Post-Implementation Operations Planning Checklist

Operations planning describes the process used to define resources and processes needed to sustain the project's business outcome after deployment, installation or implementation. Often a project team does not keep the responsibility for the product after delivery. You need to agree ahead of time with the client how the product will be maintained, who will have responsibility for maintaining it, how maintenance priorities will be set and how maintenance activities will be overseen and administered. Otherwise, the end product could quickly become obsolete or unused. Many companies have standard maintenance processes and practices already in place. If that is the case, evaluate how your project's end product will be inserted into existing processes. You will want to document agreement how the standard processes will be used and who will implement them. However, if the project end product is new to the client or if the client does not have any organizational standards, then you need to prepare full documentation and a plan for your client. The project manager should ensure that this crucial deliverable is completed prior to implementation or deployment. Identify the resources and schedule for development of the operations plan. Determine the roles and responsibilities of the various resources. Develop an overall approach to include the following: Determine maintenance planning needs. List tasks associated with developing final plan. Agree on assumptions, constraints, dependencies related to maintenance planning or product maintenance. Present options for staffing maintenance and operations, including outsourcing. Identify costs associated with maintenance and operations, including cost of outsourced resources. Identify key players or user groups involved in planning and/or maintenance. Define and describe roles and responsibilities of individuals involved in planning and/or maintenance. Prepare timelines for developing and implementing maintenance plan components. Determine who is responsible for maintenance, support strategy, maintenance change management strategies, administration and oversight , etc. Describe the impacts on other parts of project or project resources. Describe relationships to other project plan elements (communications, change management, testing, transition and implementation plan, etc.) during the life of the project. Review project planning elements to determine those needed on an ongoing basis and include them in the operations plan. Are there existing maintenance processes and practices within the client enterprise? Has the maintenance owner been identified? Have key players and user groups been identified? Has the planning approach and timeline been determined? Have tasks associated with development of the post-implementation operations plan been identified? Have staffing options been identified? Are costs associated with post-implementation operations documented and understood? Are project deliverables being tracked for ongoing maintenance? Have plan development impacts on project and project resources been determined? Have plan project process equivalents been created?