Principlev1
Structure handoffs between workflow stages using
Structure handoffs between workflow stages using sender-responsibility protocols that include situation, background, assessment, and recommendation, rather than assuming receivers will know what questions to ask.
Why This Is a Principle
This principle derives from Open-Loop Cognitive Cost (Zeigarnik) (unresolved commitments consume working memory - handoffs create these), Conversational Memory Asymmetry From Production Planning (working memory splits during conversation, causing information loss), Meaning as Receiver Construction (receivers construct meaning from their own models, so context must be explicit), and Human memory under stress and cognitive load is unreliable (memory under stress is unreliable). The SBAR protocol is the specific prescription for preventing the ~20% information loss at each transition.