Expert knowledge for digital decisions

What Makes a Good Handover?

Short answer

Not just the source code. It includes: access to the repository, operational documentation, credentials in your possession, a description of the environment, and at least one training session for the future users. Without these five things, you have software, but no control over it.

The List

1. Repository Access

Not just at the handover – ideally from day one with read access.

2. Operational Documentation

How is it delivered? What dependencies are there? What does a backup look like, and what about a restore? What needs to be updated regularly?

3. Credentials in Your Possession

Domain, hosting account, certificates, service accounts. Registered to your company, even if the service provider manages them.

4. Environment Description

What server settings, what versions, what environment variables. Without this, the system cannot be set up anywhere else.

5. Training

For the users, not for IT. Ideally brief and on the actual system, not as a presentation.

What Helps Additionally

A recording of the training. New employees can watch it later – this saves more time over the years than any manual.

How to Recognize a Poor Handover

It consists of a ZIP file and an email. If no one other than the service provider can start the system after the handover, it was not a proper handover.

Key facts

Five Components: Code, operational documentation, access, environment, training
How to Recognize Failure: Only the service provider can start the system