Advisory

Improve your AI and ecosystem decisions.

Independent advice for leaders. From a short review of one decision to ongoing monthly support.

25+ years · 30+ countries · PhD, Cranfield · Taught at Cambridge Judge

How long you go

Decision Review

Two to four weeks

Reviewed

Evidence Sprint

90 days · checkpoints at 30, 60 and 90

Tested

Standing Advisory

Monthly, ongoing

Challenged

What you gain

Four things every engagement delivers.

An outside view.

Advice from someone with no stake in the answer. There is no technology to sell.

Evidence, not opinion.

Every call rests on what the tests show. Assumptions are named and checked.

A call at every checkpoint.

Test, develop, hold or stop. Nothing is left to drift.

A current Decision Record.

Every decision, its evidence and its owner, kept up to date.

Choose the right service

Workshops decide. Advisory keeps decisions right.

Workshops

Answers
What should we pursue?
Who takes part
The leadership team, working together
Length
Half day to one week
Ends with
A Decision Record and a plan

See workshops

Advisory

Answers
Is it working, and what do we change?
Who takes part
One leader or a small group
Length
Two weeks to ongoing
Ends with
A call on the plan, backed by evidence

Need to decide what to pursue?

Choose a workshop.

Need to test a decision you already have?

Choose advisory.

Need both?

Start with a two day workshop. Follow it with an Evidence Sprint.

Choose your focus

Same rhythm. Your subject.

Every engagement follows the same rhythm. The focus changes what we review.

AI

Test whether your AI bets create value. Decide what to scale and what to stop.

Ecosystems

Review your partner choices and your role. Decide where to commit.

AI and ecosystems together

For organisations where AI is changing how they work with customers, partners and suppliers.

What you leave with

Written outputs you can take to the board.

Each one is yours to keep and use.

Review ReportAn independent view of a plan, case or proposal, with a call on each item.
Evidence LogWhat each test showed, against what you expected.
Checkpoint ReviewThe call at 30, 60 and 90 days, with the reasons.
Decision RecordEvery decision, its evidence and its owner, kept current.
Portfolio ReviewThe state of every AI and ecosystem bet, on one page.
Board BriefThe case for the next decision, ready for the board.
Which option includes what
OutputDecision ReviewEvidence SprintStanding Advisory
Review ReportIncludedNot includedNot included
Evidence LogNot includedIncludedIncluded
Checkpoint ReviewNot includedIncludedNot included
Decision RecordIncludedIncludedIncluded
Portfolio ReviewNot includedNot includedIncluded
Board BriefNot includedNot includedIncluded

A Decision Review checks one plan. An Evidence Sprint tests it over 90 days. Standing Advisory keeps the whole portfolio under review.

Choose your option

Each option matches a different decision.

Choose the option that fits the decision in front of you.

Decision Review

Test the plan before you commit.

Fixed fee · Two to four weeks

An independent review of a business case, vendor proposal, partner deal or AI portfolio. I read the material, interview the people behind it and challenge the logic.

You leave with a Review Report and a clear call on each item.

Recommended

Evidence Sprint

Find out what works.

Fixed fee · 90 days, paid in three stages

Ninety days to test the priorities in your Roadmap and Test Plan. Reviews every two weeks. Checkpoints at 30, 60 and 90 days.

You leave with an Evidence Log, three Checkpoint Reviews and an updated Decision Record.

Standing Advisory

Keep the portfolio honest.

Monthly retainer · Three month minimum

A fixed monthly rhythm for leaders who make these decisions often. It covers portfolio reviews, board preparation, partner choices and new opportunities.

You get [one day] a month, contact between sessions and a Board Brief when a decision comes up.

Not sure? Have a plan to check? Decision Review. Have tests to run? Evidence Sprint. Make these decisions often? Standing Advisory.

How value is measured

Every decision starts with what success looks like.

Advice is only useful if you can check it. Each engagement sets these five points at the start.

  1. Set the baseline.

    Where the work stands today.

  2. Name the value.

    What should change, and for whom.

  3. Set the stop criteria.

    The result that would end the test.

  4. Check at 30 days.

    First evidence against the baseline.

  5. Decide at each checkpoint.

    Test, develop, hold or stop, with the evidence written down.

How it works

Three steps, whichever option you choose.

  1. Before

    Agree the decision.

    A short scoping call. We agree the decision, the evidence you have and the result you need.

  2. During

    Review and challenge.

    Regular reviews, online or in person. Written notes follow each one.

  3. At each checkpoint

    Make the call.

    A test, develop, hold or stop call on each item. The Decision Record is updated.

Clear boundaries

Advice, not delivery.

Clear limits make the work easier to buy and easier to judge.

I do not build systems or manage projects.Your teams and partners deliver. I help you judge what they deliver.

I do not sell or resell technology.No vendor ties. The advice follows the evidence.

I do not replace your team.Your team runs the tests. I help you read the evidence.

Questions

Before you enquire.

Which option is right for us?

It depends on the decision in front of you. A plan to check needs a Decision Review. Tests to run need an Evidence Sprint. Frequent decisions need Standing Advisory. We agree the right option in a short scoping call.

Do we need a workshop first?

No. A Decision Review works on your own material. An Evidence Sprint works best after a two day workshop or intensive week. It tests the plan the workshop produced.

Who do you work with?

One leader or a small leadership group. The people who own the decision take part in the reviews.

Are you tied to any technology vendor?

No. I have no technology partnerships and take no referral fees.

Is it confidential?

Yes. I sign an NDA on request. Your material stays with your team.

What if the evidence says stop?

Then stop is the right call. Stopping early saves money. It frees the team for better bets.

How is advisory charged?

Decision Review and Evidence Sprint are fixed fees. The Evidence Sprint is paid in three stages, one per checkpoint. Standing Advisory is a monthly retainer with a three month minimum.

What does it cost?

Decision Review from [£X]. Evidence Sprint from [£Y]. Standing Advisory from [£Z] a month. I confirm a fixed price after the scoping call.

Can we move from one option to another?

Yes. The Decision Review fee is credited against an Evidence Sprint booked within 30 days. At the 90 day checkpoint, you can move to Standing Advisory.

How do we end Standing Advisory?

After the three month minimum, give 30 days’ notice.

Can it run remotely?

Yes. Reviews run online. Checkpoints run in person where it helps.

What decision needs an outside view?

A few short questions first. I reply within one working day. No pitch.

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