You’ve put in the hours. You’ve done the research. You’ve designed the deliverables. Now, you’re approaching the finish line of your passion project. But before you hit submit, there’s one last step that can make the difference between “good enough” and “wow.” The review process.
Whether you’re wrapping up a paper, a presentation, or (in my case) a digital guide for a campaign, taking the time to review your final project is what ensures all of your hard work shines. Let’s talk about some best practices for reviewing your project before submission and how I applied them to my Preserve the Peaks campaign.
Why Reviewing Matters
It’s tempting to rush at the end of a project. After all, you’re tired, excited, and looking forward to wrapping it up. However, Kingson S in The Documentation Review Process: A Practical Guide notes that reviewing your work is non-negotiable. It’s how you catch the little details that may trip up your audience and make sure your project feels polished.
Kingson points out a few areas to check:
- Quality of the writing: Make sure grammar, spelling, and punctuation are clean.
- Structure: Is the information organized logically? If you have a table of contents, double-check it matches the sections.
- Flow of sentences: Do your ideas connect smoothly? Avoid abrupt stops or choppy transitions.
- Readability: Is your document written at a level that your audience can easily follow? Tools like the Flesch Reading Ease score can help here.
In short: clarity and consistency are everything.
My Review Process
This week, I wrapped up the final step of my passion project: creating a digital PDF guide for Rocky Mountain National Park as part of my Preserve the Peaks campaign. The guide supplements the first two phases of my project: infographics and interactive content created in Genially. It serves as a comprehensive resource on the park’s history, landmarks, climate challenges, and tips for being a responsible visitor.
When I reviewed my PDF, I focused on:
- Spelling and grammar checks: A small typo can make a big impact, so I read through each section carefully.
- Consistency in design: Fonts, headings, and colors needed to feel cohesive, not distracting.
- Clarity of content: Each paragraph had to feel approachable for a wide audience, written at about an eighth-grade reading level.
It was worth the effort. The final product feels like something I’d be proud to share with both park visitors and fellow designers.
If you’re curious about how to plan and structure a PDF project like this, check out my previous post on best practices for creating a digital PDF guide.
To view my Rocky Mountain National Park PDF guide, click here.
My Tips Before You Hit Submit
Here are a few lessons I learned that might help you as you wrap up your own project:
Slow Down and Review
Don’t treat the review process like an afterthought. Build it into your timeline so you aren’t scrambling at the last minute.
Get Another Set of Eyes
Fresh perspectives matter. Ask a friend, family member, or colleague to look at your project. They’ll spot things you might miss after weeks of work.
Check Against Your Goals
Ask yourself: does this project achieve what I set out to do? In my case, the goal was to inform and inspire people to visit Rocky Mountain National Park responsibly. Reviewing with that goal in mind helped me cut out extra fluff and keep the focus clear.
Look at Both Content and Design
Good design enhances good content. Make sure your visuals support your message rather than overwhelm it.
Celebrate Your Hard Work
Finally, remember to enjoy this stage. When you’ve put in so much effort, reviewing isn’t just about catching errors; it’s about appreciating how far you’ve come.
The Final Push
Finishing a project is a lot like finishing a race. You’ve trained, you’ve paced yourself, and now the finish line is in sight. The review process is your sprint to the line. It’s the last bit of effort that ensures your work stands strong.
When you do finally hit submit, it will be the best feeling knowing you gave your project the attention it deserved from start to finish. So slow down, take the time to review, and trust yourself. You’ve got this.
Final Thought: Review, review, review. Your future self will thank you.
Christian Schaaf's Blog + Portfolio 
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