Handoff protocols

Handoff protocols establish clear guidelines for transferring work between different functional teams, from research and design to development and quality assurance.

Here are some examples:

• When product management hands off to design, they should provide clear business requirements, user stories, and success metrics.
• Design teams need to deliver specifications, assets, and interaction documentation to development.
• Development handoffs to QA should include deployment instructions, testing environments, and known limitations.
• Marketing handoffs to design have to include brand guidelines, campaign objectives, and performance targets.

Each handoff should include a standardized checklist covering deliverables, acceptance criteria, and context.^[1] Digital collaboration platforms like Linear, Confluence, or Notion can help streamline handoffs through automated notifications and centralized documentation. Use regular sync meetings during handoff periods to address questions and prevent misalignment between different specialties.