Know who owns it next
Agree who will run, maintain, and make decisions about the software after release. Their access and knowledge needs should shape the plan.
Record the decisions that matter
Keep the architecture, environments, data flows, and important trade-offs somewhere the next team can find them. Handover is easier when context is captured as the work happens.
Test launch and recovery
A launch plan needs monitoring, rollback, permissions, and named owners. Rehearsing it exposes missing access and risky assumptions before customers do.
Agree support before launch
Decide what happens next: a short warranty, ongoing support, a move to another team, or the next roadmap stage. Do not leave that conversation until release day.
A product is not truly launched until the next team can access it, operate it, recover it, and make the next change.