What Should a Good Handover Let Someone Stop Asking?

A handover can list every task and still leave the next person unsure when to use judgment, where decisions sit, or what to do when the usual process doesn’t fit.

The aim isn’t to preserve an expert’s presence forever. It’s to pass on enough context for someone new to make sound decisions—and to know when they need help, without having to ask the same person every time.

When a colleague moves on from a role, what knowledge is most important to transfer so their successor can act independently? What has helped your team capture it without turning the handover into a rulebook for every exception?