How to Use Your Reviews Dashboard to Get Faster Approvals

We’ve all heard the adage “time is money” — and in the case of getting content out the door, it tends to ring pretty true. (Note to my editors: Thank you for reviewing this blog post in a speedy manner! 😬) However, just because you want something done quickly doesn’t mean your stakeholders are thinking that way. This is where data becomes your new BFF, thanks to how the metrics in your soon-to-be-released Reviews dashboard can help you get faster approvals.

Back Up. What Is a Reviews Dashboard?

My b, I got ahead of myself. Your Reviews dashboard is where you can get valuable information about your approval workflow, including the average time it takes to get an asset approved, the fastest (and, ahem, slowest) stakeholders, and the status of each submitted proof. Basically, it’s a ton of super helpful data that you can use to understand how your Reviews process is working — and how you can improve it.

Cool, Cool, Cool. Tell Me More About How I Can Use This Info to My Advantage

Gladly. Basically, these metrics tell a story about where you’re crushing it 💁🏻‍♀️ and where you can be a bit more efficient. Use this info to set actionable goals for your team and watch your approved content fly out the door. Here are a few metrics that are especially useful in serving your dastardly very professional and very strategic plans.

Average number of Review versions

This number flexes based on how teams work and the types of assets they’re submitting for approval. A good rule of thumb is that you want your average number of Review versions to reflect a balance of efficiency and getting relevant stakeholders’ feedback. If you see the average creeping up over time, check to see if that’s because the revisions aren’t effective or if the stakeholders aren’t giving comprehensive notes.

Average number of comments

This number can also flex depending on the how developed the asset is. For instance, a submitter could be looking for help with rewrites or they could be sharing something they believe is in its final form. Both are great uses of Reviews, but can strongly affect this average. As you monitor this metric month over month (or whenever you regularly check it), compare it to the intent of the proofs being submitted.

Average days from “Proof Created” to “Completed”

In a dream world, every proof would get as instant “Approved as is” status. Reality isn’t quite that simple. Generally, you want this number to trend down, or at least stay steady, over time. If it’s getting higher, that could be a sign that your team isn’t working as efficiently as they had been and you might need to identify why that is. Don’t panic! This is why we use a Review dashboard — to watch for shifts and avoid unpleasant surprises.

Reviews by status

Trying to understand if assets are getting out the door? Want to see where you can support your team? This section of the dashboard is going to be crucial.

Top 5 longest reviewers

We’re not saying stakeholders can be blockers … but we’re not not saying that, either. It’s always smart to keep an eye on this list and consider if these reviewers are:

1) Holding up the approval process.

2) Necessary to the approval process.

If you answered “no” to the second consideration, well, you know what to do.

Top 5 most active reviewers

These reviewers confidently smash that comment button. They know that sharing opinions is caring — and we’re here for it. Let’s give them a round of applause (and maybe even a LinkedIn shout-out).

Okay, So My Review Dashboard Is Super Helpful

Fact. And if we’re being completely honest … the list above is just scraping the surface of what it tells you. There are so many more nuggets of intel to uncover. *tries to remain calm* *fails* No matter which metrics you look at, you can monitor the efficiency of your team and continually optimize your proofing process. We can’t wait to see what you can do now.

Ready to unlock your business’s creative potential? Discover how Lytho’s innovative solutions can streamline your creative results management. Explore our features and schedule a demo today to see how we can transform your creative processes.