---
id: "framework-effective-deal-review"
type: "framework"
source_timestamps: ["§ What Makes for an Effective Deal Review Process?"]
tags: ["process-design", "review-boards"]
related: ["concept-deal-value-board", "concept-consultation-funnel", "framework-dvb-lifecycle", "concept-internal-side-deals"]
steps: ["Engage and consult stakeholders early to prompt better value creation and buy-in — Ask: Who cares about this deal? Are there issues/parties that significantly impact value?", "Encourage iterative consultations among representatives at the table and key stakeholders to integrate insights — Ask: What have we learned? What don't we understand about counterparty interests? Can we manage internal barriers?", "\\\"Reduce the number of stakeholders involved as the deal matures", "for efficiency — Ask: What uncertainties remain? Who is most affected by potential changes?\\\""]
confidence: "high"
sources: ["ecosystem"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-ecosystem"
originDay: 11
articleStem: "hbr-nm-103-big-companies-negotiate-deals"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/01/why-big-companies-struggle-to-negotiate-great-deals"
sourceTitle: "Why Big Companies Struggle to Negotiate Great Deals"
---
# Effective Deal Review Process Principles

A framework for designing commercial deal-review processes that move *away* from capital-project-style approvals (which parcel out incremental authority) and *toward* value creation and [[concept-internal-side-deals]].

The three design principles, each with its diagnostic questions:
1. **Engage early** — consult stakeholders up front to prompt better value creation and buy-in. *Ask:* Who cares about this deal? Are there issues or parties that significantly impact value?
2. **Iterate consultations** — keep representatives at the table and key stakeholders in a loop that integrates fresh insight. *Ask:* What have we learned? What don't we understand about counterparty interests? Can we manage internal barriers?
3. **Narrow as it matures** — shrink the involved group for efficiency as the deal firms up. *Ask:* What uncertainties remain? Who is most affected by potential changes?

This framework *is* the operating philosophy of the [[concept-deal-value-board]] and produces the [[concept-consultation-funnel]] shape; its stage-by-stage board behavior is detailed in [[framework-dvb-lifecycle]].

**Enrichment / confidence:** Directly documented in the source and consistent with governance literature favoring broad early engagement plus focused later decision rights.


## Related across articles
- [[framework-cvc-boundary-management]]