{"id":16478,"date":"2025-11-29T19:19:20","date_gmt":"2025-11-29T18:19:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/the-domino-effect-of-pm-changes-in-it-projects-why-lack-of-handover-is-the-biggest-risk\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T20:40:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T18:40:47","slug":"the-domino-effect-of-pm-changes-in-it-projects-why-lack-of-handover-is-the-biggest-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/en\/the-domino-effect-of-pm-changes-in-it-projects-why-lack-of-handover-is-the-biggest-risk\/","title":{"rendered":"The Domino Effect of PM Changes in IT Projects: Why Lack of Handover Is the Biggest Risk"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"16478\" class=\"elementor elementor-16478 elementor-15203\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fb7aeea e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"fb7aeea\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b28ef8d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b28ef8d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Domino Effect of PM Changes in IT Projects: Why Lack of Handover Is the Biggest Risk<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-db719ed e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"db719ed\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c00e91e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c00e91e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"281\" data-end=\"469\">Imagine this situation: <strong data-start=\"305\" data-end=\"333\">a PM change in an IT project<\/strong>. Anna takes over the project from Piotr. The documentation is &#8220;complete,&#8221; tasks are in Jira, statuses in Confluence \u2013 everything seems under control.  <\/p><p data-start=\"471\" data-end=\"696\">But after a few days, problems begin: conflicting priorities, decisions require escalation, a key stakeholder refuses to accept changes. The team feels the pressure, and information chaos quickly turns into decision-making chaos. <\/p><p data-start=\"698\" data-end=\"793\">This is a classic example of the domino effect that occurs in IT projects when there is <strong data-start=\"771\" data-end=\"790\">no handover<\/strong>.<\/p><hr data-start=\"795\" data-end=\"798\"><h2 data-start=\"800\" data-end=\"863\">The Domino Effect: From Information Chaos to Decision-Making Chaos<\/h2><p data-start=\"865\" data-end=\"916\">Informal <strong data-start=\"877\" data-end=\"894\">handover in IT<\/strong> creates a vicious cycle:<\/p><ol data-start=\"918\" data-end=\"1113\"><li data-start=\"918\" data-end=\"951\"><p data-start=\"921\" data-end=\"951\">Lack of knowledge \u2192 wrong decisions<\/p><\/li><li data-start=\"952\" data-end=\"983\"><p data-start=\"955\" data-end=\"983\">Wrong decisions \u2192 escalations<\/p><\/li><li data-start=\"984\" data-end=\"1017\"><p data-start=\"987\" data-end=\"1017\">Escalations \u2192 pressure on the team<\/p><\/li><li data-start=\"1018\" data-end=\"1068\"><p data-start=\"1021\" data-end=\"1068\">Pressure \u2192 another <strong data-start=\"1038\" data-end=\"1066\">Project Manager rotation<\/strong><\/p><\/li><li data-start=\"1069\" data-end=\"1113\"><p data-start=\"1072\" data-end=\"1113\">Another rotation \u2192 even greater chaos<\/p><\/li><\/ol><p data-start=\"1115\" data-end=\"1371\">I have seen this dozens of times in companies that claim &#8220;everything is documented in Jira.&#8221; Technical documentation and tasks cannot replace <strong data-start=\"1261\" data-end=\"1284\">contextual knowledge<\/strong>, meaning the subtle decisions, dependencies between tasks, and relationships with stakeholders. <\/p><hr data-start=\"1373\" data-end=\"1376\"><h2 data-start=\"1378\" data-end=\"1451\">Why Lack of Handover During a PM Transition in an IT Project Is So Dangerous<\/h2><ul data-start=\"1453\" data-end=\"1951\"><li data-start=\"1453\" data-end=\"1582\"><p data-start=\"1455\" data-end=\"1582\"><strong data-start=\"1455\" data-end=\"1488\">Loss of project context<\/strong> \u2013 the new PM does not understand why decisions were made or which dependencies are critical.<\/p><\/li><li data-start=\"1583\" data-end=\"1723\"><p data-start=\"1585\" data-end=\"1723\"><strong data-start=\"1585\" data-end=\"1612\">Inconsistent priorities<\/strong> \u2013 lack of formal knowledge transfer causes conflicts within the team and misunderstanding of stakeholder expectations.<\/p><\/li><li data-start=\"1724\" data-end=\"1839\"><p data-start=\"1726\" data-end=\"1839\"><strong data-start=\"1726\" data-end=\"1758\">Chaos in decision-making<\/strong> \u2013 every decision requires escalation or additional analysis, which slows down the project.<\/p><\/li><li data-start=\"1840\" data-end=\"1951\"><p data-start=\"1842\" data-end=\"1951\"><strong data-start=\"1842\" data-end=\"1883\">Pressure on the team and another PM rotation<\/strong> \u2013 lack of stability generates pressure, closing the vicious cycle of chaos.