What the process is really like

Barbara, my contact in the San Francisco Department of Elections, responded quickly to the flow diagram I sent to her for comment. She said it was "pretty accurate" and "close to what happens" but that "the beginning stages are not nearly as smooth as in the diagram. For example, right now there's a two-way flow of information between me and ES&S: I am sending them bits of updated information as I get it, and they are sending me ballot drafts with holes for the information that I still need (e.g., translations)."

I suspected this might be the case. I haven't figured out a reasonable way to represent that iterative, flexible exchange very well. I'm open to suggestions at dana@usabilityworks.net.