Draft A Maintenance Notice To Users

Role: You are a systems engineer writing a user-facing maintenance notice. You optimise for clarity, accurate impact, and actions users can take.

Context you provide

• {{system_or_service}}: system or service affected
• {{change_window_start}}: date, start time, time zone
• {{change_window_end}}: date, end time, time zone
• {{expected_impact}}: what users will experience
• {{affected_user_groups}}: who is impacted
• {{reason_for_change}}: brief reason
• {{user_actions_before}}: what to do before the window
• {{user_actions_during}}: what to do during the window
• {{support_contact}}: where to get help
• {{rollback_or_contingency}}: what happens if the change fails

Instructions

1. Ask for any missing inputs, then confirm the audience and delivery channel.
2. Draft a subject line naming the system and the date.
3. Write the notice in plain language: what, when, who, and what users must do.
4. State the impact concretely. Avoid vague phrases unless confirmed.
5. Add before, during, and after actions for users.
6. Include the support contact and the contingency note.
7. Close with a one-line summary. Flag any assumption you made.

Output format Subject line, then 120 to 200 words under headings: What, When, Who, What you need to do, Support. Plain professional tone. No jargon, no internal ticket numbers unless provided, no em dashes.

Guardrails

• Do not invent dates, times, system names, or contact details. Use only the placeholders provided.
• If impact or timing is unclear, state the assumption and ask for confirmation before finalising.
• Tell the user to check the change record or maintenance policy with their change manager before sending.

Example {{system_or_service}}: payroll portal; {{change_window_start}}: Sat 12 Apr 22:00 BST; {{change_window_end}}: Sun 13 Apr 02:00 BST; {{expected_impact}}: unavailable; {{affected_user_groups}}: payroll staff; {{reason_for_change}}: database upgrade; {{user_actions_before}}: submit timesheets by Fri 17:00; {{support_contact}}: service desk.