The circle of participants is not limited to the group of people involved in the transformation. When transformations go on for a longer period of time, the team members from the initial analysis and strategy phase are frequently no longer involved in later phases. This is especially the case for external consultants. The strategy review is an opportunity to re-integrate these know-how carriers. Their role is to ask critical questions concerning the extent to which the original vision is actually being realized in the realization or, in other words, how much of the shimmering ivory tower of the original vision remains in the pragmatic reality of the implementation.    

Other experts are brought in when new general conditions of a technical or commercial nature, for example, must be considered in the course of adding more detail to the goals. The project managers responsible for the operational side of the transformation are sometimes less than enthusiastic about the idea that their procedural approach which has demanded so much effort of them will be called into question by people from outside the project. So it frequently makes good sense to have these external challengers engaged and briefed by superordinate sponsors or investors.    

Any time new people are brought in, it is always important to make it clear that this step is not meant as criticism of the personnel doing the work up to this point. On the contrary, these steps are part of the method planned from the start as a way of breaking down the complexity by taking various approaches. This point cannot be emphasized too clearly. The people in charge of the transformation are frequently highly sensitive to any form of perceived criticism. At the same time, experts brought in from the outside have a tendency to believe that they must without fail question the existing situation negatively and critically.     

The result of the strategy review is a sharpened and sometimes more, sometimes less drastically changed version of the original vision. Again, the evolutionary concept of further development as a natural part of the transformation process must be brought to the fore. So it is meaningful to avoid speaking of a new vision, but instead, analogously to software, to talk about Vision 1.0 which is followed by an improved Vision 2.0 as part of the natural course of events. Aside from the revision of the contents, there is a high added value in the strategy review that comes simply from systematically re-orienting the view of the vision in the daily work of the transformation. This revitalizes the standards which have been set and re-establishes them firmly in people's minds.