Strategies for Using Feedback to Enhance Project Quality

"Last week, one client raved about how we nailed the work. This week, another one is wondering if we only staffed interns on the project." Quality whiplash isn’t about talent, it’s a systems failure. Tell-tale signs of inconsistent quality in agencies: - Design comps shift style by project lead; code quality swings sprint to sprint - BD sells timelines that most of the team feels is impossible - Freelancers drop in mid-flight with zero onboarding, zero artifact standards - No agency-wide QA checklist, so “done” means something different on every Slack thread - QA feedback go five rounds deep, eroding client trust (and margin) We've faced our fair share of quality challenges across our Barrel Holdings agencies, and here's a systems-based way to experiment & address them: Map the breakdown: - SOPs live in personal Docs; no shared QA gates - Onboarding varies; freelancers learn standards on the job - Dashboards track velocity but no discussion/visibility on quality - BD scoping best-case velocity, ignoring realistic buffers Re-ground the team in core principles: - Reliability is client value, make it non-negotiable - Shared craft standards beat lone-wolf heroics - Definition of "done" must be simple, visible, and shared - Every defect = data for the playbook, not ammo for blame Close the operational gaps: - Agency-wide QA checklists for design, code, content (stage-gated) - Central component libraries + design tokens to reduce variance - Onboarding session dedicated to "quality/QC" for all hires and vetted freelancers - Proposals embed QA buffers; BD gets input from dept. leads on quality feasibility/trade-offs as part of the scoping process Reinforce with structure, rhythm, and feedback: - Appoint a Quality Lead per practice who can be owner of SOPs and audits - Weekly cross-team QA huddle; monthly touch-base to share wins/misses - Real-time dashboard surfaces defects, rework hours, SLA breaches - Internally celebrate first-pass approval, scrutinize late-night patch fixes (why did it happen?) Watch the ripple effects: - Scoping process may lengthen sales cycles, equip BD team with effective ways to frame the QA process/why it's important - Short-term margin dips from extra QA, but rework write-offs disappear - Celebrate process adherence as loudly as creative flair to cement culture shift Success looks like: - >90 % first-pass QA approval within two quarters - Rework hours down 40 % and reduction in feedback rounds per project - BD proposals include QA buffers 100 % of the time, no scope write-offs - Client scores on “quality & consistency” hit 9/10 and stay there Avoid relying on senior leads or "A-Team" to bail you out when quality falls short. Instead, build a system that delivers predictable excellence, letting BD sell with confidence and ops scale without surprises. == 🟢 Find this helpful? Subscribe to AgencyHabits for weekly systems insights. The full Agency Systems Playbook drops soon—subscribers get first dibs.

13 Ways To Use Project Lessons Learned 1. Identify recurring issues: Track patterns in project challenges to develop preventive measures. Example: Notice that team communication is a frequent issue and implement a chat tool for better collaboration. 2. Improve risk management: Analyze past risks and their impacts to create more accurate risk assessments. Example: Determine that a specific software often crashes, so allocate additional time/resources to address potential problems. 3. Streamline processes: Identify bottlenecks to optimize project workflows. Example: Discover that report approvals are delayed, so assign a dedicated approver for faster completion. 4. Evaluate project objectives: Assess initial vs. achieved project goals to enhance future goal-setting. Example: Compare projected budget and actual expenses to improve future project budget estimations. 5. Analyze team performance: Evaluate team dynamics to enhance future collaborations and group efficiency. Example: Identify strengths and weaknesses of team members to allocate tasks more effectively in future projects. 6. Enhance communication: Address communication gaps and misunderstandings to improve overall project communication. Example: Implement weekly meetings to allow the team to discuss progress and issues. 7. Develop better project estimations: Improve time, cost, and resource estimations based on previous project experiences. Example: Learn that certain tasks typically take longer than estimated and adjust future projections accordingly. 8. Adjust project scope: Reflect on scope changes during prior projects to manage expectations in future projects. Example: Analyze scope creep incidents and develop protocols for handling scope modifications. 9. Foster knowledge sharing: Encourage team members to share their experiences and insights with the broader organization. Example: Hold a project wrap-up session where the team shares their takeaways. 10. Improve stakeholder management: Assess stakeholder satisfaction and alignment to better manage expectations. Example: Establish regular check-ins with stakeholders to ensure their needs are addressed throughout the project. 11. Refine project templates: Modify templates based on feedback and common project issues. Example: Update project timeline templates to account for unforeseen delays. 12. Improve vendor management: Evaluate vendor performance and incorporate feedback for stronger partnerships. Example: Address communication difficulties and negotiate more favorable terms for future contracts. 13. Enhance change management: Assess the success of change initiatives and refine your methodology. Example: Investigate resistance to change within the team and implement improved change management strategies.

Feedback is a loop, but we often keep it open-ended. Closing the loop is more than a simple "thank you for giving me the feedback." That's merely a dead end. Feedback isn't an event, it should be an ongoing partnership for growth. How do you make that happen? By applying feedback and following up with this three step process: Step 1: Change the way you ask for feedback. Instead of simply asking "what feedback do you have," get more specific in what you're asking for up front, so you can focus the other person's attention to what you need (e.g. I'd really like your feedback on the overall flow of that presentation and what made it easy or difficult to absorb). Then look for the one thing you can take and apply. This approach makes it easier to get valuable, actionable feedback, even if there are elements you disagree with. Step 2: Proactively set a date to action on the feedback and even follow up. When can you implement a first step? How will you re-connect to provide an update? Discuss that plan with the other person. Step 3: When that date hits, share the following: "Because of your feedback, I did x, and this is what I've observed as a result. What have you noticed?" We leave conversations unfinished and open-ended every single day, like strands of string dangling everywhere. It's time to start creating loops - professionally and personally. #ignitedbyjordana #feedback #leadership #communication #closetheloop