What is the best cadence for gathering stakeholder feedback in preparation for a launch?

In preparation for a launch, I like to consider the key milestones and create a workback plan that includes who we need to update and when. To help ensure there is strong documentation, we often create a single source of truth deck and project plan that allows us to keep all of the most pertinent information in one place for all cross functional teams to reference. As one of the key kick off meetings with stakeholders, I like to review the milestone work back plan and ensure we're capturing any ...Read More

I love following the typical feedback patterns and cadence in creative work: V1: get a rough idea, skeleton, "first draft" together and get as much feedback as possible from the highest impact stakeholders This should happen early in the project timeline so you can use this feedback to help set the direction of the project and shape it into a good working version There may be several key stakeholders in this stage in order to set the project in motion and answer any outstanding questions and add ...Read More

There's no one right way to do this, but here a few tips that have worked for me: Gain early strategic alignment: Before the project even kicks off formally, I try to connect with key stakeholders to understand their priorities and expectations. I really try to give them an overview of what's to come in order to incorporate feedback. This helps me avoid surprises down the road. Mid-project check-in: Once the direction is taking shape—maybe there’s a draft of messaging or early creative—I’ll loop ...Read More

The best cadence for gathering stakeholder feedback in preparation for a launch is specific to the timeline of the launch. I recommend getting ahead of this and collecting feedback with ample time to map out additional touchpoints for feedback such as at set milestones. Ask yourself, how long do you need to document the feedback, define action items and incorporate the feedback accordingly? For example, this is a general framework for collecting feedback at milestones: Pre-launch. Who do you nee ...Read More

The cadence is a function of multiple factors – launch schedule, preparedness, stage of the launch, etc. If you are launching something in a short time with a new set of stakeholders, its best to communicate more frequently. However, if it is a long term planned launch, then you can have longer gaps between the cadences.   What is sacrosanct is a project plan – a detailed activity plan, with timelines and owners assigned. Work backwards from the due date for each activity. E.g., Going live with ...Read More