Audit the work that actually arrived
Start with a small sample of recent requests. They show where the process really begins, what gets lost, and how much work it takes to reach a usable brief.
Ten requests keep the audit manageable while giving repeated problems a chance to surface.
Audit ten recent requests
Choose ten requests from the last month. For each one, record the first question that stopped the work, how many times the request changed hands before it was ready, and which fact changed scope or timing.
Follow the first question that stopped the work
For each request, find the first missing fact that prevented estimation, production, review, or delivery. Record where the answer eventually came from and whether it changed scope, direction, timing, or production.
Also note how many places the request traveled before it was usable. Repeated movement between a form, messages, email, and meetings often signals an intake question or ownership gap.
Fix one repeated gap
Group the findings and choose the issue that appears often enough to matter. The answer may be a clearer prompt, a named owner, an approved spec, a better example, or permission for requesters to mark something unknown.
Revisit the audit after another batch of requests and keep adjusting the process against real work.