Good collaboration should end with clarity. Know which files, accounts, code and systems are yours — and what support still depends on others.
A finished digital project can look complete while leaving important questions unanswered. Who controls the domain? Where is the source code? Can someone else update the design? Who pays for the services behind it?
These questions matter for a website, but also for a brand identity, app, dashboard or automation.
Know where the work lives
A practical handover begins with an inventory: design source files, exported brand assets, code repositories, hosting accounts, domain registration, databases, external services and integration credentials. Not every project uses all of these, but everything it uses should have an owner.
Separate ownership from access
Having administrator access is not necessarily the same as owning the underlying account or intellectual property. Agree permissions, transfer arrangements and licences in writing, especially for fonts, stock media, software and third-party components.
Understand recurring dependencies
A custom system might depend on hosting, API usage, model services, monitoring or maintenance. Make those dependencies visible rather than discovering them when an invoice arrives or a provider changes.
Plan for change
You should be able to understand how your project works, what can be edited and whom to contact when something breaks. Documentation need not be enormous. It needs to be useful.
Ask before the project begins
Which deliverables are included? Who owns the accounts? What is licensed? Who can maintain the work? How are credentials transferred? Clear answers make a better partnership for everyone.