Choose the responsibility model
Procurement questions to discuss before onboarding
| Model | You provide | Agree with the supplier |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed-scope project | Outcome, constraints and acceptance owner | Deliverables and change control |
| Dedicated team | Roadmap decisions and feedback | Capacity, engineering leadership and reporting |
| Staff augmentation | Management and existing delivery process | Role, availability, reviews and access |
Make work visible from the start
Confirm repository administration and branch protection.
Define who reviews, accepts and deploys a change.
Require setup instructions, tests and deployment notes alongside code.
Keep decisions and known risks in a shared log.
Use a weekly review of outcomes and blockers rather than activity counts.
Access and confidentiality
Use named accounts with only the permissions needed for the assigned task. Separate development access from production approval and document emergency access. Avoid distributing shared credentials through chat; record how access is revoked when someone leaves.
Define allowed data, code and tools before work begins. Check third-party licenses and pre-existing components during IP review. A repository under your account improves control but does not itself establish legal ownership of every dependency.
UK overlap and asynchronous decisions
Agree actual meeting windows, holidays and response expectations with the assigned people. UK seasonal clock changes can affect recurring overlap, so review calendar times rather than assuming permanent availability. No UK office or 24/7 coverage is established here.
Record the decision needed, context and deadline in each asynchronous request. An unanswered question should become a visible dependency, not an excuse for an engineer to guess an important business rule.
Exit checklist
Reconcile open work, branches and known defects.
Run setup and deployment from the written instructions.
Transfer account and infrastructure administration as agreed.
Review licenses, IP obligations and outstanding approvals with advisers.
Revoke credentials, confirm data handling and name the next operational owner.
Frequently asked questions
Does repository access guarantee IP transfer?
No. Repository control and contractual rights are different. Agree both, including third-party and pre-existing code.
When should handover begin?
During onboarding: maintain usable documentation and account ownership throughout the engagement rather than preparing everything at exit.