Question 1

Why should I choose this over First Workflow Live?

Accepted Answer

Because the build is downstream of a defensible recommendation, and the Operating Plan is where that recommendation gets defended. You leave with six artifacts your team owns, plus the option to build in-house, with us, or with a third party.

Question 2

What if I'm leaning toward building in-house?

Accepted Answer

Good. The deliverables are designed to make in-house execution viable: the Architecture Blueprint is detailed enough for your engineers to build against, the Business Case justifies internal capacity allocation, and the Roadmap sequences the work so it doesn't compete with your core product roadmap. We're not in the business of taking work that should stay internal.

Question 3

How is this different from a McKinsey-style strategy deck?

Accepted Answer

Two ways. First, the Operating Plan is six concrete artifacts (audit, matrix, roadmap, blueprint, business case, stakeholder evidence) priced at standalone-deliverable rates and bundled. Second, the deliverables compose into a build path. A strategy deck is the end of the engagement; the Operating Plan is the start of one.

Question 4

Can I convert this into First Workflow Live later?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Operating Plan deliverables become the Phase 1-3 inputs for a First Workflow Live engagement. No work is re-done. The First Workflow Live fee is reduced for clients converting from a recent Operating Plan engagement (within 90 days of Phase 3 sign-off). Get in touch and we'll quote precisely.

Question 5

What if AI isn't right for any of our pains?

Accepted Answer

We say so in the Workflow Audit Report and the Opportunity Matrix. About a third of the workflows we look at are better served by process redesign or a non-AI tool. You get that read either way. The Roadmap will recommend against the build, and we'll be explicit about why. Honest scoping protects everyone.

Question 6

What's the timeline?

Accepted Answer

Four to six weeks, fixed-fee, scope locked at signing. Phase 1 (audit) takes about a week, Phase 2 (opportunity matrix and roadmap) takes one to two weeks, Phase 3 (architecture blueprint and business case) takes one to two weeks. Stakeholder interviews are scheduled at the start; kill-gate calibration runs mid-engagement.

Question 7

Should I start here or with the AI Ops Review?

Accepted Answer

If you're a smaller team or you're not yet sure whether AI fits your workflows at all, the A$4,950 AI Ops Review is the qualifier. If you've already had a Review (or you've done your own internal qualification) and you want the full strategy + architecture + business case in one engagement, start here.

Deliverable	Standalone value
Workflow Audit Report	$4,950
AI Opportunity Matrix	$8,000
30/60/90 Prioritized Roadmap	$6,000
Architecture Blueprint	$9,000
Business Case Document	$4,000
Stakeholder interviews + kill-gate calibration	$3,000
Total stacked value	$34,950
Your price	$20,000

Plan, design, business case.
Before any build commitment.

$34,950 worth of work, priced at $20K.

Plus $13,850 in bonuses, on the house.

The Vendor Shortlist — $2,500 value

AI Policy Starter — $2,500 value

30-Day First Build Check-In — $850 value

Founding-Client Slack — $3,000 value

Co-Authored Case Study — $5,000 value

When the strategy work has to be defensible before any build is committed.

You want a defensible plan before you commit budget to the build.

You need documents your team owns, not a deck that lives on someone else's hard drive.

You want the option to build in-house OR with us, not to be locked in.

What you walk away with.

The first questions we hear.

Get the plan that earns the build.

Plan, design, business case.Before any build commitment.