Key finding
The study would test whether two-shift delay comes from the handoff, the decision, or the rework loop.
Question and scope
This is a proposed research protocol, not a report of completed findings. It asks where delay accumulates in a two-shift handoff. The result would separate the handoff wait, the decision wait, and the rework. Use the same format for every handover so the next reader can scan it. The change note should keep the original brief visible. The access review should name the role and the permission level.
The protocol does not measure the quality of the decision. It measures the time spent waiting at each stage. Write the deadline as a date and a local time. Ask whether a new reviewer could act on the record without a conversation. The change note should keep the original brief visible. A handoff that cannot be confirmed is not yet complete.
Population and unit of analysis
Define the population as tasks that crossed a shift boundary during a stated window. The unit is one task, with the handoff time, the decision time, and the completion time recorded. If the source is unclear, route the question instead of guessing. Record the exception and the person who approved it. The capacity plan should use productive hours, not scheduled hours. The client owner should see the trade-off before the scope changes.
Link the task to the handoff so the same work is not counted twice. Separate what was observed from what was assumed. Write the deadline as a date and a local time. Keep the original note beside the corrected version. A handoff that cannot be confirmed is not yet complete. The offshore team should record the local time for both locations.
Definitions and measures
Define handoff wait as the time between the task being ready and the next shift accepting it. Define decision wait as the time between acceptance and the owner's decision. Write the deadline as a date and a local time. Keep the boundary visible in the place where the work is assigned. The status vocabulary should be short enough to remember. The quality sample should link the finding to the source update.
Report each stage separately. A single total hides which stage is responsible. Keep the original note beside the corrected version. Ask whether a new reviewer could act on the record without a conversation. The client owner should see the trade-off before the scope changes. The capacity plan should use productive hours, not scheduled hours.
Evidence standard
Use system timestamps and the handoff note. For a decision made in a meeting, record the meeting date and the note. Name the owner in the same line as the action. Review the first few notes together before the process expands. The quality sample should link the finding to the source update. The client owner should see the trade-off before the scope changes.
Mark reconstructed times as estimates. Keep the boundary visible in the place where the work is assigned. Review the first few notes together before the process expands. Separate what was observed from what was assumed. The status vocabulary should be short enough to remember. The quality sample should link the finding to the source update.
Sampling and collection
Use a census of the crossing tasks if the volume is manageable. If sampling is necessary, stratify by task type and shift. If the source is unclear, route the question instead of guessing. Keep the boundary visible in the place where the work is assigned. The change note should keep the original brief visible. The review should leave one owner and one date.
Pilot the collection on a few tasks and compare the reviewers. Clarify how a weekend is treated. Separate what was observed from what was assumed. A short note with four fields is easier to use than a long narrative. The client owner should see the trade-off before the scope changes. The onboarding plan should end with a written readiness decision.
Analysis and reporting
Report the delay distribution for each stage. Show the tasks where the handoff wait was the largest component. If the source is unclear, route the question instead of guessing. Update the template when the same question appears twice. The change note should keep the original brief visible. The quality sample should link the finding to the source update.
Present the results as a description of the process, not a judgment about the shift. Name the stage to fix first. A short note with four fields is easier to use than a long narrative. Record the date and the source so the next reviewer can repeat the check. The review should leave one owner and one date. The change note should keep the original brief visible.
Limits and sources of error
The handoff may have been verbal and recorded later. The decision may have been made before it was documented. Review the first few notes together before the process expands. Keep the boundary visible in the place where the work is assigned. A handoff that cannot be confirmed is not yet complete. The offshore team should record the local time for both locations.
State the channels and the period. Keep the boundary visible in the place where the work is assigned. Separate what was observed from what was assumed. Record the exception and the person who approved it. The capacity plan should use productive hours, not scheduled hours. The access review should name the role and the permission level.
Review cadence
Repeat the review after a process change or at the same interval each quarter. Compare the same stages and definitions. Review the first few notes together before the process expands. Keep the original note beside the corrected version. The offshore team should record the local time for both locations. The change note should keep the original brief visible.
Assign the follow-up to the team lead and set a date. The protocol should produce a specific decision about the handoff rule. Use the same format for every handover so the next reader can scan it. Review the first few notes together before the process expands. The change note should keep the original brief visible. The shift report should show the export time and the system.
Sources
Apply this research to your workflow
Use the protocol to define the records, review owner, and decision boundaries before work is delegated.
Discuss your workflow