← DictionaryHandoff
also called handover
The transfer of finished work, files and documentation to the owner.
You get the files and the instructions, not just a link.
What It Is
Handoff is a Execution item, filed under Process. In practice it means this: the transfer of finished work, files and documentation to the owner.
It is an idea you reason with rather than a deliverable you hand over, so two teams can both hold it correctly and still apply it differently. That definition is deliberately narrow — the narrowness is what makes it usable.
How It's Used
You will usually meet Handoff in project delivery, scheduling and the handover between people doing the work. It rarely travels alone — expect it next to Deliverable, Documentation and Brand Asset Library. The practical test is whether a decision changes because of it.
Why It Matters
Handoff is cheap to get right early and awkward to fix late. When it is unclear, work still happens — it just happens twice. The businesses that treat it seriously spend less time redoing work.
Imagine a rule of thumb that helps you choose between options. You get the files and the instructions, not just a link.
Termshift™
How the meaning shifts depending on who is using it, and where.
In agency and in-house rooms, Handoff means exactly the transfer of finished work, files and documentation to the owner.
In plain conversation it comes out as you get the files and the instructions, not just a link.
The Bottom Line
Handoff pays off when it is specific and costs you when it is not. You get the files and the instructions, not just a link.