A poorly planned handover can result in wasted time, repeated work, and confusion for the person taking over. Imagine walking into a project with no context, outdated documentation, and a scattering of files across different systems. It’s frustrating and it’s preventable.
There’s no one-size-fits-all template for a handover. It should be tailored to your project, your role, and whether the handover is temporary (e.g. vacation) or permanent (e.g. project transition). But you should always plan from the perspective of the person receiving the handover.
The first blocker for any new person is access. Remove that hurdle by organizing:
Coordinate with sysadmins or clients in advance to avoid blockers.
Don’t leave your successor scavenging for files. If your team doesn’t already have a designated location for handover assets, create a central folder (e.g. SharePoint or a shared drive) and include:
At the root level, add a _instructions.md or README to explain the folder structure and what each file contains.
/Project-Handover
├── _instructions.md
├── Designs (links to Figma)
├── Docs
└── 01_Architecture.md
├── Code (links to repos)
└── Tasks (exported backlog, priority list)
✅ Figure: Good example – A structured handover folder with an index file for guidance
If your team already has a defined location (like a client-managed drive or internal system), follow that instead and just make sure your files are up to date and easy to navigate.
Some things just won’t be clear by looking at files. Write down:
Good documentation avoids repeated questions and poor decisions.
Don’t leave future tasks buried in meeting notes or your memory. If follow-ups are expected from workshops, client discussions, or ongoing work, log them now.
Make each ticket clear and self-contained:
This ensures nothing falls through the cracks and gives your successor a clear path forward, with everything they need in one place.
In some cases, a short video is more helpful than a wall of text. Add:
Label each video clearly with what it covers and why it’s useful.
New joiners can feel overwhelmed. Help them ramp up with a structured welcome message that links them to the right places and explains what to do first.
Hi John,
Welcome to the project! 🎉
Here’s a quick guide to help you get set up and familiar with everything:
Let me know if anything’s unclear or if you need help with access.
Regards,
✅ Figure: Good example – A clear onboarding email helps reduce first-day confusion
Book a live session to:
Make it conversational, not just a reading of your notes.
Introduce your successor to:
Bonus: Share cultural context like who’s approachable, communication norms, or anything helpful to avoid social blind spots (no bias or gossip!).
By thinking of your handover as a user experience for your successor, you help ensure the transition is clear, respectful, and productive for everyone.