The end is in sight! The finish line is close! At last, you can declare success and bring this change initiative to an end!
Or can you? What might happen to all of the hard work that you and the team have put into this project?
We’re in the final phase of a change process, the Harvesting Phase. This is the point in the change journey where things should be coming to fruition. Where all the work is integrated into the final whole and you can see the impact of your work.
What will happen next?
Consolidation, one of the three Moves in this phase, is the work of determining how to sustain the progress that has been made. A transfer takes place – of ownership, of accountability – from the project initiators to the project operators. You have created this new thing, and now they will carry it forward.
Let’s be clear – not all change initiatives need to be consolidated and continued. Some are intended to come to a close at the end of the project work. An example of this is a close-down process (such as shutting an office or ending a program). There is nothing to hand over for continuing operation, by intent.
And let’s not make the mistake that just because something has been produced, it will not need continuing care and attention. Many projects aim to create or produce something – a new organizational structure, a new program initiative, a training program or a refreshed employee handbook. Products such as these are intended to have an ongoing value for the organization – but it won’t be the responsibility of the change project team to see to its’ operationalization and maintenance.
So here is where we come to one of the key tactics in the Consolidation move – the Handover Meeting.
The Handover Meeting marks a transition. From development to operations. From pilot to mainstream. From special initiative to regular process.
Ideally, you will have been preparing for the Handover Meeting since the early days of the change process. After all, haven’t you always intended that all the effort you’ve put into the change will continue to be impactful into the future?
Let’s follow an example to illustrate the process involved in the Handover process.
Shall we look at a software project that has installed a new Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) as a core enterprise IT tool? There is a lot of work involved in introducing a new software platform. The platform probably needs to be tailored to your organizational requirements. You will have worked out how to transfer existing data into the new platform. You may have trained staff in the effective use of the new platform. Congratulations! You now have a new, operational system available to the organization.
But it will require maintenance. Further training may be required. Trouble-shooting will certainly be in demand. And there will be upgrades to be made, and cyber-security threats to be managed. Who will do all this? It won’t be the project team, as their task was to get this new platform in place.
It will likely be handed over to the IT department, and some specialists within that group. So these are the people who you will need to engage in the Handover Meeting.
It should not be a surprise to them that they will have a new responsibility! After all, they are one of the key stakeholders that you should be engaging throughout the change process. In fact, members of this group may well have been part of the project team from the start, to ensure a good handover and continuity once the software platform has been fully installed and operationalized.
What are some other things you should do as part of the Handover Meeting?
- Conduct a handover meeting to discuss any necessary details and updates as you near the end of the project. Define what is actually handed over.
- Have knowledge-sharing sessions. Knowledge shouldn’t be transferred during lunch breaks; you need pre-planned meetings to answer questions and provide clarifications as needed.
- Transfer ownership and accountability. Provide access to documentation and all information needed, including accounts, credentials, requirements, as well as third-party services and tools.
- Aim for usable documentation. Enable just-in-time access to necessary information. Make sure all documentation is in a usable and searchable format. Write documents from the end-user perspective – if it is to support knowledge transfer, it needs to be meaningful, applicable, and relevant to your end users.
- Have a member of the project team as a point of contact. After you’ve handed the deliverables over to the end users, continue being in touch. The more you can retain the transfer, the better. Handle any possible modifications and ensure the compliance of deliverables with the agreed requirements.
- Incorporate end user training into the project. Use the period leading up to the handover as efficiently as possible. Plan for imparting the information. Training sessions before the project handover will ensure that all stakeholders are on the same page and agree on the deliverables.