An expert is leaving. Keep their know-how

At Syntalith, we can combine that knowledge transfer with building a Company Brain. The proposed project includes conversations with the expert about a selected area of work, written explanations for the expert to review, and an application that retrieves them alongside current instructions. The successor can ask a question in their own words and open the material behind the answer. We agree on the scope with the person responsible for the handover.

What the expert needs to explain

Suppose a customer operations team's instructions say to send a draft delivery schedule to a contact at the receiving company. They do not explain why the team must wait for a reply. The departing specialist remembers that the customer first needs to coordinate receiving the deliveries. To her, that step is obvious. Her successor sees a finished schedule and wonders why it cannot be confirmed yet.

We capture that explanation during the conversation. The specialist checks that it accurately describes the arrangement, and the person responsible for the account confirms that it still applies. When the successor later asks why a draft needs to be sent, the assistant explains the reason for waiting and links to the instructions and reviewed note. The employee understands why the team is holding off on confirming the schedule and can explain this to colleagues preparing the deliveries.

These conversations should focus on situations that still send colleagues back to one person. The expert shows the relevant documents and explains how a particular way of working came about. The successor also asks about things the expert takes for granted. AI cannot reconstruct an explanation that nobody has voiced or recorded. The expert needs time set aside for the conversations and for checking the notes.

Let the successor use the materials before taking over

During a joint review, the successor asks the application about work they will soon handle independently. Missing explanations can be added while the expert is still available. The manager can see which tasks the successor can already work through using the materials and which need further discussion.

Recording someone's recollections also means distinguishing past habits from current practice. An expert may remember arranging deliveries by phone even though the team now uses another form of contact. Employees should find the current instructions in the application and understand the context of any historical explanation. After the expert leaves, someone at the company needs to update the materials when arrangements change. That responsibility belongs with a person who continues to work in the area.

When to add an application to the handover

For a few clearly described tasks, shared notes and time working alongside the successor may be enough. NASA's guide to knowledge continuity during staff transitions recommends identifying sole holders of knowledge, planning transitions, and using interviews and supporting materials to preserve continuity.

An application has a stronger case when explanations span many instructions and successive new employees will need them. A new colleague does not have to know a note's title or remember which conversation covered a particular situation. They can ask about their own problem, read an answer with a source link, and find out who currently handles the matter. In this kind of project, Syntalith combines capturing the missing explanations with making them searchable during everyday work.

If the materials already exist but combining teams has made the right instructions harder to find, see our article on an AI knowledge base after a business acquisition.

Where to start with Syntalith

Tell us about the departing colleague's responsibilities and a question the team still brings only to that person. We can discuss what needs to be captured in conversations and whether an application would help people use the materials afterward. See Syntalith's pricing page for the commercial details.

Your company needs to make time available with the expert and involve the successor, who will review the materials against familiar work. Together, we also identify who will keep them up to date and agree on which documents and explanations each group of employees will use.