How Case Status solved the "blank page problem"

Like many companies, Case Status struggled with annual performance reviews that relied on memory instead of leveraging data, leaving managers and employees staring at blank pages, trying to reconstruct months of work.

Previous review cycles had been conducted through a patchwork of Google Docs and forms, making it both time consuming and difficult to capture the full scope of employee contributions.

Case Status implemented Windmill’s AI-powered performance management solution, which runs primarily via Slack and automatically surfaces work context from the year. Even though Windmill had only been connected to their systems shortly before their review cycle, the platform provided immediate value by:

• Generating summaries of completed work to eliminate reviews that started from a blank page
• Running reviews directly in Slack, where employees already work
• Prompting follow-up questions to guide more thoughtful responses

The conversational style made the process less arduous than a Google Form. Employees shared feedback like:

Windy was able to quantify, visualize, and measure throughput and work accomplished throughout the year, giving us visibility we’d never had before.

Case Status completed their entire performance review cycle in 84% less time compared to their previous process, while dramatically improving the experience.

Time spent on performance reviews:

• Peer reviews: 6 minutes
• Upward reviews: 7 minutes
• Manager reviews: 9 minutes

93% of employees preferred Windmill over their old system.

1. Leveraged Existing Work Documentation to Solve the “Blank Page Problem”

Even with just a few months of data, Windmill was able to surface meaningful context from Case Status’s daily tools, unlike traditional review systems that can’t see work that’s been done and documented throughout the year.

It helped spark people to remember things they may have forgotten, things that were maybe done earlier in the year, essentially solving the ‘blank page’ problem.

2. Removed Friction Through Familiar Tools

By conducting reviews in Slack, Case Status eliminated the need for employees to learn or use new systems, dramatically speeding up completion time.

I liked that the entire process was in a tool I use regularly, Slack, rather than some new tool that I had to learn and create a new password for.

It was better. It was easy to give feedback in a tool that I use everyday.

3. Prompted Thoughtful Feedback via Conversational Review Process

Windmill’s conversational AI did more than just collect responses—it prompted deeper thinking and helped employees articulate impact more clearly than they could with a blank form.

I was prompted with follow up questions that really made me think…helped me to not give generic responses.

Case Status successfully completed their performance review cycle in 84% less time than it would have taken with their previous system, while achieving unprecedented employee satisfaction. The company now has year-round visibility into employee contributions and a lightweight system for continuous feedback.

"Being in HR, I have often heard performance review cycles feel like a daunting process. This year was like no other where it was faster, easier, and people actually enjoyed the process. That's not something you hear often about performance reviews."

Lindsay Osmundson

Director of People Operations