WebsiteDesignOutsource.com blog
Make Stakeholder Review Easier in Outsourced Website Design
Map stakeholder input to decisions so an outsourced website design review stays useful and accountable.
Stakeholder review becomes noisy when everyone is asked to approve everything. Give each person a clear reason to review and a clear route for unresolved decisions.
Invite the right evidence
Ask the content owner about meaning, the audience owner about user needs, and the technical owner about constraints. State what each person is not being asked to decide.
Use one decision record
Collect comments in one place with page location, reason, priority, owner, and status. This prevents the designer from reconciling different versions of the same review.
Escalate conflicts early
When two requirements cannot both fit, send the conflict to the person who owns the outcome. Do not ask the designer to choose a business priority.
Keep the audience in view
End review by checking whether the proposed changes help the visitor's task. A change can satisfy an internal preference while making the page harder to use.
Further reading
Source
GOV.UK Service Manual, involving users
Frequently asked questions
Can a stakeholder be consulted without being an approver?
Yes. Record the distinction so useful advice does not become an accidental instruction.
Who resolves a conflict?
The owner of the affected outcome or requirement. Name that person before review starts.