Client Hand-off Document

Note: this "plan" is not a document the client will see.
It is a document that we (coach and instructor) will see.
It is meant to convince us that you have a clear path to the finish line... which is a working project delivered to the client in a way that the client will be able to make good use of.
This document is a "plan". You will "execute the plan" by actually following the steps you describe and delivering the final project to the client.

Delivering the Product

The hand-off document should be something you can link into your project web site, as well as something you can email to your client. You will be responsible for leaving your client with a working system in some environment that the client controls. This document describes how your team will make that happen.

The hand-off document won't be heavy on technical detail but it is not a user manual either. It must have enough techie stuff in it to allow your non-techie client to launch your good work into action. It's a bit like the ReadMe file in a github repo, except your client make not know anything about github.

You should describe (to the client, but I will read it) how to obtain your work in a form that gives the client the value they want. This means a pointer to a github repo is not good enough. You need to provide a step-by-step process the client can follow to get the system set up and executing.

Also include in this document a brief description of what the system is technically. Is it a Carolina CloudApp? A Heroku system? A Firebase app? Running on AWS? Where is it located, and who owns it... and how can the client come to own it?

Is it a stand-alone program the must be copied to some local machine and compiled? If so, how does the client copy it (and what resources must the host system have), and how does the client compile it? Is it a web application that will need a host that the client must provide? If so, how can that be set up?

Also make clear to your client what costs (if any) might be associated with continuing to use your product, or in ramping up your product from the end-of-semester form to a size needed to serve the expected user base.

Discuss with your Client

Discuss any issues you can think of with your client in advance. If the client will need to find a host machine for your work, make sure they know this and have some plan in mind.

It is worth repeating what we said up top... you will be responsible for leaving your client with a working system in some environment that the client controls. This document describes how to make that happen. So think through it in detail now, before crunch time.

Perhaps install for your Client

You may wish to make sure of a solid hand-off by setting up a hand-off appointment with your client at the end of the semester. Then you can in-person install (in whatever way is necessary) the project into their environment and make sure they have it running properly.

Video for Client

Note: the idea that you will make a video is part of the plan. But the video itself is not made NOW when writing the plan.
The video itself does not need to be made until the final actual delivery at the end of the project.
The completed video will be part communicated to the client, and so i part of actually executing the hand-off plan.

I want every team to prepare video(s) for your client, showing step by step how to access, setup, and use your project. You may well wish to make several shorter vids rather than one large one. There are several different situaitons a client needs to understand so several different vids makes good sense.

I want these vids to be linked into your project website, as well as emailed (links) to your client when you do the handoff.

Zoom makes it easy to produce these vids. You can log on solo and record the entire session... to the local computer will leave you with the video data you need to then host someplace permanent. With Zoom you can talk to the camera (as we all know) as well as screen share so that you can demo your project as you show the client how to use it.