How do you manage the stakeholders and communication involved in digital asset decommissioning projects?

1 Identify and engage stakeholders

The first step in any digital asset decommissioning project is to identify and engage the relevant stakeholders, both internal and external. These may include owners, users, managers, developers, vendors, regulators, customers, or partners of the digital assets. You need to understand their roles, expectations, interests, and concerns, and involve them in the decision-making and planning process. You also need to establish clear roles and responsibilities, and assign a project leader or sponsor who can oversee and coordinate the project.

2 Assess and document assets

The next step is to assess and document the digital assets that are subject to decommissioning. You need to collect and analyze information such as the type, location, size, usage, value, ownership, and lifecycle of the assets. You also need to identify and document the dependencies, relationships, and impacts of the assets on other systems, processes, or functions. This will help you to prioritize, categorize, and schedule the decommissioning activities, and to define the scope, objectives, and criteria of the project.

3 Develop and communicate a plan

The third step is to develop and communicate a comprehensive and detailed plan for the digital asset decommissioning project. The plan should include the scope, objectives, criteria, timeline, budget, resources, risks, mitigation strategies, quality assurance, and contingency plans of the project. The plan should also specify the methods, tools, and procedures for the decommissioning activities, such as archiving, deleting, transferring, or migrating the digital assets. You need to communicate the plan to all the stakeholders, and obtain their feedback, approval, and support.

4 Execute and monitor the project

The fourth step is to execute and monitor the project according to the plan. You need to follow the agreed-upon methods, tools, and procedures for the decommissioning activities, and ensure that they are performed safely, securely, and efficiently. You also need to track and measure the progress, performance, and outcomes of the project, and report them to the stakeholders regularly. You need to identify and resolve any issues, challenges, or changes that may arise during the project, and update the plan accordingly.

5 Validate and verify the results

The fifth step is to validate and verify the results of the digital asset decommissioning project. You need to ensure that the decommissioning activities have met the objectives, criteria, and expectations of the project, and that they have not caused any adverse effects on other systems, processes, or functions. You also need to ensure that the digital assets have been archived, deleted, transferred, or migrated properly, and that they are no longer accessible or usable by unauthorized parties. You need to document and confirm the results with the stakeholders, and obtain their sign-off and acceptance.

6 Evaluate and close the project

The final step is to evaluate and close the project. You need to review and analyze the performance, outcomes, and lessons learned of the project, and compare them with the plan and the baseline. You also need to identify and document the benefits, costs, risks, and opportunities of the project, and how they have affected the organization and the stakeholders. You need to communicate and celebrate the achievements and successes of the project, and thank and acknowledge the contributions and efforts of the stakeholders. You also need to archive and dispose of any remaining documents or records related to the project.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?