The rehearsal reveals an unresolved handover
The run-through ended with two people each assuming the other would cue the lunch break and release the room.
The short answer
Name one owner for each handover point in the run sheet before the next rehearsal, write the cue in plain words, and test it once. A handover is resolved when one named person says yes and the next person confirms they heard it.
Use the handover pack builder to list each point, its owner and what is still open, and the readiness diagnostic to see which other workstreams share the same gap.
What is known and what is not
| Known | Not yet known |
|---|---|
| The rehearsal ran to time except at the close of the morning plenary, where the room release and the lunch cue overlapped. | Whether the same gap exists at other transitions that were not rehearsed, such as the afternoon close. |
| Both the stage manager and the catering lead believed the other owned the cue. | Who the run sheet names as owner, and whether the sheet in use is the latest version. |
| The programme chair set the lunch time. | Who may change a session end time on the day and who tells the venue. |
| The venue team was not in the rehearsal. | What the venue needs to be told and when, to open the lunch area. |
Who has authority to decide
The programme chair owns the timings. The person running the day, whether stage manager or event lead, owns each cue once the chair has approved the sheet. Each supplier owns its own task only after someone has handed it over by name. Safety, evacuation and room release rules belong to the venue and the competent party, so ask them rather than write them into the run sheet yourselves.
Put each handover in a decision log as a decision with an owner until it is closed.
The realistic options
| Option | What it involves | Consequence to weigh |
|---|---|---|
| Assign owners and rehearse again | Name an owner for each transition, update the run sheet and rehearse the transitions only. | Costs an hour or two. Confirms the fix works. Needs the same people available. |
| Assign owners and walk through on paper | Hold a short call with all leads, read the sheet aloud and confirm each cue. | Cheaper, but untested. Suitable if the gap was one cue and the team is experienced. |
| Add a buffer between sessions | Move the lunch start later so a missed cue costs minutes, not a clash. | Changes the programme and may affect the caterer and speakers. |
| Reduce the transitions | Merge or remove a session so there are fewer handovers on the day. | Affects the programme and the speakers. Needs the chair's approval. |
Communications: who says what to whom
Say it to the team calmly, with the specific gap: this transition had no owner. Give the owner the new cue in one sentence and ask them to repeat it back.
Tell the venue and caterer the confirmed cue and time once it is fixed. Tell speakers only if their end time or stage exit changes.
- Short message template: At the close of the morning plenary, [name] gives the cue to release the room and [name] confirms catering is ready. The run sheet version [number] now shows both. Please confirm you have seen it by [time].
Follow-up and preventing a repeat
- Record each handover point, owner and the date it was confirmed.
- Update the run sheet and send one version, with older versions withdrawn.
- Hold a brief read-through before doors open on the day.
- After the event, list which transitions caused trouble and add owners earlier in the next plan.
Worked example · Fictional example
Persatuan Fiktif Peguam: a lunch cue with no owner
Fictional organisation and figures, written to show the level of detail that is useful.
At the rehearsal of a fictional lawyers' association conference, the morning plenary ends five minutes early. The stage manager waits for catering to signal and the catering lead waits for the stage manager. The room stays full for several minutes.
The event lead writes both names against the transition in the run sheet, adds a one-line cue and asks both to read it back. The venue is told the confirmed time. A short second walk-through covers the three other transitions, and the version number is changed so everybody uses the same sheet.
Use this yourself
Handover points checklist
Complete one line per transition in the run sheet. A line is closed only when the owner and the receiver have both confirmed.
- Transition (from, to, time):
- Owner of the cue:
- Plain-words cue:
- Receiver who confirms:
- Venue or supplier to be told, and by whom:
- Run sheet version where it appears:
- Rehearsed, walked through on paper, or untested:
- Open question for the competent party (room release, safety):
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- The gap is a single cue and the team can rehearse it again.
- One person already owns the run sheet.
- Suppliers are on site and responsive.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- Several handovers had no owner and different teams hold different run sheets.
- The event lead is also doing another job on the day.
- There is no time to rehearse again and priorities conflict.
Want the handovers mapped and owned?
A planning diagnostic can review the run sheet and workstreams for transitions without a named owner and list the decisions needed, with dates. A conference project lead can then coordinate the agreed owner assignments and the second walk-through for a set period. Safety and venue rules stay with the venue and the competent party.
Questions organisers ask
How many handover points should we rehearse?
Rehearse every transition where responsibility moves between people or suppliers. If time is short, start with the ones that release a room or start a meal.
What if the rehearsal cannot be repeated?
Do a read-through on a call with every lead, aloud, and ask each owner to repeat their cue. It is weaker than a rehearsal, so allow a buffer.
Who owns the run sheet?
One named person, usually the event lead or stage manager, after the programme chair has approved the timings.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.