Trace the information, not just the people
- What arrives at the trigger: form fields, email text, call note, file or message?
- What is copied, transformed, summarised, approved or discarded?
- Where is the authoritative record after each handoff?
- What information does the next person need but fail to receive?
Northstar handoff
A customer emails a product list. The coordinator creates a CRM note, but attachments and urgency are not consistently recorded. A salesperson searches prior quotes and supplier emails. When stock is unavailable, the reason may stay in a personal mailbox. The next follow-up has no reliable context.
AI is not the first fix for every handoff
A required CRM field, a shared queue, or a better ownership rule can outperform a model. Your professional value comes from comparing those options honestly. Use AI only where it adds a capability such as extracting structured details, summarising approved evidence, or drafting a reviewable response.
Handoff map Trigger -> input -> owner -> system of record -> decision -> next owner Example Email request -> attachment + text -> coordinator -> CRM -> qualify? -> sales Missing information: urgency, attachment metadata, prior customer context Failure effect: delayed or inconsistent quote follow-up
Practical mission
Draw Northstar's quote-request handoff in six nodes. Circle one missing datum and write one non-AI repair before proposing an AI capability.