Outsourcing Assumptions Log
This is a practical guide to building a assumptions log for an outsourcing project — a register of the assumptions the plan depends on, to be validated, adapted to the realities of outsourcing a function to an external provider.
What a Assumptions Log is
A assumptions log is a register of the assumptions the plan depends on, to be validated. For the full concept and how it works in general, see Project Assumption. On an outsourcing project it plays the same role, tuned to this kind of work.
Why it matters for an Outsourcing project
Outsourcing projects live or die on outsourcing a function to an external provider. A well-built assumptions log gives the team a shared, explicit reference for exactly that — reducing ambiguity, aligning stakeholders, and making problems visible early enough to act. Skipping it, or doing it generically, is how outsourcing projects drift into avoidable delay and cost.
What to include
- Assumption
- Impact if wrong
- Owner
- Validation status
Outsourcing-specific considerations
Tailor the assumptions log to the risks that most often derail outsourcing projects:
- Knowledge transfer
- Service-level definition
- People impact
Example
On a real outsourcing project, the assumptions log would be shaped by outsourcing a function to an external provider. In particular, it should explicitly account for the project’s biggest risks — knowledge transfer, service-level definition, people impact — rather than treating them as afterthoughts.