5.1 Why interim reviews matter

An interim review is not a shortened final presentation. Its purpose is to determine whether the project is developing into credible and useful work while there is still time to change direction. A team that waits until final delivery to reveal a weak question, incompatible data source, unsupported method, or unrealistic recommendation has lost the main benefit of review.

Good interim reviews make uncertainty visible. They distinguish completed work from preliminary work, facts from hypotheses, decisions from proposals, and ordinary tasks from risks that require intervention. This transparency allows reviewers to focus on the choices that could materially improve the project.