How A Workforce Solutions Company’s Standardized Review Process Boosted Business Growth

Outcomes

  • Reduced review time: The company can bid on more projects.
  • Improved feedback quality: Writers can more easily incorporate feedback, reducing the number of rewrites.
  • Standardized review process: Saved time and reviewers are aligned on what constitutes “quality” in a document.

“This course helped us realize that we needed a standard for review and that our comments and feedback were contributing to the poor quality of the documents.”

– Andrea Hendricks,
Project Manager

Introduction

A trusted national workforce solutions company offering advisory services, data-driven analytics, and assurance and accountancy solutions was struggling with a critical operational challenge: an inefficient and inconsistent document review process that was impacting its ability to bid on projects.

The review process was fraught with issues:

  • Managers, whose primary responsibilities did not include reviewing documents, were spending excessive time providing feedback.
  • Reviewers lacked a standardized understanding of what constituted a quality document, resulting in misaligned and inconsistent comments.
  • Writers found the feedback confusing and unhelpful, leading to additional iterations without meaningful improvements.

Without clear guidelines or standards, reviewers often focused on their personal preferences rather than making constructive comments to improve document quality. The process involved too many reviewers, too many iterations, and too little progress, creating unnecessary delays.

As a result, the company’s inability to streamline the review process was directly affecting its ability to bid on projects, limiting its growth potential.

Background

The company’s document review process was not just inefficient—it was a significant barrier to business growth. Without clear standards or guidelines, the process became a time-consuming and often counterproductive exercise that hindered their ability to bid on projects. The key challenges the company faced were

  • Lack of Review Standards
    • No established criteria for assessing document quality.
    • Reviewers often focused on personal preferences or “pet peeves” rather than meaningful improvements.
  • Overburdened Reviewers
    • Managers, who were not primarily responsible for reviewing, spent excessive time on this task, detracting from their core responsibilities.
    • Too many reviewers created unnecessary delays.
  • Confusing Feedback:
    • Feedback was often unclear and unhelpful, leaving writers unsure of how to implement changes.
    • Multiple rounds of review led to frustration and inefficiency without improving document quality.
  • Business Impact:
    • The time-intensive review process limited the company’s ability to bid on projects.
    • Missed opportunities for growth and revenue were a direct result of this inefficiency.

Recognizing these challenges, the company sought out Hurley Write to develop a solution that would address these pain points while positioning them for sustainable growth.

Solutions Implemented by Hurley Write

To address the company’s challenges, Hurley Write implemented a tailored solution designed to streamline the review process, improve feedback quality, and align reviewers on a shared vision of document standards.

A. Comprehensive Communication Audit

Via its proprietary “PROS Communication Diagnostic, Hurley Write analyzed the company’s review practices. The diagnostic revealed critical inefficiencies, including a lack of standards, inconsistent feedback, and redundant review cycles.

B. Standardized Review Criteria

Based on the diagnostic, Hurley Write helped the company develop clear, agreed-upon criteria for document quality to align all reviewers. The new standards helped reviewers focus on the most critical elements of quality rather than personal preferences.

C. Guidelines for Effective Feedback

Hurley Write developed actionable guidelines to help reviewers provide clear, constructive feedback that added value and guided writers toward improving the document.

D. Prioritized Review Focus

Reviewers were given strategies to prioritize key areas of review, ensuring that feedback addressed the most impactful aspects of the documents, thereby reducing iterations and streamlining the overall review process.

Results

The partnership with Hurley Write delivered measurable improvements in the company’s review process and document quality. A three-month follow-up revealed significant progress, with the company reporting positive outcomes and continued strides toward its goals. These outcomes included:

  1. Improved Feedback Quality
    • Reviewer comments became clearer, more actionable, and focused on improving document quality.
    • Writers experienced less confusion and greater clarity in implementing feedback.
  2. Progress Toward Standardization
    • The company successfully began adopting the standardized review process and criteria.
    • Although some reviewers still focused on personal preferences (“pet peeves”), the majority aligned with the new guidelines.
  3. Time Savings in the Review Process
    • Fewer review iterations and better alignment among reviewers significantly reduced the time spent on reviews.
    • Managers were able to refocus on their primary responsibilities, improving overall efficiency.
  4. Enhanced Business Performance
    • With a shorter, more effective review process, the company could bid on more projects, creating new opportunities for growth.

While some challenges remained, such as achieving full buy-in from all reviewers, the improvements in feedback clarity and review efficiency marked a critical turning point for the company. The standardized process set the stage for continued refinement and long-term success.

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