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Welcome back to our six-part series guiding you through every phase of your IT Outsourcing Transition. In our first two installments, we covered:
– Part 1: Transition Planning – laying the foundation with strategic scope definition, requirement gathering, and risk identification.
– Part 2: Transition Governance – building oversight structures for delivery and decision-making.
Now, in Part 3, we focus on Transition Readiness and the Program Kickoff—two critical steps that ensure your organization and your sourcing partners are fully aligned, engaged, and ready to execute.
Setting the Stage: Phase 3 Overview
Transition Readiness ensures all plans, teams, and tools are in place and aligned before execution begins.
Transition Program Kickoff formally launches the initiative, aligning stakeholders under shared goals, governance, and expectations.
Together, these components build momentum and create the conditions for a smooth, coordinated transition.
Transition Readiness: Building the Framework for Success
A well-prepared transition is a joint effort. Your organization and selected provider(s) must collaborate closely to review planning artifacts, finalize program governance, and ensure operational alignment.
By this point in the journey, final sourcing partners have been selected, the contracts are signed or near execution, and Supplier Transition Leads are aligned with internal program teams.
The three key priorities for Readiness are as follows:
- Validating service scope and transition goals
- Finalizing the Integrated Transition Plan and Governance Framework
- Formally establishing the Transition Management Office (TMO) as defined in the three-tier governance model
It is critical to recognize that each supplier has their own transition approach. If your organization is also navigating M&A activity, relocations, or parallel implementations, revisit your Phase 1 plans and tailor a governance and transition approach that reflects current realities.
Key TMO Artifacts: Your Program Readiness Toolkit
The following foundational documents should be reviewed and approved prior to kickoff:
- TMO Governance Framework: Define joint governance and oversight model
- Guiding Principles: Establish shared values and communication norms
- TMO Steering Committee: Clarify senior leadership roles and responsibilities
- Integrated Transition Plan: Map all workstreams, milestones, and dependencies
- Status Reporting Framework: Provide a consolidated weekly view for decision-making
- Communication Plan (TMO & OCM): Outline change enablement and stakeholder communications
- RAID Log & Escalation Process: Track Risks, Actions, Issues, and Decisions
- Meeting Cadence: Set rhythm for standups, updates, SteerCo, and tollgates
- RACI Matrix: Clarify ownership and accountability across roles
- Decision & Change Tracker: Log scope and decision changes with impacts
- Tollgate Evaluation Criteria: Define quality checkpoints per phase
- Transition Metrics: Measure milestone health and workstream performance
- Resource & Onboarding Tracker: Track supplier contact, onboarding, and exit info
Transition Kickoff: Launching with Confidence
The Transition Program Kickoff is the official start of your journey, bringing internal and supplier teams together around shared expectations and a unified execution strategy. Here are some topics to consider:
- Guiding Principles: Reinforce shared values and expectations
- Program Overview: Review goals, scope, and business drivers
- Governance & Terms: Define roles, escalation, and decision-making process
- Milestone Plan: Review phases, tollgates, and key dependencies
- Meeting Cadence: Establish rhythm for program operations
- Organizational Change Management: Outline training, communications, and change plans
- Tollgate Process: Clarify quality checkpoints and success criteria
- Stakeholder Roles: Confirm involvement, responsibilities, and commitment
- FAQs & Open Discussion: Address questions and reinforce alignment
- Next Steps: Define immediate actions and follow-ups
After the Kickoff: TMO in Motion
Once the kickoff concludes, the Transition Management Office becomes the driving force behind day-to-day execution. Key activities include:
- Weekly TMO status and RAID updates
- Stakeholder alignment and communication planning
- Tollgate reviews and transition health reporting
- Coordination of onboarding and resource transitions
- Oversight of initial service governance and training enablement
Looking Ahead
With readiness artifacts in place and your program launched, you’ve laid the essential groundwork for a seamless transition. In our next article, we’ll dive into Transition Knowledge Acquisition—the process of capturing expertise, enabling continuity, and preparing your teams for sustained success.
Contact the Author
Shelly Barnes is a high performing entrepreneurial minded executive with over 20 years demonstrated success leading Managed Services Transitions, Organization Change Management, IT Transformations and M&A Integrations.
Shelly Barnes
Principal Consultant, Acacia Advisors
Email: SBarnes@ChooseAcacia.com
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