Define the work
Set an outcome
Describe the change the project should make. Give the team a concrete result to work toward and a clear way to recognize it.
Make the first successful handoff easy to understand, easy to repeat, and easy to verify.
Agree on the boundaries
Record what is included, who owns each decision, and what would change the plan. Keep the scope close to the work.
Choose the deliverables
| NO. | DELIVERABLE | READY WHEN |
|---|---|---|
| Project brief | Scope and owners are recorded. | |
| Working prototype | The core workflow can be demonstrated. | |
| Handoff package | The next person can reproduce the result. |
Deliver with confidence
A useful handoff makes the next step clear.
Record the decisions
Explain the choices that affect the result. Include the assumptions that matter, the alternatives considered, and the evidence behind the decision.
DECISION LOG / EXAMPLE
Keep the document editable.
Store the content and styles with the project. A future edit should be a small, reviewable change to the source.
Check the handoff
Open the final PDF. Check its text, page breaks, headings, and tables. Then rerun the generation command from a fresh output folder.
- The document answers the brief.
- Every section has a useful heading.
- The source, assets, and run command travel together.
Leave a clear next step
Name the next owner and the action they can take. Keep this instruction near the final output so the work can continue without a separate explanation.
One stylesheet.
Every heading numbered.