How Phased Engagements De-Risk Strategy Work

At the start of any engagement, there’s one thing I know for certain: we’re at the highest point of uncertainty.

It’s also the exact moment when clients often want a detailed scope of work and a precise price.

The problem is, it doesn’t make sense—logically or economically—to present a final scope or quote when so many variables are still unknown.

The Challenge at the Outset

When a project begins, one or both of these are often true:

1. We don’t yet know what problem we’re trying to solve.

2. If a problem has been presented, we haven’t validated that it’s the right problem to solve.

Without that clarity, we’re building strategies and plans on assumptions—which increases the risk of change orders, added costs, and mutual frustration.

The Solution: Phased Engagements

A phased approach starts with a lower-cost diagnostic and strategy phase designed to uncover the data and insights needed to define the real problem and chart the best path forward.

This phase protects both sides. It de-risks the engagement, provides an opt-out point, and ensures that any creative or execution work is built on a validated foundation.

How a Diagnostic Phase Works

Every diagnostic has five clear components:

• Goal – What we’re trying to learn

• Research Method – How we’ll learn it

• Timeframe – How long it will take

• Delivery Method – How findings will be shared

• Fee – The cost for this phase

The research methods vary, but often include a combination of:

• Qualitative interviews

• Desktop research

• Audits

• Observational studies

• Discovery workshops

Sometimes one or two methods are enough; sometimes we need more. The goal is always the same: get to the root cause and create a clear, data-backed roadmap.

When to Use a Phased Approach

If the problem is already well-defined and the solution is clear, it may make sense to move directly into execution.

But when there’s ambiguity—or when the stated problem may not be the right problem—starting with a diagnostic phase is the smartest move.

It gives you clarity. It gives me the information I need to build an effective strategy. And it gives both of us the confidence that the work we do next will have the greatest chance of delivering meaningful results.