Tradecraft
Themes Are Not Feedback
Feedback built on aggregated impressions — "multiple people have raised concerns" — strips away everything that makes feedback useful. The research is clear: effective feedback is specific, actionable, and timely.
feedback
Document Feedback Reference Sheet
For the reasoning behind this system, see Why Feedback Order Matters: A System for Document Review. The Three Tiers TierScopeAddressExamplesHigher Order (HOC)Whole documentFirstArgument, structure, purpose, audience fit, completenessMiddle Order (MOC)Sections/paragraphsSecondTransitions, evidence integration, tone, proportionalityLower Order (LOC)Sentences/wordsLastGrammar, spelling, word choice, formatting The core rule: Always work
writing
Why Feedback Order Matters: A System for Document Review
Bad document feedback was the bane of my existence at the State Department. (We always talked about "happy to glad" changes). You've probably seen this happen. Someone sends a draft for review. The first reviewer opens it, spots a comma splice on page one, fixes it,