Review decisions

A review decision links to a work package. It names the reviewer, decision, reason, decision date and source revision. The decision can be Approve, Reject or Return. These choices have different operating consequences. An approval supports acceptance of the reviewed revision; a rejection or return sends the package back for correction or reconsideration. The package’s current status and the decision record should be read together.

The reviewer is a Team Member reference, separate from the package owner. This makes an independent review possible and lets the delivery team answer who decided on the change. The reason is required, even when the reviewer approves. A short clear reason lets a future reader understand the evidence and scope the reviewer accepted.

• Present a revision. The Project Manager moves the package to Review after checking its tasks, impact and attachments.
• Decide independently. The Independent Reviewer examines that revision and records Approve, Reject or Return with a reason.
• Resolve the outcome. The Delivery Lead records the package result or sends the owner back to correct it.

Agree who may review each kind of change and how to keep the reviewer separate from the preparer and owner. Decide what evidence a reviewer expects: an impact note, completed tasks, a design file or another attachment appropriate to the project. Agree how the source revision is recorded and checked at decision time. A changed package needs another review; do not carry a prior approval forward by assumption.

The decision also has a subject type and reference for wider context. Use a consistent convention for those details and for the related project link. Reviewers should explain a Return in terms the Project Manager can act on. For a Reject, retain the reason and avoid treating it as a merely incomplete approval.

A package to change a data export reaches Review. Its assessment lists added hours and a cost delta, and an attachment describes the expected output. The Independent Reviewer notices that the task plan covers development but does not show verification of the new file format. They record Return with a reason tied to the package’s source revision.

The Project Manager adds the verification task, updates the assessment where necessary and submits the new package revision. The next reviewer decision refers to that new revision. The original Return remains in the history and explains why the work changed. Once the current revision receives Approve, the Delivery Lead can record acceptance with the date. An approval of the earlier revision is insufficient for the revised scope.

• Review decisions — Decisions with reviewer, source revision, reason and date.
• Packages awaiting review — Packages ready for the independent decision.

Revision and decision follows a returned package into another review. Scope to review covers the full path.