A step-by-step support system that tracks project milestones to ensure continuity from project kick-off to eventual business as usual support.
Building and integrating projects into businesses is a major focus for Escone Solutions, which is why we insist on developing and following a project support lifecycle.
It is a process that we have tweaked, refined, and will always look to continually improve.
A common problem causing issues within the business application world is having separate project and support teams. Handing over new functionality to the support team is not always performed with enough care which has a detrimental effect on the clients who aren’t as well supported as they should be. It also has a knock-on effect for the support staff who can feel demotivated and, in turn, lose confidence in the support they are delivering. By following an agreed process for change control we look to bridge any knowledge gaps to give clients the best experience possible.
The Benefits of the Project Support Lifecycle:
- Reduces risk on projects
- Provides both the clients and support staff with a clear picture of deliverables
- Full documentation detailing the functionality delivered and the reasons why
Generally, the majority of business application platforms within a client’s environment will be constantly evolving to bring in new improvements, enhancements and upgrades. The new functionality is automatically absorbed into the system, which means we also need to integrate these new features into our regular support duties by implementing clear change control and handover. Once the project is complete it will then come under our Escone Assist service, meaning this has no additional charges after go-live.
Our Escone Assist Support Lifecycle looks like this:
Support Business as Usual (BAU):
Escone supports clients with their day-to-day system administration. When a project has been successfully completed it will be integrated into Business as Usual support.
New Project Scope:
The project requirements are documented by Escone Solutions following a request from the client. The project is then assessed and agreed upon before it can move to the next stage.
Build:
The new functionality/configuration is then built by the relevant team in line with the agreed project scopes.
Test:
The project build is tested by Escone super users using documented test plans to guarantee quality assurance.
End User Acceptance Testing (UAT):
The client team will test the operational and functional build before signing off the project delivery.
Go Live:
The project goes live and is implemented into Business as Usual operations.
The documentation, testing and sign-off ensures that when the project does go live, the risks to the live application are reduced to a minimum. Our support team also has a full brief of the delivery, which then allows the team to support it within business as usual.
As you can tell, there are a number of benefits that following a clear and consistent support plan will bring to your business and the bonus of working within our lifecycle framework is the clarity of each step.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to find out more about how Escone Assist can support your business needs, click here to get in touch.
