How to Fix Your Agency's Feedback Workflow (In Under 5 Minutes)
Reduce the round of amends to zero.
There is one thing that drives me insane, and that’s repetitive rounds of feedback (and amends) on what should be a straight forward piece of work.
The maximum I ever had (from years back) was 30 rounds of amends on a 100+ page iPad application, where the content was technical in nature, so needed a lot of checking, review and sign off.
Not surprisingly, we had a freelancer designer quit after working until 4am on the delivery day.
Now, if you work in an agency, and you're managing any form of marketing project, that may resonate, and you’re probably facing these challenges:
Multiple people (account handling, strategy, senior creatives etc.) need to review the work.
Vague feedback that's hard to action.
People using the comments section in a PDF to ask loads of questions.
Input through endless email threads and Teams messages.
Inexperienced staff not knowing how to feedback.
Multiple rounds of back-and-forth.
Etc etc etc.
It's exhausting, isn't it?
Here's a better way: The PDP Framework.
It's simple, works for any project, and breaks down feedback gathering into three clear stages:
1. Pre-Feedback Preparation
The time you invest up front sets the scene for feedback karma.
Create a 1-pager on the project, for people that could be new to working on it.
Clearly define the review process including reviewers, context, success criteria, and deadlines.
Set explicit guidelines for actionable feedback (no more vague "make it pop" comments).
Line up resource with your Traffic Manager (if you have one). Or do it yourself.
Check people’s diaries for critical feedback days to make sure they’re available.
“Piss Poor Planning Promotes Piss Poor Performance”
The British Military
2. During Feedback Collection
Do this first:
The person who created the work should talk the team through the work.
Side note: If they are a Designer or Copywriter, and if you have a Creative Director, then make sure they are happy with the work before everyone else sees it.
Then:
Gather feedback centrally in one place.
Make sure reviewers see each other's comments to avoid duplication.
Make sure people in similar roles (i.e. account handlers) consolidate their feedback.
Absolutely NO questions in the PDF comments section. Make conversations happen.
Be the facilitator to quickly resolve any confusion.
Preparation Nirvana. You got this.
3. Post-Feedback Consolidation
You’re on the home straight now.
Prioritise feedback immediately.
Assess for major scope changes vs small and actionable.
Get stakeholder approval on what's to be actioned and what's not.
Create versions of documents to refer back to.
Clearly assign actions with deadlines.
And don’t sweat if someone misses something important as part of their review, meaning you have to go back a step.
It’s a great time to show your calmness as a project manager in figuring out how to keep things moving smoothly, regardless.
Why This Works
Remember, when you’re trying to blitz through your to-do list, it’s easy to fire out an email with a document attached, asking for feedback - thus setting yourself up for the shenanigans I talked about earlier.
Here you have a simple process that will get you through any work review. Copy, design, development, video projects, email campaigns, social media content - you name it.
Give it a try.