Live System Operations and Maintenance (47)

Description:

Live system operations and maintenance is the basic building block of program operations. This building block involves performing all day-to-day operational activities, such as vendor oversight, administrative activities, and maintenance of state technology systems. Live customer service, communications, and enforcement are covered separately in the Live Customer Service, Live Program Communications, and Live Enforcement building blocks. Major technology updates or policy changes are likewise covered in separate building blocks (see State and Vendor System Updates and Major System Updates building blocks).

Details:

This building block describes how to run the systems the way they are designed to be run. The primary focus should center on system administration, vendor oversight, and information technology maintenance. As the implementing RUC agency, create operational processes to oversee vendors and communicate regularly with vendors; this includes responding to their questions. In addition, ensure that communications, customer service, and enforcement activities align with system operations. If any system glitches occur, correct them. For information technology maintenance, be sure to maintain technology systems—including servers, software, and interfaces—and perform regular technology updates.

Primary Use:

Perform basic system operations.

Best Practices/Lessons Learned:

  • Maintain a list of lessons learned and a list of desired changes for policy, technology, and communications practices. This will help prepare for future changes and record lessons learned in case of staff changes.
  • Perform ongoing quality control activities and update quality control processes based on experiences.
  • Be especially vigilant in the early days and months of the launch. During this time, there will be more aspects of the system to tweak and glitches are more likely to occur.
  • Be prepared to respond to system glitches when they occur.
  • Patch security flaws immediately or as fast as practically possible.
  • Keep communications staff and customer service staff regularly informed of system activities.

State Government Context and Assumptions:

This task is carried out by the implementing RUC agency in coordination with any vendors.