<\/p><\/li><\/ul><hr data-start=\"1953\" data-end=\"1956\"><h2 data-start=\"1958\" data-end=\"2003\">How to Reduce Risk During a PM turnover in IT<\/h2><p data-start=\"2005\" data-end=\"2118\">Companies that want to maintain project stability despite <strong data-start=\"2058\" data-end=\"2086\">Project Manager Transition<\/strong> implement systematic practices:<\/p><ul data-start=\"2120\" data-end=\"2675\"><li data-start=\"2120\" data-end=\"2227\"><p data-start=\"2122\" data-end=\"2227\"><strong data-start=\"2122\" data-end=\"2148\">Formal handover in IT<\/strong> \u2013 documentation, checklist, and meetings transferring the full project context.<\/p><\/li><li data-start=\"2228\" data-end=\"2358\"><p data-start=\"2230\" data-end=\"2358\"><strong data-start=\"2230\" data-end=\"2269\">Shadowing \/ reverse shadowing sessions<\/strong> \u2013 the new PM takes over responsibilities under the supervision of the outgoing PM to learn the project&#8217;s subtleties.<\/p><\/li><li data-start=\"2359\" data-end=\"2465\"><p data-start=\"2361\" data-end=\"2465\"><strong data-start=\"2361\" data-end=\"2378\">GAP Challenge<\/strong> \u2013 a quick project assessment on a 0\u20135 scale allows detection of knowledge gaps and critical risks.<\/p><\/li><li data-start=\"2466\" data-end=\"2562\"><p data-start=\"2468\" data-end=\"2562\"><strong data-start=\"2468\" data-end=\"2498\">Risk maps for PM Transition<\/strong> \u2013 planning potential threats and contingency scenarios.<\/p><\/li><li data-start=\"2563\" data-end=\"2675\"><p data-start=\"2565\" data-end=\"2675\"><strong data-start=\"2565\" data-end=\"2594\">First 72-hour checklist<\/strong> \u2013 rapid introduction of the new PM to priorities, dependencies, and key contacts.<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p data-start=\"2677\" data-end=\"2798\">These practices demonstrate that <strong data-start=\"2702\" data-end=\"2730\">handover during a PM turnover<\/strong> is not a cost, but a strategic investment in IT project resilience.<\/p><hr data-start=\"2800\" data-end=\"2803\"><h2 data-start=\"2805\" data-end=\"2820\">Summary<\/h2><p data-start=\"2822\" data-end=\"3078\">Lack of formal <strong data-start=\"2838\" data-end=\"2867\">handover in IT projects<\/strong> is one of the most underestimated project risks. It can lead to problem escalation, pressure on the team, and subsequent PM rotations, which in practice increases costs and extends project delivery time. <\/p><p data-start=\"3080\" data-end=\"3325\">Implementing systematic knowledge transfer procedures during a <strong data-start=\"3135\" data-end=\"3164\">PM transition in an IT project<\/strong> is not only a project management best practice \u2013 it is a <strong data-start=\"3224\" data-end=\"3268\">strategic safeguard for IT projects<\/strong> that minimizes chaos and increases the chances of success.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-085e56d e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"085e56d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e5cb594 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e5cb594\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/OKK-LOGO-i-identyfikacja9-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-image-16236\" alt=\"Ola Kanofocka Project &amp; Program Management\" srcset=\"https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/OKK-LOGO-i-identyfikacja9-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/OKK-LOGO-i-identyfikacja9-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/OKK-LOGO-i-identyfikacja9-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/OKK-LOGO-i-identyfikacja9-590x590.png 590w, https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/OKK-LOGO-i-identyfikacja9-100x100.png 100w, https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/OKK-LOGO-i-identyfikacja9.png 875w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Domino Effect of PM Changes in IT Projects: Why Lack of Handover Is the Biggest Risk Imagine this situation: a PM change in an IT project.&hellip;<\/p>\n<p> <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/en\/the-domino-effect-of-pm-changes-in-it-projects-why-lack-of-handover-is-the-biggest-risk\/\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16479,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,189,186,185],"tags":[194,200,198,199],"class_list":["post-16478","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bez-kategorii","category-competencies","category-methods-and-tools","category-programs","tag-pm-rotation","tag-project-continuity-2","tag-project-handover-2","tag-project-takeover-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16478","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16478"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16478\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16551,"href":"https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16478\/revisions\/16551"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olakanofocka.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}