Maintenance : A Forgotten Step

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Your car is a metallic baby that requires care after you've purchased it.

If you're in your 20s, you're likely contemplating getting a car (if you don't already have one).

When assessing affordability, you may focus on the vehicle's cost. I recently discussed this with my dad, and he emphasized considering not just the purchase price but also ongoing expenses like gas, insurance, and repairs.

After calculating rough estimates and considering my current situation, I have concluded that I do not need a car right now.

I am not saying this to deter you from purchasing your dream car, everyone has their reasons behind making any purchase.

Today, I want to highlight the "maintenance" aspect of systems. In technology, we often concentrate on the end product—be it an app, a website, or an automated solution.

We don't always consider how these products will be maintained after production. When something breaks, chaos and confusion ensues, especially if the original creators have left the team.

Here are some general steps that one should take to maintain products:

Regular Monitoring:

  • Keep a close eye on the system's performance and health.
  • Use monitoring tools to identify potential issues.
Tip: For automated reports, set up a subscription to alert users when the report is successfully refreshed, ensuring timely awareness.

Documentation:

  • Maintain comprehensive documentation for the system, including configurations, procedures, and any changes made.
  • Document dependencies and integrations with other systems.
Tip: Have a standard template that is used to document all projects, you can use tools like Confluence. 

Training and Skill Development:

  • Keep the team updated on the latest technologies and best practices.
  • Provide training sessions to enhance skills related to system maintenance.
Tip: Gartner's Magic Quadrant is a valuable resource to stay informed about the latest technologies on the market.

User Feedback and Support:

  • Collect feedback from users to understand their experience.
  • Provide prompt support to address issues and user concerns.
Tip: Create a short survey on Microsoft Forms or SurveyMonkey to capture user feedback. 

Incident Response:

  • Establish an incident response plan to address unexpected issues.
  • Develop protocols for communication and coordination during incidents.
Tip: Create a decision tree to standardize how the team responds to incidents.

In the end, when the solution is launched, we all need to know how to fix it when something goes wrong (and it often does).

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