Starting an Elevate managed services engagement with Atrium involves a ramp phase, which is where the foundation for the engagement begins. This phase is very important as it sets the stage for a strong partnership between Atrium and our client stakeholders. The length of the ramp phase can vary but typically falls between 2-6 weeks, and is driven by several factors:
- The complexity of your environment, including integrations and third-party tools
- Whether you already have a defined DevOps/release management process or if one needs to be developed
- Whether you have team members ready to integrate with your partner
Setting yourself up for success: The “getting started” checklist
Like any engagement, using a checklist of items to complete before starting sets the tone for the upcoming weeks and months. While administrative tasks like project setup, system access, and meeting schedules are necessary, it’s easy to overlook critical items in the rush to get started.
Four key steps for a successful ramp phase
Based on Atrium’s experience kicking off and establishing long-term managed services engagements, here are our four critical steps in the ramp phase that we ensure you get right from the beginning:
1. Pre-ramp kickoff call
Before diving headfirst into the ramp phase of our engagement, Atrium will conduct a vital pre-ramp kickoff call with key stakeholders. This brief but powerful conversation acts as our compass, ensuring everyone is pointing in the same direction from the outset. It’s about establishing a shared understanding and laying the groundwork for a smooth and successful journey together.
2. Knowledge transfer
Successful engagements depend on having the right people with the right knowledge. Knowledge transfer is more than just a technical demo of your current environment (although that’s important).
During the ramp phase, we facilitate functional knowledge transfer calls with each user group. These sessions focus on how each group uses the environment in their daily work. We also use this time to understand your business environment, including key initiatives and desired outcomes. Combined, this ensures we understand how your environment is being used and that we are informed enough to create effective solution plans for everyone.
3. Devops/release management process
In parallel with the knowledge transfer calls, it’s important for technical resources on both sides to discuss your Devops and release management processes and tools. If you don’t have one, that’s okay. Atrium will guide you through best practices and implement a suitable process for the engagement. A good Devops framework enables the development team to develop and release more quickly and easily, delivering requested changes to your business users faster.
4. Backlog review and user story creation
With knowledge transfer complete, we have sufficient information to focus on the backlog. Building well-defined user stories and refining the backlog prior to the run phase directly contributes to a successful first sprint. Conversely, beginning engagements without a robust backlog will slow development after the initial ramp-up, potentially impacting early progress and limiting the value you gain from our engagement. Investing time in backlog preparation ensures a strong start and is the model for sustained engagement momentum.
The importance of choosing the right managed services partner
To set a strong foundation for success, choose a partner who understands not only the technology but also your team’s unique goals and expectations. By ensuring all the important items are addressed before moving into the run phase, you’ll ensure satisfaction for yourself, your managed services partner, and your users.
Considering managed services with Atrium? Check out the 3 characteristics of a thriving managed services engagement and learn how we set our Elevate customers up for long-term success.
