LFI Conf 23 | Chad Todd | Handover Communications in Software Operations: Findings from the Field

Chad Todd, SRE Manager, CrowdStrike

The passing of information through handover communications is essential in many workplaces. Such handover communication is for example crucial in health care institutions, in nuclear power and in software operations. Handover communications in software operations happen on a daily basis much like in health care.

Examples of handover communications in software operations include verbal or digital written handover communications that occur during shift changes or on-call within a network operations center or customer support center. Handover communications can occur during high tempo and high-stake scenarios or low tempo and low-stake scenarios and having confidence in the information and it being understood is important.

The complexity and uncertainty of information provided during the handover communication in software operations can affect an engineer’s confidence in understanding the current state of the system.

Despite the importance of handover communications in software operations, the research into increased or decreased confidence of the engineer to understand the current state of the system after the information exchange is scarce.

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