Versions Compared

Old Version 1

changes.mady.by.user Darlene Fladager

Saved on

compared with

New Version Current

changes.mady.by.user Darlene Fladager

Saved on

Key

  • This line was added.
  • This line was removed.
  • Formatting was changed.
Comment: Corrected links that should have been relative instead of absolute.

Agenda

  1. Review of purpose and goals of Brown Bag sessions
  2. Review of ground rules
    1. No Interruptions
    2. Everyone Gets a Turn
    3. Come Prepared to Share
  3. Introductions
  4. Discussion -- Planning Support Activities for Projects

Discussion

What's the best way to plan support (training, documentation and help desk) for a project that will go-live?  What successes and challenges have folks run into across their projects?

Best Practices from the Group

  • Starting with the initial planning for the project's budget, start looking at needed support items / resources
  • When doing the actual project planning, include the support organizations to ensure that expectations are set and schedules are negotiated
  • During the Design and Development stages, keep support organizations appraised of additions or changes
  • Develop a Support Model and Maintenance Plan
  • Develop a Transition Plan

General Discussion Notes

  • Whenever possible, combine meetings with the Pubs and Training teams
  • Give support groups a "heads-up" as early as possible that the project will need their services, even if the need is several months away
  • Standards and templates around defining support agreements and support plans would be very helpful (note, please see the Tools section for some options)
  • Let your end-users know early on that a transition from the project team to the support team will happen at the end of the project 
  • Get the support (help desk) team involved in a more active way during UAT or before
  • IF a service level agreement needs to be established to ensure system availability, make sure your end users know about it early-on
  • Know how your end-users will use the system (24 hours a day, during business hours, during seasonal times, etc.)
  • Have a kick-off meeting and include the support team eventhough thy may not be doing any work on the project for a while
  • You can also have a brainstorming session with the support managers before the Kick-off to validate assumptions and make sure the right support team members become involved
  • Secure management commitment for getting support team members involved in the project.  This should include involvement throughout the project.