QA delivers tests; managed services maintains and runs them.
Documentation:
- Test strategy — tests covered, approach.
- Test cases — accessible in test management tool.
- Test scripts — accessible in source control.
- Test data factory documentation.
- Tooling — what's used, how.
- Runbooks — how to run test suites, interpret results.
- Failure response — what to do when tests fail.
Knowledge transfer:
- Walkthroughs of complex tests.
- Pair sessions with successor team.
- Recorded videos for asynchronous reference.
Access:
- Successor team has access to test environments.
- Tooling licenses transferred.
- CI/CD access.
Tooling continuity:
- Same tools recommended.
- Avoid "tribal knowledge" specific to handoff team.
Maintenance plan:
- Schedule for test suite review.
- Update process for changing features.
- Defect management ownership.
Common pitfalls:
- No documentation — knowledge lost.
- Different tooling between teams.
- Insufficient training — successors struggle.
- No support window — handoff team disappears immediately.
Senior QA insight: handoff is a deliverable. Plan deliberately.
The senior framing: bad handoff = wasted investment. Tests written but not maintained become useless.