When an issue needs another tier
Escalate when the current team cannot resolve the issue or needs support beyond its scope.
An escalation asks another tier for a decision, coordination, or support the current team cannot provide. Raise issues through the configured Live Boards and Frontline Execution process so the right people can review and track them.
Use the team's agreed route for urgent safety concerns; this guide does not replace local emergency or incident-reporting procedures.
Make the handoff clear
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1
Describe the issue and impact
State what happened or is blocked, where it affects the work, and why it needs support beyond the current tier.
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2
Summarize what the team checked
Share the relevant observations and actions already taken so the receiving tier can see what is known.
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3
Name the support needed
Ask for a specific decision, coordination, resource, or other help rather than sending an unexplained issue upward.
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4
Carry the next action forward
Use the configured process to make the owner and next action clear. The receiving tier reviews the issue and provides support or passes it onward through its route.
Follow the configured route
Tier names, local ownership, and escalation routes depend on the organization's setup. Check Live Boards and Frontline Execution for the current route and tracking; do not rely on a static copy of the process.
A useful escalation preserves the issue, what has already been checked, the support requested, and the next owner. If the receiving tier cannot resolve it, it passes the issue onward through the configured process.
Related guidance
Learn what the five SQDCP lenses cover on How Our Daily Board Works.
Review the meeting sequence on Running the Tier Meeting.
Open Live Boards and Frontline Execution for current items, schedules, and routing.