Overgangtop

Overgangtop is a Dutch term used to describe the moment in a transition when the change is most pronounced or when the system undergoes its most critical shift. It refers to the peak or culmination of a transitional phase rather than its onset or completion.

The word combines overgang (transition) and top (peak). It is not a formal technical term in most disciplines; its exact meaning is context-dependent and may be replaced by more precise terms such as turning point, omschakelpunt, or hoogtepunt van de overgang.

In project management, the overgangtop may denote the point at which a new process becomes the dominant mode of operation, signaling readiness to move from pilot activities or staged implementation into full deployment.

In data analysis or social science, the term can describe the point in a time series or behavioral curve where the rate of change is greatest during a transition, such as when a policy takes effect across a population or a career transition reaches its most disruptive phase.

The term is more common in informal reporting, journalism, and organizational discourse than in formal manuals. It is often clarified with additional descriptors to avoid ambiguity, for example by specifying the domain, metrics, or time window relevant to the transition.

See also: turning point, transition point, hoogtepunt, omschakelpunt.