Part 3: Assign Roles & Make Handoffs Explicit

Why do handoffs break processes more than anything else?

Because work stalls in the invisible gap between people. When a step finishes but the next owner doesn't know it's their turn, the work waits — and no one notices until it's late. Making handoffs explicit is the highest-leverage fix in process implementation.

This is part 3 of the Process Implementation Playbook.

Give every step a single owner

• Assign each step to a role, not a named person, so the process survives staffing changes.
• One step, one accountable owner. Shared ownership means no ownership.
• Use a simple RACI lens if helpful: who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed.

Make handoffs automatic

A good handoff has three parts:

1. A signal — the next owner is notified the moment it's their turn.
2. Context — they can see what was done and what they need.
3. A due date — so the work has urgency.

In ProcessKit, role assignment, next-step indicators, and notifications make handoffs automatic. The work tells people when it's their turn.

Common handoff anti-patterns to avoid

• "I'll just Slack them when it's ready" (relies on memory)
• Steps with no owner ("someone will pick it up")
• Handoffs with no context (the next person has to ask)

Continue the series

⬅️ Previous: Part 2 — Map the work to reality ➡️ Next: Part 4 — Automate the busywork