Preparing documentation and help updates for review is only part of the battle, you also need to get your stakeholders to actually read, comment, and approve the updated text.  While I’m one of the guilty parties who often waits until the last minute to provide input, I do have suggestions about how to better incorporate your review cycle into the busy schedules of your senior-most stakeholders.  Some of your colleagues will still not be able to commit the time and care the documentation review deserves, but getting their input on the most critical content is important and some very minor adjustments can get your updates in front of many more key eyeballs which can vastly improve the overall quality of the documentation set.

1.  Generate a pdf (or some editable, shareable format) of the updated text with commenting turned on and make it available to stakeholders.

2.  Share the contents via a document management system, ftp, or file share link to avoid filling up mailboxes and ideally to track access.

3.  Consider providing a printed copy to staff members who you know prefer to do their review/edits in print. Be sure to include the due date on the top of the paper print out.

4.  Clearly indicate portions that are new or have changed since last review/published release.

5.  Clearly indicate portions that are highest priority for specific stakeholders. 

6.  Communicate deadlines for commenting on the distributed version clearly and firmly.

7.  When deadline arrives, communicate what reviewers should do with partially reviewed contents or if they haven’t started.  Can they have overnight, the weekend on an extension?  Should they send you any comments they do have?  Should they simply sit tight and review the next iteration?

8.  Make it clear when the final review iteration has arrived.  Last Chance Texaco warnings often get more notice and higher priority.

9.  As you get closer to final version and only small portions of the text change, perhaps just send out the updated paragraph rather than the entire section/chapter/guide.

10. Have separate conversations with the critical/key stakeholders to make it clear you want their buy-in and review.  Ask what it will take to get it done: Scheduling time? Talking through it?  Etc?

11. Be sure to include symbiotic reviewers - people like support, consulting services, perhaps even “friendly” partners or customers in the review process.  They have a vested interest in quality documentation.

12. Make it clear what the process will be for corrections/updates to the various documentation components post ship.  For example, if the PM waits until after ship to provide input on the administration guide, those updates may not get in until the next service pack.  This could impact users, support, consulting services, and partners for a whole year.

13. Clearly communicate any soft/hard stats you have about the documentation - how many times it was downloaded, requested via CD/DVD, requested in print, how many guides will be updated/impacted per planned release, total page count, total # of images (if any).

14. Get senior management buy-in, and if possible, request that providing documentation review feedback be part of the MBO (management by objective) or bonus criteria for your key stakeholders.

15. Warn reviewers the business day before the deadline.  If possible have the deadline be at close of business so reviewers can at least prioritize for that last day.

16. Don’t forget to thank your reviewers and make it clear that you considered their input - even if it didn’t make it into the text verbatim.

Things to Avoid!

1. Do not send out iterations between communicated deadlines - it frustrates reviewers who are only half-through the last version and causes confusion.

2. Do not threaten or publically embarrass or cajole stakeholders who have not yet reviewed.  Talk to critical reviewers privately.

3. Do not send out huge, mass emails - if you have a large reviewer pool send out emails to logical groups by department, role, or relevant content being reviewed.

4. Do not send out low priority contents for review before high priority ones.  Always prioritize for your audience and segment them by topic if possible.

5. Do not send attachments that are going to overfill email inboxes. 

6. Do not lose heart.

There is no sure-fire way to win over the needed time in the busy schedules of development, product, and marketing manager, but these tips can help you get the most leverage out of the minutes they can dedicate to reviewing your hard work.  Please post any additional suggestions as comments!