Prioritized Review is the right workflow for redacting documents in production requests.

Think of redaction in a production request like pruning a tree before you ship it. You want to remove the dead or dangerous limbs without harming the healthy branches that matter. When you’re handling a standard production that needs redaction, the right workflow makes all the difference. So, which workflow type should you choose? The answer, in Relativity terms, is Prioritized Review.

Why Prioritized Review is the right pick

Prioritized Review is built for what you need when redaction is on the table. It’s not just a speed thing; it’s a focus-on-sensitivity thing. In a Prioritized Review, the team zeroes in on documents that carry redaction-worthy content—things like sensitive personal information, privileged communications, or confidential business data. That targeted attention helps your production stay compliant and reduces the risk of disclosing information that should stay private.

Think about it this way: you’re dealing with a mix of documents, some of which can travel as-is and some that require careful masking. A Prioritized Review keeps those redaction-sensitive items at the top of the queue, so you don’t waste time on documents that don’t need redaction while you sort out the tricky ones that do.

What the other workflow types bring to the table (and why they don’t fit this specific redaction job)

• Coverage Review: This is about ensuring you haven’t missed anything. It’s a great first pass for completeness, but it doesn’t center on redaction needs. If you rely on Coverage Review alone, you might end up with redactions slipping through or spending extra cycles on documents that don’t require redaction.

• Document Review: A solid, broad-strokes analysis of documents. It’s essential for understanding content, but it’s not tuned to the redaction process. It tends to be more about classification, issue spotting, and relevancy rather than the meticulous masking of sensitive information.

• Final Review: The wrap-up stage. It’s where you verify overall quality, consistency, and production readiness. Final Review can follow a Prioritized Review, but it isn’t designed to tackle the granular redaction work itself. It’s the last pass, not the first pass, on sensitive content.

If your goal is clean, compliant redaction at production time, Prioritized Review does the heavy lifting where it matters most.

How to set up and run a Prioritized Review in Relativity (practical, bite-sized steps)

• Identify redaction-sensitive material early: Tag or mark documents that likely contain PII, trade secrets, or privileged content. The sooner you flag these, the smoother the flow.

• Assign a redaction-forward workflow: In Relativity, place redaction-focused documents into a workspace or a view that signals “priority” for reviewers. This helps the team hit the critical items first.

• Use redaction tools thoughtfully: Relativity’s built-in redaction features let you mask content while preserving the document’s structure. Set up redaction patterns or use privilege-based redaction rules where appropriate.

• QA as you go: Don’t wait for the last mile to check redactions. Quick spot checks, cross-references with privilege logs, and sample audits reduce the risk of over-redaction or under-redaction.

• Coordinate with the production release timeline: Keep a beat with your production calendar. Redactions should be finalized ahead of the final review, so the production package is clean, accurate, and ready to be shared.

• Document the decisions: Maintain a clear log of why and how redactions were applied. This helps with transparency and potential future inquiries.

A few practical insights you’ll appreciate

• It’s not only about what to redact but also about what to redact in what way. The same phrase might be redacted differently depending on context and privilege status. Consistency matters, so establish rules for redaction style (what gets fully redacted, what gets partial masking, etc.).

• speed matters, but accuracy matters more. Prioritized Review aligns speed with careful attention to sensitive content, reducing back-and-forth and rework.

• Collaboration is key. Redaction is often a team sport: reviewers, legal teams, and production coordinators all play a role. Clear communication channels keep everyone aligned.

A relatable analogy

Picture this workflow like organizing a newsroom for a big story. Some pages have obvious red flags—PII, sensitive client data, or privileged exchanges. Those pages get flagged, flagged again, and flagged with a red tag. The rest of the dashboard houses standard documents that don’t require such scrutiny. The result? A lean, disciplined process where the most sensitive material gets the careful treatment it deserves, while the rest moves along at a steady pace.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

• Over-reliance on automation: Tools help, but they don’t replace human judgment. Always couple automated redaction with reviewer checks, especially for privilege and confidential information.

• Inconsistent redaction rules: If two reviewers redact differently, the production package can look inconsistent. Create a short bleed-proof guide on how to treat common content patterns.

• Missing privilege considerations: Privilege isn’t just “hidden content.” It’s a legal posture. Make sure the workflow accounts for privilege logs and the need to preserve privilege status where appropriate.

• Not aligning with the production schedule: If redactions stretch out the timeline, it can create unnecessary stress. Build a clear timeline and buffer for QA and final checks.

A quick scenario you might recognize

Imagine a standard production request with a mix of internal emails, drafts, and client communications. Some emails contain personal data, some discuss confidential strategy, and a few might be privileged. The best plan is to kick off a Prioritized Review, tagging the sensitive pieces, applying redactions, and running quick checks as you go. Once those redactions are locked in and verified, you move to a Final Review to ensure formatting, metadata, and deliverables are in order. This approach minimizes delays and keeps the focus where it belongs—on protecting information while delivering a clean production package.

Combining the workflow with a broader toolkit

Relativity isn’t a one-trick pony. You’ll often switch gears as the case evolves. After your redactions are in place, a Coverage Review can confirm you didn’t miss any relevant documents, and a Final Review can ensure the entire package is polished before it leaves the gate. The real power lies in knowing when to use each tool, and that starts with recognizing when redaction-specific attention is needed—precisely what Prioritized Review delivers.

What this means for your Relativity toolkit

If you’re building or refining a workflow that involves redaction in production, Prioritized Review should be your go-to. It’s designed to keep sensitive content under closer watch without slowing the whole process to a crawl. In practice, it helps teams move more confidently, knowing that critical items are prioritized, reviewed thoughtfully, and handled with appropriate care.

Takeaways you can apply today

• If redaction is on the table, start with a Prioritized Review to target sensitive content first.

• Save time without sacrificing accuracy by layering human checks into automation.

• Keep the production timeline intact with a clear plan for QA and final checks.

• Use a simple, consistent redaction policy to avoid drift between reviewers.

• Don’t treat redaction as a stand-alone task—integrate it into the broader production workflow to maximize efficiency.

In the end, the right workflow isn’t just about speed; it’s about precision and protection. Prioritized Review gives you a focused lens for redaction, ensuring that sensitive information stays secure while the rest of the production moves forward smoothly. And when you pair it with practical QA checks and clear communication, you’ve got a resilient process that stands up to scrutiny and respects privacy at every turn.

If you’re exploring Relativity workflows, keep this in mind: a well-chosen workflow isn’t a hurdle; it’s a compass. It points you toward the documents that truly matter, the redactions that must be applied, and the final production that’s ready for review and release. That balance—between vigilance and velocity—is what separates a good process from a genuinely solid one.

Key terms to remember

• Prioritized Review: The workflow designed to focus on redaction-sensitive documents within a production request.

• Coverage Review: A check for completeness and inclusion.

• Document Review: General analysis and categorization of documents.

• Final Review: The last pass for quality and production readiness.

• PII, privileged content, confidential information: Common redaction targets in production work.

• Relativity: The platform that hosts these workflows and tools for eDiscovery and case management.

If you’d like, I can tailor this further to emphasize particular Relativity features, or craft a shorter version for quick reference sheets used in day-to-day case work.