FROM QUESTION TO OUTCOME

A clear way forward.

  1. 01

    Name the stages

    Define who checks accuracy, who reviews scope, and who gives final approval. Decide whether reviews happen in parallel or one after another.

  2. 02

    Keep proposals visible

    Show the current wording, proposed change, reason, and unresolved objections. Record requests for changes as distinct from rejection or approval.

  3. 03

    Approve a version

    Ask the authorized person to accept the specific revision. Material edits after approval should return to review rather than inherit the previous decision.

ILLUSTRATIVE WORKFLOW / PLANNED EXPERIENCE

A statement of work with three reviewers

The starting point
A client, account manager, and delivery lead all need to review a scope document. Comments are scattered across messages.
The shared work
The planned review keeps scope questions together, sends cost questions to the right owner, and routes the revised version through the agreed stages.
The intended outcome
Everyone can see what is waiting, whose decision is needed, and which document was approved.

Received, reviewed, and approved are different states

A casual message such as ‘looks good’ can refer to one detail rather than the whole document. Agree what a formal approval means and who is allowed to give it. Acknowledging receipt should not silently authorize publication, spending, or a contractual change.

A useful review record includes the version, reviewer, decision, time, and any conditions. If a reviewer requests a change, preserve the question until someone resolves it. An assistant should summarize the outstanding decision rather than erase the objection from the next draft.

A FEW USEFUL ANSWERS

Before you begin.

Can approval happen in stages?

Yes, a review process can require one person to finish before the next begins. Define the order and what happens when someone requests changes. Sequential agent-assisted approvals are part of the product we are designing.

Does document approval count as a legal signature?

Treat internal approval and signing as separate processes. Use a suitable signing service and obtain appropriate advice for legal execution requirements.

What if the document changes after approval?

Preserve the approved version and identify the new changes. The people responsible should decide whether the new revision needs another approval.