operational-handbook.md

Operational Handbook

This handbook provides the operator-facing handoff layer for the repository while preserving its documentation-first charter.

How to Use This Handbook

Use this document when:

• preparing for first-time adoption of the repository,
• handing a solution wave from implementation to steady-state operations, or
• confirming that non-production validation is complete before production execution.

Operating Model at a Glance

1. Confirm the repository boundary with the Documentation vs Runnable Assets Guide.
2. Complete Identity and Secrets Prep.
3. Assign named owners in the Operational RACI.
4. Set review windows in the Operational Cadence.
5. Publish the support path in Escalation Procedures.
6. Record the final decisions in DELIVERY-CHECKLIST-TEMPLATE.md or the solution-specific delivery checklist.

Phase-Based Handoff Plan

Phase	Objective	Required inputs	Exit criteria
Repository preflight	Confirm the repo can be adopted safely in the target tenant	Prerequisites, identity and secrets prep, documentation boundary review	Owners are named, secrets stay external, and preflight gaps are documented
Non-production validation	Prove the intended wave order and scripts work in a lower environment	Deployment guide, tier decision, solution-specific docs, approved test tenant	Validation outputs and operator notes are attached to the handoff package
Production wave rollout	Execute an approved deployment sequence with a rollback path	Change window, accountable owner, escalation contacts, evidence destination	Production execution is signed off and any manual tasks are tracked
Steady-state operations	Run monitoring, evidence export, and runbook upkeep on a recurring basis	Operational cadence, escalation procedures, retained evidence location	Cadence owners accept support responsibility and open issues are triaged

Minimum Preflight Checklist

• Review docs\getting-started\prerequisites.md.
• Review docs\getting-started\identity-and-secrets-prep.md.
• Review docs\documentation-vs-runnable-assets-guide.md.
• Run pwsh -File scripts\deployment\Validate-Prerequisites.ps1.
• Confirm the deployment wave order in DEPLOYMENT-GUIDE.md.
• Confirm the accountable owner, operator, and escalation path before production execution.

Handoff Package Contents

The implementation team should provide the receiving operator or service team with:

• the relevant solution README and solution docs,
• the selected governance tier and environment notes,
• the latest delivery checklist,
• the latest deployment manifest, WhatIf output, or change record,
• the latest evidence package location and validation output, and
• the open-risks or manual-follow-up log.

Decision Rules

• Documentation is the approval source of truth; scripts are executed only after tenant-specific review and sign-off.
• Templates are starting points and may require local adaptation before use in a regulated tenant.
• Secrets, certificates, connection references, and exported runtime assets remain outside this repository.
• If documentation, configuration, and observed behavior diverge, pause the next deployment wave until the discrepancy is resolved and recorded.