Technology Projects: Sustainment and Hypercare

When conducting a health check or a lookback on a technology project,  it's important to assess the sustainment and hypercare aspects of the project. Sustainment involves the ongoing support, maintenance, and operational readiness of the implemented solution, while hypercare refers to the immediate post-implementation support period. Here are some key sustainment and hypercare questions to ask:

1. Sustainment Strategy:

• Was there a well-defined sustainment strategy in place for the implemented solution?
• Were the roles and responsibilities for sustainment clearly defined?
• Were there any gaps or deficiencies in the sustainment strategy that impacted project success?

2. Operational Readiness:

• Was the organization adequately prepared to operate and maintain the implemented solution?
• Were the necessary operational procedures, documentation, and training provided?
• Were there any readiness gaps or challenges that affected the solution's operational stability?

3. Support and Maintenance Processes:

• Were there well-defined processes for support and maintenance of the solution?
• Were there proper channels for issue reporting and resolution?
• Were there any delays or gaps in addressing support or maintenance requests?

4. Knowledge Transfer and Documentation:

• Was there effective knowledge transfer from the project team to the support team?
• Were there comprehensive and up-to-date documentation for the implemented solution?
• Were there any deficiencies in knowledge transfer or documentation that impacted support and maintenance?

5. Monitoring and Performance Management:

• Were there mechanisms in place to monitor the solution's performance and stability?
• Were performance metrics and thresholds defined and monitored?
• Were there any challenges in monitoring and managing the solution's performance?

6. Hypercare Support:

• How was the immediate post-implementation support (hypercare) managed?
• Were there dedicated resources and processes in place to address issues during the hypercare period?
• Were there any gaps or delays in resolving hypercare issues?

7. Transition to Sustainment:

• How was the transition from hypercare to long-term sustainment managed?
• Were there any challenges or issues during the transition process?
• Was there a clear handover of responsibilities and knowledge from the project team to the sustainment team?

8. Lessons Learned and Improvement:

• Were lessons learned captured and documented regarding sustainment and hypercare throughout the project?
• Were the lessons learned shared with relevant stakeholders and future project teams?
• What steps have been taken or will be taken to improve sustainment and hypercare processes in future projects?