyoff from those who will be expected to maintain the new product (include contact information for critical project staff).
- Clearly outline maintenance roles and responsibilities for vendors and business and technical staff before transition takes place.
- Include specifics about transition to in-house staff if a vendor is involved in the initial system implementation.
- Identify and train in-house staff so knowledge transfer is effective.
- Plan for staffing levels and other facility or resource issues.
- Document all commitments to stakeholders that maintenance staff will be expected to honor.
- Document outstanding issues, problems, and change requests so maintenance staff have a clear understanding of the state of the product at the time of turnover.
- Defer decisions and work to maintenance staff unless project team participation is outlined in the
Maintenance & Operations Plan or project team assistance is specifically requested.
- Conduct project closeout activities prior to transition. Utilize lessons learned to help finalize the Maintenance & Operations Plan. Brief maintenance staff on elements of the project closeout that will impact them or influence their activities.
- Make the project library and development materials/documentation available to the maintenance team.
Also Consider
- Withholding a portion of the vendor final payment until the Testing is successfully completed.
- Timing the turnover so it has minimal impact on the customers' business activities.
- Implementing new system/product in parallel with old system/product temporarily so output can be verified between new and old products.
- Establishing a project mailbox in e-mail where users can centrally report any problems with the new product or system.
- Conducting a trial run of the implementation tasks prior to actual execution of the plan.
- Purchasing a maintenance agreement with outside vendors when in-house support is not available or capable of maintaining the product.
- Making arrangements to retire obsolete or non-standard hardware/software.
- Making references to the Security Plan or other policies/procedures to outline remote access security issues.
- Tracking user licenses to ensure you have not exceeded purchased copies.
- Introducing key members of the maintenance team to key stakeholders in advance of transition activities.
Related Links:
Implementation and Transition Plan
Implementation and Transition Plan Template
Implementation Tasks Control Document
Transition Tasks Control Document
Checklists