Event project handover: what the new colleague needs to know
Seven questions to review a handover and prepare a briefing with EVA Brain that retains agreements, outstanding items and background.
When handing over an event project, the new colleague needs to know what is approved, what remains outstanding and where to find the reasons behind decisions. A file list helps, but is insufficient if nobody can explain which version still applies. With EVA Brain, you can prepare that context from information the project has already received.
Before someone leaves or changes account, use these seven questions to check that their successor can start working. They are not seven new documents to write.
Seven questions for your event handover checklist
- What is the current agreement with the client? Review objectives, approved scope and conditions affecting production. Distinguish a proposal raised in a meeting from a later confirmation.
- Who decides each matter? The new colleague needs to identify who approves content, budget and operational changes, as well as the contacts they will work with.
- Which dates constrain the next task? Include deliveries, outstanding approvals and supplier or venue deadlines. An old date without its amendment can lead to incorrect planning.
- What has been promised but is not yet settled? This might be material for a sponsor, a build adjustment or confirmation of a transfer. Retain the condition, owner and status you know.
- What should we know about suppliers? Beyond contact details, it matters why someone was chosen, which incidents occurred and what was agreed to avoid repeating them.
- Which version should be used? Identify the reference briefing, running order and budget. The latest date on a file does not guarantee its content is approved.
- Which earlier decisions should we retain? A rejected venue, a loading restriction or a format that did not fit can explain how the current plan was reached.
The result of this review is a list of located information and gaps needing clarification. Do not mark a point as resolved merely because a folder with its name exists.
Get the knowledge into project memory
Brain maintains a shared memory from the meetings, emails and documents it receives. You can invite the assistant to meetings and supply relevant communications through sources configured for the project.
The handover then avoids relying on manually reconstructing every conversation on the final day. Documentation forms as the team works, and the person taking over can consult that context from a computer or mobile with the appropriate access.
If a decision was made on a call Brain did not receive, you need to add it. The system cannot recover an agreement known only to the person leaving. Use the review to locate those gaps and store clarifications the team confirms.
Test the handover with a specific task
Suppose Marta takes over a conference and needs to request a catering quote. Laura is leaving the account, but the memory contains the previous debrief and a meeting about special meals.
Marta can ask what was agreed after the incident and request an onboarding briefing adapted to the agency’s brand. That document should separate background, current agreements and matters requiring confirmation.
| Marta’s question | Source worth locating | Work she can prepare |
|---|---|---|
| What happened with the special meals? | Previous edition’s debrief | Review distribution and identification in the new order |
| Was using the supplier again approved? | Client confirmation or recorded agreement | Establish whether she can request the quote or needs approval |
| Which date limits confirmation? | Supplier terms and current plan | Prepare the next step with a checked deadline |
The handover test is whether Marta can use those answers to act with judgement. If approval is missing, it should remain outstanding. If the deadline belongs to the previous edition, she needs to reconfirm it.
The onboarding report can also include links to available sources, so Marta can check a point without relying on Laura to retell the history. Knowledge is shared; reviewing the new quote remains the team’s responsibility.
Check what still depends on one person
After preparing the briefing, ask the new colleague to explain the next step and its conditions. If they still need to ask who approves a change or which supplier was rejected, identify which input is missing from memory.
Check that project access is prepared and its documents are not mixed with other clients’ material. Having history available does not mean everyone in the company should have access to every account.
A change of colleague need not force you to reconstruct the project when information is already organised and can be consulted. We develop that approach in how to retain experience when an agency’s team changes.
To try EVA Brain, choose an account where the next task currently depends on what someone remembers. Use these questions to check whether the successor has the context they need and what requires clarification before continuing.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need a handover meeting if we use Brain?
It can still help clarify gaps and priorities. Brain brings together received context and helps prepare that conversation without spending the entire meeting reconstructing background.
Who should maintain the documentation?
Brain organises and updates its memory from configured sources. The team needs to supply anything outside them and review relevant agreements; it does not have to manually rewrite every transcript or email already received.
Can the new colleague work without asking the team anything?
They can consult the available history, but will still need clarification when information is missing or there is a new decision. The aim is to help them get started with context, not remove collaboration.
