Frame the decision.
Agree the business question, the people involved, and the decision the work must support. Define scope, assumptions, and what is outside the engagement.
06Working together
Clarity at every step.
Useful advice starts with a clear agreement: the decision to support, the people to involve, and the evidence to build. The process should make the work easier to understand and act on.
The consulting path
From question to execution.
Each stage closes with a tangible decision output—so the work stays focused, transparent, and ready to move forward.
DefineDecision gate 1 DiagnoseDecision gate 2 Build the evidence.
Combine available data with interviews and operational context. Make gaps visible, establish a baseline, and test the assumptions that matter most.
DecideDecision gate 3 Choose the path.
Compare practical options, costs, dependencies, and risks. Work through the trade-offs with the people responsible for implementation.
DeliverDecision gate 4 Put it into practice.
Translate the chosen path into owners, milestones, and measures. Agree the level of implementation support and review progress against the baseline.
Before we begin.
The starting point can be a defined brief—or simply a decision that needs more clarity.
01Where should we start if the problem is not clearly defined?
Start with the decision you are struggling to make or the performance issue you keep returning to. An initial scoping conversation can identify the relevant stakeholders, available evidence, and questions to investigate. The first engagement can be a focused diagnostic rather than a full transformation programme.
02What information would we need to provide?
The requirements depend on the scope. A commercial diagnostic might use sales, cost, and customer data; an organization review might start with roles and leadership interviews. A specific information request should be agreed before substantive analysis begins. Missing or unreliable data should be recorded as a limitation, not filled with unsupported assumptions.
03What would our team receive at the end?
Deliverables are agreed in the scope and might include a decision memorandum, financial or operational model, prioritized recommendations, and an implementation roadmap. Each should identify its assumptions, owners, and next actions. The solution descriptions show example outputs rather than a fixed package for every business.
04Can an engagement include implementation support?
Yes, the proposed scope can extend from diagnosis and design to pilot delivery, a programme office, or periodic implementation reviews. Responsibilities should be explicit: who makes decisions, who carries out changes, and how progress is assessed. A recommendation and implementation support are separate scope choices.
05How are timing and fees established?
They depend on the complexity of the question, quality of available information, number of stakeholders, and depth of delivery support. The scope should specify milestones, review points, deliverables, and commercial terms before work starts. A focused underwriting review should have a separately agreed timetable based on the available information.