MIsattar

At the bank we have a clearly defined handing over process when a solution is deployed.
From the development to the User testing and approval to deploy in Production. The Application team together with the Project Manager ensure that a proper handling over milestone as part of the project closure is done when the Application is handed over to business.
In the project framework, when the project closure is done proper documentations are provided and most of the time, the application owner is the key stakeholder owning the application post-deployment.
For example, we have recently deployed a self-onboarding application using AI. This allows the customer to initiate the process without having to go to a branch and wait in the queue to get served. 
Below process map depicts the different stages where AI facilitates the interaction with customer without the bank having to allocate additional resources to assist the customer.
 
 

 

The following key components are documented as part of the hand over which happen when the solution is stabilised and working fine.
1.    Technical Documentation 
2.    Operational Documentation
3.    User Manual 
4.    Train the Trainer ( Champion )
5.    Performance and Monitoring 
6.    Governance and ownership 
7.    Change Request
8.    Compliance and data protection policy 

1.    Technical Documentation 
The Technical team will prepare the release documents which will includes the rational behind the design and architecture of the application.
Data sourcing , regular updates and what third party tools used to transform raw data will be included as part of the documentation 
Setting up of the different environments like the Production /Disaster Recovery/ User acceptance testing , all these environment will be needed to maintain a long term stability of the application. All these information will be useful for Audit review purpose.

2.    Operational Documentation
Deployment plan and rollout plan will give and overview of how it was deployed and how it can be roll back in case of malfunction of the system . Configuration set up and access rights given to which roles are important facts to allow for future references in the event of troubleshooting .
3.    User Manual 
Both Technical and Functional documentations are required as part of the handover. This helps for a better understanding of the functionality of the system and limitations. The input required from business side in terms of mandatory fields and what should be the output are mapped in these manuals . Well defined guidelines are published in order to maximise on the usage and its potentials and just the solution can keep its effectiveness in the process.
4.    Train the trainer ( Champion concept)
With the deployment of the solution, it is important to have workshops and training done with both , the technical and functional users. This is done to showcast the capabilities of the system.Identifying champions in each key departments allow to form users as subject matter experts, these people will be the L1 support for assistance to queries from users and customers.
Building up FAQs and feed the AI solution allow the customer to interact with a chatbot for basic level of request and queries

5.    Performance Tracking and Monitoring
Clearly defined Performance  Metrics and Key performance indicators (KPIs) meticulously agreed upon during the development phase  set as a baseline metrics for future performance evaluations.
 We do have Monitoring Dashboards  which provide valuable insights into the system performance and complemented by Red Flag alert mechanisms in the event of  significant performance degradation, data drift, or service interruptions.  .

6.    Governance and Ownership
As part of the handling over of the solution , the different roles and responsibilities need to be properly defined which ensure continuity and scalability. The following key stakeholders need to fulfil their part of the process.
•    Product Owner that ensure overall business alignment  and budget management with organizational goals.
•    Technical Owner that ensure regular ongoing maintenance of the infrastructure and implementation of critical updates. 
•    Data Owner that ensure the  accuracy, integrity, and availability of data necessary for the AI system's operations.
•    Support Team which is a  dedicated group tasked with addressing user inquiries and providing solutions to minor issues, fostering a smooth user experience. 
•    Escalation matrix which is important and clearly mapped out procedure for escalating issues, ranging from operational glitches to critical model performance challenges, along with designated contacts for first-line, second-line, and third-line support.

7.     Change Management 
Every changes requested by business need to go for proper approval process in order to maintain a consistency in the modus  operandi of the solution . The changes should go through the Change Management process which follows ITIL framework.
8.    Compliance and Ethical Considerations
Data Privacy
Detailed documentation outlining the methods used to handle personal or sensitive data, including robust practices for anonymization or encryption to protect user privacy is critical to the success of the deployment .
All the above checkpoints are done in order to maintain clarity and completeness of the solution deployed,