How to use this list
Trace a recent delayed case with both the sending and receiving roles. Look for evidence of acceptance and the next decision, not only a status showing that someone sent the work.
1. No receiving owner
A department name is used in place of a person or accountable role. Assign who accepts the work and who covers absences.
2. Missing input requirements
The sender does not know what the receiver needs. Define a small readiness record tied to actual delivery prerequisites.
3. Sales promises outside the record
A date or custom request lives only in a conversation. Capture the source and resolve whether the commitment was accepted.
4. No return path
Incomplete work is passed forward without a clear blocker. Let the receiver return a specific missing item to a named owner.
5. Conflicting dates
Systems hold different versions of the next commitment. Identify the source of truth and the person authorized to change it.
6. Retry creates duplicate work
An integration repeats an action after an uncertain result. Check stable identifiers and an exception owner before retrying.
7. Completion means different things
Sent, received, usable, and accepted collapse into one label. Keep the states needed to understand readiness distinct.
8. Billing cannot trace delivery
Approved changes and milestones do not reach the invoice owner. Reconcile scope, completion evidence, and commercial references.
Worked example
Illustrative use: sales marks a deal closed-won, but operations cannot start because access is missing. Adding another notification will not create access or assign the missing prerequisite. The receiving decision and blocker ownership must be defined.
Turn the list into a decision
Select the items connected to your current operating problem. Assign an owner and an evidence source to each one, then use a recent real case to test the proposed change. Keep unresolved assumptions visible and review the result before expanding the process across the business.
Related implementation resources
Discuss the operating problem
Elixir consulting starts at $5,000 per month, with final pricing based on scope. Bring a recent example, the current workflow, and the person who owns the result to define the appropriate implementation scope.