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Task Handoff with MCP: Summarize Context for a New Owner

Create comprehensive task handoffs using MCP. This workflow shows you how to pull task descriptions and comments, summarize decisions, list open questions, and draft role-based handoff comments for smooth task transitions.

What This Workflow Accomplishes

Task handoff with MCP streamlines ownership transitions:

Key Outcomes

  • Context gathering: Pull all task information, comments, and history
  • Decision summarization: Extract key decisions made during task work
  • Question identification: List open questions and unresolved items
  • Role-based handoffs: Tailor handoff comments to recipient's role
  • Smooth transitions: Ensure new owner has all necessary context

Prerequisites

Before using this workflow, ensure you have:

Step-by-Step Workflow

Step 1: Gather Task Context

Start by collecting all task information:

Context Gathering Prompt

"Prepare a handoff for task [Task ID or Title]. First, gather all context: - Read the task description and current status - Get all comments on the task - Check task history and status changes - Identify the current assignee Show me all the context you've gathered."

What the AI does:

  1. Calls get_task to get task details
  2. Calls list_task_comments to get all comments
  3. Analyzes task history and status changes
  4. Presents complete context

Step 2: Summarize Decisions

Extract key decisions from comments and history:

Decision Summarization Prompt

"From the task context, identify and summarize: - Key decisions that were made - Technical choices or approaches decided on - Design decisions or trade-offs - Process decisions (how work was done) Present these as a clear list of decisions with brief explanations."

What the AI does:

  1. Analyzes comments for decision markers
  2. Identifies technical and process decisions
  3. Summarizes decisions with context
  4. Presents decision summary

Step 3: Identify Open Questions

List unresolved questions and blockers:

Question Identification Prompt

"Identify open questions and unresolved items: - Questions asked in comments but not answered - Decisions that need to be made - Blockers or dependencies - Areas that need clarification List these as actionable questions for the new owner."

What the AI does:

  1. Scans comments for unanswered questions
  2. Identifies blockers and dependencies
  3. Lists items needing clarification
  4. Formats as actionable questions

Step 4: Determine Recipient Role

Ask about the recipient to tailor the handoff:

Role Identification Prompt

"Who is receiving this handoff? What is their role? - Engineer, designer, product manager, etc. - Their level of familiarity with the task - What context they need most Use this to tailor the handoff comment appropriately."

What the AI does:

  1. Waits for user to specify recipient role
  2. Adjusts handoff tone and detail level
  3. Focuses on relevant context for that role

Step 5: Draft Handoff Comment

Create a comprehensive handoff comment:

Handoff Drafting Prompt

"Draft a handoff comment that includes: - Brief task summary - Current status and progress - Key decisions made (from step 2) - Open questions and next steps (from step 3) - Relevant links or resources - Tailored to the recipient's role Format it clearly with sections. Show me the draft before posting."

What the AI does:

  1. Compiles all gathered information
  2. Formats as structured handoff comment
  3. Tailors to recipient role
  4. Presents draft for review

Step 6: Post Handoff Comment (with Confirmation)

⚠️ Always Confirm Before Posting Comments

When posting handoff comments:

  • Preview First: Show comment text before posting
  • Confirmation Token: Require "CONFIRM" before adding comment
  • Verify Task: Confirm which task the comment will be added to

Safe Comment Posting Prompt

"Post the handoff comment on task [Task ID]. But first, show me exactly what comment you'll post. Wait for CONFIRM before adding the comment."

What the AI does:

  1. Shows comment preview
  2. Waits for "CONFIRM"
  3. Only after confirmation, calls add_task_comment
  4. Confirms comment was posted

Complete Workflow Prompts

Here are complete, copy-paste ready prompts:

Full Handoff Workflow

"Create a handoff for task [Task ID]: 1. Gather all task context (description, comments, history) 2. Summarize key decisions made 3. Identify open questions and next steps 4. Ask me: who is receiving this handoff and what is their role? 5. Draft a handoff comment tailored to that role 6. Show me the draft 7. After I approve, show me what comment you'll post 8. Wait for CONFIRM 9. Add the comment to the task Important: Don't add the comment until I type CONFIRM."

Use this when: You want a complete handoff workflow

Quick Handoff

"Create a handoff comment for task [Task ID]. The recipient is a [role]. Include: task summary, decisions made, open questions, and next steps. Show me the draft first."

Use this when: You want a quick handoff without full workflow

Workflow Variants by Role

Variant 1: Engineer to Engineer

Technical handoff with code and implementation details:

"Create a technical handoff for an engineer. Focus on: - Implementation approach and technical decisions - Code structure and patterns used - Testing strategy and coverage - Known issues or technical debt - Next steps for implementation Keep it technical and actionable."

What happens: AI creates engineer-focused handoff with technical details

Variant 2: Engineer to Product Manager

Business-focused handoff with status and blockers:

"Create a handoff for a product manager. Focus on: - Current status and progress - Business decisions made - Blockers and dependencies - Timeline implications - Next steps and recommendations Keep it business-focused, avoid deep technical details."

What happens: AI creates PM-focused handoff with business context

Variant 3: Designer to Engineer

Design-to-implementation handoff:

"Create a handoff for an engineer implementing a design. Include: - Design decisions and rationale - Design specifications and requirements - Edge cases and responsive behavior - Design system components used - Implementation notes and considerations Bridge design and implementation context."

What happens: AI creates design-to-engineering handoff

Example: Complete Handoff Session

Here's a real example of how a handoff session flows:

User Prompt

"Create a handoff for task 'Implement user authentication'. The recipient is an engineer. Show me the draft first, then wait for CONFIRM before posting."

AI Response (Handoff Draft)

Handoff Comment Draft:

Task Summary:

Implementing user authentication system with email/password registration and login. Current status: in_progress, ~60% complete.

Key Decisions Made:

  • Using JWT tokens for authentication (24-hour expiration)
  • Password requirements: min 8 chars, uppercase, lowercase, number
  • Storing hashed passwords using bcrypt
  • Email verification will be added in next phase

Open Questions:

  • Should we implement "remember me" functionality?
  • What rate limiting should we apply to login attempts?

Next Steps:

  • Complete password reset flow
  • Add unit tests for auth endpoints
  • Set up monitoring for failed login attempts

Ready to post? Type CONFIRM to add this handoff comment to the task.

Safety Patterns

⚠️ Confirmation Rules for Comment Posting

When posting handoff comments:

  • Always preview: Show comment text before posting
  • Require explicit confirmation: Use "CONFIRM" token before adding comment
  • Verify task: Confirm which task the comment will be added to
  • Review content: Ensure handoff is accurate and complete before posting

Learn more about safe write workflows →

Troubleshooting

Missing Context

Symptom: Handoff lacks important information

Possible causes:

  • Task has few or no comments
  • Important context is in external documents

Fix: Provide additional context: "Also include: [additional information]"

Too Technical or Too Simple

Symptom: Handoff doesn't match recipient's needs

Possible causes:

  • Role wasn't specified clearly
  • AI didn't adjust detail level

Fix: Specify role clearly: "The recipient is a [specific role] with [level] experience"

Related Tools

This workflow uses these Corcava MCP tools:

get_task

Get task details and context

list_task_comments

Gather comment history for context

add_task_comment

Post handoff comment

Related Use Cases

Acceptance Criteria

Include acceptance criteria in handoffs

Project Kickoff

Hand off new projects to teams

Streamline Task Handoffs

Connect your AI assistant to Corcava and create comprehensive handoff summaries

Get Started →Tool Reference