Every interaction with your client is an opportunity to impress.  It is a shame when the delivery of an exemplary project is overshadowed by the provision of handover documentation that is rushed, poorly prepared and missing essential information.  It not only reflects negatively on your organisation, but valuable time is wasted correcting oversights and chasing details that have been omitted.  Handover documentation should be allocated an appropriate amount of time in the project schedule; more than it often receives, to ensure longevity and validity of a project.

Do not let poor attention to detail be the reason your project documentation is rejected. Identifying what items are required from commencement will provide a defined goal to work toward.  Dewick & Associates believe the key elements to focus on for handover documentation are:

• Identify the draft and final handover documentation deadlines so you can establish a timeline for collecting and organising information.
• Confirm the submission method, format and specific requirements of handover documentation such as electronic, on-line or hard copy.  This may be gleaned from the project specification.
• If a format is not defined, utilise a widely accepted approach (e.g. MS Word, PDF, etc.) and logical, user-friendly and organised structure.
• Identify information that should be captured during the construction phase, such as the serial number for each piece of equipment installed.  It is less effective to revisit a completed project.
• Identify each document required from each trade and record it in a tracking sheet to establish if sub-contractor documentation has been received and what is outstanding.
• Advise each trade / sub-contractor of the documentation they must provide, with deadlines, to achieve handover requirements, allowing yourself additional time to chase those failing to meet deadlines.
• Provide a clear summary of maintenance frequency and requirements so that all systems are maintained to ensure system longevity.
• Allow adequate time to thoroughly spell check and proofread documentation to avoid silly mistakes.

Make sure to include an adequate amount of time for the collection and collation of handover documentation in the project timeline and educate yourself on the final documentation required on project commencement. Alternatively, consider outsourcing the entire task to Dewick & Associates so you can concentrate on your core duties.

Author: Kath Angus, Business Development Officer at Dewick & Associates

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