Updated September 2026: in March 2020, after much discussion, the delivery person and I sent a work-in-progress document to onsite, nervous about whether our storyline answered the client. The next morning, there was still no response, as with the previous version. I have rewritten it into advice on handling repeated silence from reviewers.
At the end of a tiring day, we took the bold step of sending onsite a work-in-progress version. I worried whether the storyline covered everything the client had asked for. I logged off and went home. The next morning I checked eagerly for feedback. There was none, just as there had been none on the earlier version.
Why do reviewers not respond to work in progress?
Often because they are waiting for the client, busy with other deals, or do not know what kind of feedback is wanted. A document labelled "work in progress" can feel optional to review.
How do you get a response?
- Ask two or three specific questions instead of "please review".
- Set a response time and say what you will do if there is no reply.
- Follow up by phone or chat the next morning, briefly.
- Involve your manager if silence continues and threatens the deadline.
How do you check the storyline yourself?
List the client's requests and tick each against a section of the document. If every request maps to a section, the storyline covers the brief, whatever feedback arrives later.
Is sending work in progress a good idea?
Yes, when it carries clear questions. It invites early correction, which is cheaper than late correction. Without questions, it often gets ignored.
How do you manage the anxiety of waiting?
Keep working on parts that do not depend on feedback, and record your assumptions. Waiting passively makes silence feel worse than it is.
How do you phrase the follow-up?
Keep it short and make answering easy: "Could you confirm by 2 pm whether the approach on slide 5 works? If we don't hear, we'll proceed as drafted." One clear question gets answered far more often than a general reminder.
What if silence continues to the deadline?
Submit with stated assumptions, after confirming with your manager and the delivery lead.
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