Move a draft to publication with a clear handoff
Use a proportionate review for the audience and impact.
Before a change is released, confirm who it is for, who owns it, whether the facts and links are current, and whether the reviewer has authority for the subject. Routine changes can take a short path; cross-team or specialist-sensitive material needs an explicit review handoff.
Northstar Services example: an author updates a service-process page, the content owner checks the instructions and audience, a relevant specialist reviews a disputed technical claim, and an authorized publisher releases the approved version.
Sample handoff: draft to release
Each step ends with a decision or a named next role.
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1
Prepare the draft
The author states the audience and purpose, checks links and source material, and marks any unresolved claim for review.
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2
Verify ownership and accuracy
The content owner confirms the page still serves its audience and checks the proposed change against the owner’s trusted source.
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3
Obtain specialist input when needed
If the change makes a claim outside the owner’s expertise or affects another team, the owner routes that specific question to the relevant specialist.
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4
Release and record the next review point
An authorized publisher releases the approved change and records the decision and a useful review trigger in the content record.
Handoff and return path
A clear return path prevents silent edits or stalled drafts.
| Handoff | Decision owner | What is checked | If changes are requested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author to content owner | Content owner | Purpose, audience, accuracy, links, and readiness | Owner returns specific corrections to the author. |
| Content owner to specialist reviewer | Relevant specialist on the question referred | Accuracy of the referred specialist claim | Owner resolves comments with the author and resubmits if needed. |
| Approved draft to publisher | Authorized publisher under local permissions | Required approvals are recorded and the right version is ready | Publisher returns the draft to the owner if approval or version is unclear. |
| Published change to affected owners | Content owner | Material changes are visible to the teams that rely on the page | Owner corrects or clarifies the update and informs affected readers as appropriate. |
When the workflow does not fit
The page has no clear owner. What now?
Do not treat an unassigned author as the owner. Route the page to the governance lead or the role that assigns ownership, and hold material changes until an accountable owner is identified.
The owner and reviewer disagree on wording.
Record the specific point in dispute and the source each person is using. The owner keeps accountability for the page; the relevant specialist decides the accuracy question within their expertise. Escalate unresolved cross-team impact through the governance route.
An author wants a change outside their authority.
The author submits the proposed change and its reason to the content owner. Platform access, shared structure, and publication permissions remain with the roles assigned those decisions.