Explainer
Hypercare is the period of extra support straight after a new system goes live. Here is what it covers, how long it should last, who staffs it and how to know when to exit.
By Christopher Fagan, Managing Partner, PEF Consulting Partners
Hypercare is the period immediately after go live when a new system or process gets heightened support: more people, faster fixes and closer monitoring than normal business as usual support. It exists because the first weeks after go live are when unknown problems surface, users are least confident and small issues can quickly turn into backlogs.
Typically two to six weeks, and longer where a full business cycle has to complete, such as a first month end, quarter end or billing cycle. Define it by exit criteria rather than a date on the plan.
| Criterion | Example |
|---|---|
| Incident volumes | Back to an agreed steady level for two weeks |
| Critical defects | None open |
| Key cycles | First month end closed; first billing cycle complete and reconciled |
| Users | Support calls falling and adoption measures on track |
| Handover | Support team trained; documentation and known error log accepted |
A hypercare lead from the programme, with the supplier’s support team, the integrator, the super users and the internal service desk. The business owner signs off the exit.
Make sure supplier and integrator contracts set out the hypercare period, staffing and service levels, and that the price includes them. It is much harder to negotiate after go live.
Related reading: what UAT is, the test plan and UAT template, data and system migration, programme recovery.
Intensive, short term support after go live, with extra people and faster fixes, before the system moves to normal support.
Hypercare is temporary and intensive, staffed partly by the project and supplier. Business as usual support is the permanent service desk and support model that takes over once the system is stable.
Usually four to six weeks, so that at least one month end close is completed and reconciled within it.
The business owner or sponsor, against exit criteria agreed before go live, on the advice of the hypercare lead.
If the plan shows the project team leaving the week after go live, add a hypercare phase now. It is one of the cheapest risk reductions there is.