The reflex
You review a piece of work and say “ok” or “needs fixing”. The person knows what was accepted. They do not know why.
The builder’s reflex
Say what you checked, why, and what works. A review is a chance to learn.
Why
An “ok” with no explanation passes nothing on. Next time, the person will still be guessing what you look at. One sentence about your criterion saves them months.
A colleague drafts a reply to a customer. You check that the next step is clear and that the date given is confirmed. Saying “I always check those two points, because that is where customers call back” teaches more than a correction.
Say what works too. A review that only points at flaws does not teach what to do again. And separate requirements from matters of style: the first get fixed, the second get discussed.
When the criteria are understood, an “ok” is enough.
Try this
On your next review, add one sentence:
“I checked … because … Here, this works thanks to … This point still needs another look.”
Ask whether the criterion is clear. On the next case, see whether the person applied it on their own.
Say what your review did not cover, too. In finance, separate an assumption in a calculation from a confirmed figure.
To discuss
Which review criterion do we apply without ever explaining it?