Before nearshore
A transition brief should explain the work before it names a delivery location.
Separate the decisions
Write down why a different delivery model is being considered. Coverage, language capacity and access to specialised skills lead to different operating choices. Ask which decisions remain with the client and which can be made by the delivery team; a location cannot compensate for an unresolved authority boundary.
Inspect an ordinary week
Review the mix of contacts, support hours, specialist availability and coaching commitments over a normal week. Then consider a disruption. The useful comparison is the complete working arrangement, including handovers and escalation, rather than a headline difference in hourly cost.
Agree the entry criteria
Before transition, define the access, knowledge and review arrangements needed for a limited first scope. Identify who can pause expansion when a dependency is unresolved. A small, well-understood start gives both organisations evidence for the next decision.