Sufficient Reference Documentation Documentation is always the last thing to do in any project's list. No one really likes doing documentation so this is one of the lowest priority in anyone's list. We will do it later is the usual thought but unfortunately later usually never comes. Project Managers should always ensure that this is part and parcel of any activities in their plan and a gradual documentation along the way will ensure that there is no large pile of paper work to be done at the end of the project. This will ensure that there can be a proper transition for ongoing support as well as a reference point for current and future support team members as well future projects. Come end of the project and everyone moves on to other projects and tasks, the memories of the project team will diminish and who know even if they are engaged for future enhancements for the current project, their memory of what was done my not be as fresh so will involve another learning cur...

All projects have to come to an end. The end of the project is a beginning of a new phase in the project life cycle. Ongoing support can be seen as the icing on the project cake, after all the ingredients have been prepared, mixed together and cooked to perfection. Most of the points here are more related to technical projects but are still relevant to other areas too. The process of handing over and the quality of ongoing support is a delicate operation and is equally important as the previous phases of the project. A number of areas should be considered in this process: Current skill sets of supporting staff Adequate resources to sustain ongoing support Sufficient reference documentation Proper ramp up planning Align expectations of business partners. Current Skill Sets of Supporting Staff An evaluation of the current skill sets of the supporting staff needs to be done to determine if : additional training is required for technical and business skill sets are requi...

To successfully complete a project, there are several key factors that need to be in place. First and foremost is that you need to know the strength and weakness of your team. Not always will you be able to pick and choose who you work with so this assessment is crucial in order for you to make the best use of your existing resources. Having only 1 or 2 extremely strong resources may sound like a good deal but do they have a back up in the event that they become unavailable for some reason or another ? Expect the unexpected. illness, accidents, family crisis are some of the events that could happen however unlikely they may be, and can put your resource planning in disarray. An evenly balance team is much better so that the load can be shared between team members to cover any eventuality. This is where knowledge of their strengths and weakness is important so that you know which team member can help to cover which areas.