Define acceptance for a consulting deliverable

A review process should distinguish an incomplete deliverable from a new preference.

ContractCanvas insights

Identify the object of review

A report may contain the agreed market analysis even when the client dislikes its conclusion. Acceptance criteria should describe the output and agreed checks, such as covered markets, cited assumptions and a findings presentation. Avoid equating acceptance with guaranteed agreement or commercial success.

Name a workable process

Choose the authorized reviewer, review period and method for raising a specific deficiency. Decide how corrections are supplied and how a new request is handled. The appropriate terms depend on the engagement, so the prototype’s fields are prompts rather than universal contract language.

Separate correction from expansion

Suppose the scope requires ten interviews and the report contains eight without an agreed change. That is a completeness issue. Asking for ten additional interviews is a different request. The distinction helps the parties estimate cost and prevent a correction discussion from becoming an undocumented expansion.

Keep the record usable

Retain the reviewed version, the stated issue, the response and the final decision. ContractCanvas retains version-review records. Use the finalized contract and actual communication process for an external decision.