I’m back!

Last month, I wrote an article about the importance and value of a transition plan. Last month, I also transitioned into a new client project role. I must admit, I approached this undertaking with a bit of trepidation. I had two weeks to fully transition, and the resource that was transitioning to me had been providing the services for close to two years. How was I possibly going to absorb that much knowledge in such a short time?

The resource quickly appeased my fears by sending me a copy of the transition plan, which I immediately printed, and is now tattered and frayed since I carried it around wherever I went. During the transition period, there was a series of meetings, each with a specific focus. An important aspect of these sessions was when my colleague and I methodically stepped through each transition item, checking things off as I acquired a solid understanding of the task or deliverable for which I would take ownership. Having a plan in place that included all of the key required elements (i.e. Deliverables / Tasks, Descriptions, Knowledge / Skills, File Locations) to guide me through the process enabled me to ask questions and clarify my understanding of each item. Focusing first on the most important things allowed me to maximize my time, ensuring that I had a high comfort level at the end of the transition.

In line with the 1:1 transition meetings, I also participated in key client activities to acquaint myself with the cadence that was established and to get to know the resources with whom I would soon be interacting on the project. This was key in helping to establish a seamless experience for the client.

As I write this, the transition is complete. I am thankful that a well-designed transition plan led to an expedient and successful transition, allowing me to hit the ground running and provide continuity to my client. Now, I am ready for a vacation, which means that I have performed a mini-transition for one of my other projects. Due to another well-designed transition plan, I have someone ready to step in for me with no impact to the project schedule.