A project passes through four departments, and nothing gets lost at the hand-offs
A book goes from candidate and rights check to print and release, and each stage belongs to a different department. Context gets lost at every hand-off: who did what and where the project stands. And a return for rework mentioned in a chat is easy to miss.
1 button
to hand a project to the next department — instead of messages in a chat
Client under NDA
4 departments
work in one system instead of scattered spreadsheets and chats
15+ stages
of a project — from candidate to release
Before
Spreadsheets and chats in every department
- Person
Each department keeps its own spreadsheet
- Person
Hand the project to the next department with a chat message
- Person
Chase who did what and what stage the book is at
- Person
Forward new versions of the estimate and check which is the latest
- Person
Post in the chat that the project was sent back for rework
A return for rework is easy to miss when it is mentioned in a chat.
After
One card and one button per hand-off
- System
The project has one card shared by all departments
- Person1 button
A department finishes its stage and passes the project on
- System
The card appears in the next department’s space
- System
A return for rework is highlighted — it cannot be missed
- Person
The final estimate is marked explicitly — everyone sees the same numbers
How it works
- 1
Each department has its own space
Sales, editorial, back office and marketing each work in their own space, but on the same project card. Nothing has to be retyped from one spreadsheet into another.
- 2
The project’s path by stages
Stages are numbered: from candidate and rights check to print, pre-order and release. At any moment you can see where each project is.
- 3
Hand-off and return by button
Finish a stage, press a button, and the card goes to the next department. If a project is sent back for rework, it is highlighted.
- 4
Estimate versions do not get mixed up
The project economics keep every iteration, and the final version is marked explicitly. Departments do not argue over whose numbers are right.
- 5
Training and changes
Each department is trained and gets the access it needs. When the process changes, stages and buttons are reconfigured along with it.
What it is made of
NotionWhere all four departments work.
Project card
One for the whole path: stage, estimates, who did what.
Department spaces
Each department has its own workspace — with the same cards.
Buttons
Pass a project on or send it back for rework in one press.
A good fit if
- Your projects pass through several departments: sales → production → launch.
- Hand-offs between departments happen in chats and spreadsheets.
- Estimates are revised several times, and mixing up versions is costly.
Common questions
Does this work beyond books?
Yes: any project that passes through several departments — sales → production → launch — can be laid out the same way.
What if the process changes?
Stages and buttons are reconfigured for the new process — the system evolves with the team.