Rural IT Outsourcing - Transition
Saturn Systems three-step approach ( Assessment,
Transition and Management)
provides the detailed view you need to make the outsourcing decision. Our approach
has proven effective with clients across multiple industries. After determining
the internal health of each application you have selected for evaluation, Saturn
develops a strategy to keep them in top form, while anticipating future needs and
expectations. 
Transition Overview
Once an Assessment has been completed and the results show that outsourcing will be a viable option, the system must be transitioned to an outsourcing team for long-term support. The steps involved in moving support of a system or individual application under the control of our outsourcing group follow a well-defined process. For each transition we tailor the steps for the specific project and communicate to the customer how the transition will proceed. 'No surprises' during the transition process is a good measure of success. Building the Transition Team
We begin a transition by assembling a team that includes a transition leader, a technical lead and a support lead. The transition leader will serve as the primary contact and planner for the transition process. The technical lead will ensure that the right mix of technical skills is present to support the new system and ensure that the necessary communication structure is in place for remote communication and management. Support management has the most important task of designing a support system that is equivalent or better than that currently used. The support staff and tools will be the interface between your users and Saturn Systems and must meet very high expectations.
Establish Communication Systems
Communications at many levels must be established to ensure a smooth transition. The transition team works closely with the customers staff to understand existing systems and to design new systems that will fill any gaps. Points of communication that are typically required for most outsourcing projects include:
- Support/Incident
Management
- Task Tracking
- Change/Release
Management
- Time/Billing Information
We strive to use technology wherever possible to streamline and integrate processes. Create the Development Environment
Developer tools, system access, databases, hardware environment etc. all must be acquired and/or established. Whether a duplicate customer environment is recreated onsite at Saturn Systems or work is done remotely, we ensure that our developers have access to equivalent or better systems when compared to the those used by the existing staff.
Testing the Transition
Just like we would test a new piece of software to ensure it works under different conditions, we test the transition process to ensure it works for our clients. This might involve working on a real task or we may simulate a task to ensure that each component performs it function. The real test of success at this stage is the feedback we receive from the system users. Service, at a minimum, must be seen as equivalent or seamless compared to that which was being received before outsourcing began. We don't stop here though, continuous improvement and use of technology is encouraged to further reduce costs and increase efficiency.
Once
testing is complete, the outsourced application
moves to Management
Mode.
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