On a distributed team using a product backlog, high workload has left backlog items poorly detailed. In the retrospective, new members raise knowledge-transfer concerns. What should the project manager do?

The best approach is to ask the team to define their expectations and agree on a knowledge-transfer approach. This aligns with agile principles of self-organizing teams and continuous improvement. By involving the team, you empower them to create a solution that fits their specific needs and context, increasing buy-in and effectiveness. Organizing workshops or hiring a technical writer are prescriptive solutions that might not address the root cause or be the most efficient for the team. Requiring formal email communication adds bureaucracy and doesn't proactively solve the knowledge gap.