Scribd
Upload
171 views6 pages

How To Use This Template: Application Maintenance Workflow

This document provides templates and guidance for three application maintenance workflows: resolving defects, approving and implementing upgrades or enhancements, and releasing patches. It includes workflow diagrams and recommendations for establishing participants for each workflow. Key participants include assigning experienced staff to triage defects, identifying management contacts for priority assessments and approvals, and having application caretakers monitor for upgrades and patches. The document is intended to be customized by deleting example text and replacing with an organization's own information to meet their specific needs.

Uploaded by

Camelia Nițe
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
171 views6 pages

How To Use This Template: Application Maintenance Workflow

This document provides templates and guidance for three application maintenance workflows: resolving defects, approving and implementing upgrades or enhancements, and releasing patches. It includes workflow diagrams and recommendations for establishing participants for each workflow. Key participants include assigning experienced staff to triage defects, identifying management contacts for priority assessments and approvals, and having application caretakers monitor for upgrades and patches. The document is intended to be customized by deleting example text and replacing with an organization's own information to meet their specific needs.

Uploaded by

Camelia Nițe
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

Application Maintenance Workflow

Template
Operate & Optimize

How to Use This Template


To use this template within your enterprise, delete the Info-Tech banner and replace it with your own enterprise or
department logo. Delete all instructional and example grey text, and replace with your own information, and
customize the document as needed to meet your requirements.

Note:
 To revise the flowcharts, open the Visio source file that accompanies this template (Application
Maintenance Workflow.vsd).
 For more detailed process and evaluation documents, refer to the Application Management section in
OptimizeIT.

Application Maintenance Workflow


This document provides the high-level workflows for the following maintenance activities:

 Resolving Defects
 Approving and Implementing Upgrades or Enhancements
 Releasing Patches

Each workflow is described in brief below, followed by the workflow diagrams.

Resolving Defects
This workflow covers typical help desk tickets, whether they are hot fixes or low-level application maintenance
issues. To supplement the workflow diagram, establish the participants:

 Assign an experienced staff member to initial triage.


o This is a critical task since it establishes how soon the defect will be addressed, so don’t assign
this to junior resources.
o Relying on the priority assigned by the requestor (if your help desk system allows that) is not
reliable and can result in a priority that is too high or even too low if the requestor does not fully
appreciate the full impact or extent of the defect.

 Identify the management contacts for priority assessments and approvals.

 Schedule regular ticket reviews with adequate representation from both IT and the business side to ensure
tickets are appropriately prioritized to meet business needs.

Approving and Implementing Upgrades or Enhancements

Treat upgrades (i.e., whether it’s upgrades from the vendor or enhancements via custom development) as a project
to ensure they are given the proper attention in terms of researching the upgrade, planning the implementation, and
testing. To supplement the workflow diagram, establish the participants:

 Ensure you have application caretakers who are in a position to assess upgrades and monitor application
upgrade opportunities.

 Identify the management contacts for approving upgrades.

1
Application Maintenance Workflow
Template
Operate & Optimize

Releasing Patches

Low priority patches can wait for a maintenance release (establish a regular maintenance release schedule; e.g.
every 3 or 6 months) whereas critical and high-priority patches need to be addressed sooner as shown in the
workflow diagram. To supplement the workflow diagram, establish the participants:

 Have your application caretakers also monitor patches. If there is a critical patch, it may need to be
addressed immediately.

 Identify the management contacts in case management involvement is necessary (e.g. for critical patches
that must be installed outside of the normal release schedule).

2
Application Maintenance Workflow
Template
Operate & Optimize

Workflow Diagrams

Resolving Defects

3
Application Maintenance Workflow
Template
Operate & Optimize

Approving and Implementing Upgrades or Enhancements

4
Application Maintenance Workflow
Template
Operate & Optimize

Releasing Patches

5
Application Maintenance Workflow
Template
Operate & Optimize

____________________________________

Info-Tech Research Group tools and template documents are provided for the free and unrestricted use of
subscribers to Info-Tech Research Group services. These documents are intended to supply general information
only, not specific professional or personal advice, and are not intended to be used as a substitute for any kind of
professional advice. Use this document either in whole or in part as a basis and guide for document creation. To
customize this document with corporate marks and titles, simply replace the Info-Tech information in the Header
and Footer fields of this document.

You might also like