Research and strategy
Strategy workstream. 15 stages, 3 gates. Any stage that is not a gate can be skipped on a campaign.
Edit stages
Reorder the stages, rename them, set the owner role and the SLA in working hours, and mark the gates. A stage key is fixed once the stage is created. The request stage research has to stay on the process, because that is where requests land. A stage taken off here keeps working on every workstream that already carries it, since those stage rows were seeded when the workstream was created. Only new workstreams pick up this list.
#KeyNameOwner roleSLA hoursGateMoveRemove
1
receive_brief
2
scope_estimate
3
sow_approval
4
finance_po
5
resource_scheduling
6
internal_kickoff
7
research
8
analysis
9
strategy_development
10
internal_review
11
client_review
12
amendments
13
final_signoff
14
handover
15
close_out
#StageWhat happensOwnerSLAChecklists
1
Receive brief
- Brief received by Account
- Project Management
- Review objectives, research questions, audience, deliverables, timings and budget
- Review any existing client information, data, previous research or strategy
- Identify gaps, dependencies and questions
2
Scope and estimateWorkbook: Scope & estimate
- Translate brief into defined research
- strategy deliverables
- Agree methodology and approach
- Determine research requirements, data sources, stakeholder interviews, workshops, analysis etc.
- Estimate resource and time required
- Confirm number of outputs
- presentations
- workshops and rounds of amends
- Produce initial cost
- estimate
3
SOW and commercial approvalGateWorkbook: SOW / commercial approval
- SOW
- quote prepared
- Confirm scope, methodology, deliverables, assumptions, timings and costs
- Client approval secured
- Agree change-control process for anything outside scope
4
Finance and POGateWorkbook: Finance / PO
- PO requested
- obtained where required
- Finance confirms commercial approval
- Project financially cleared to proceed
5
Resource scheduling
- Approved scope automatically creates the required tasks in the project management system
- Tasks are mapped to the relevant skills — e.g. Research, Strategy, Data, Account
- Estimated hours are allocated to each task
- System checks existing workload and capacity
- Work is automatically scheduled against available resource
- Capacity conflicts are flagged
- PM
- Traffic Manager manages exceptions rather than manually scheduling every task
6
Internal kick offWorkbook: Internal kick-off
- Bring relevant teams together
- Review the brief, methodology, scope and desired outputs
- Confirm responsibilities and milestones
- Agree research questions
- hypotheses
- Confirm data and information required from the client
- Agree client touchpoints and deadlines
7
Research and discoveryRequests land hereWorkbook: Research / discovery
- Gather existing client information and available data
- Conduct desk research
- market research
- Stakeholder interviews, surveys, workshops or other primary research where required
- Gather competitor
- sector
- audience intelligence
- Record findings centrally within the project
8
Analysis and insight developmentWorkbook: Analysis & insight development
- Analyse research and data
- Identify themes, trends, behaviours and opportunities
- Test findings against the original research questions
- Develop key insights and implications
- Internal review of emerging findings
9
Strategy development
- Translate research and insights into strategic recommendations
- Develop strategic framework
- proposition
- audience strategy
- priorities as required
- Define objectives, opportunities, recommendations and actions
- Ensure recommendations are evidence-led and linked back to the research
10
Internal review
- Strategy
- Research lead reviews outputs
- Account reviews against client brief
- Check evidence, narrative, recommendations and deliverables
- Confirm project is ready for client review
11
Client review and workshopWorkbook: Client review / workshop
- Present findings
- insights
- strategic recommendations
- Facilitate workshop or discussion where required
- Capture feedback and questions
- Agree any amendments or further investigation required
12
Amendments and finalizationWorkbook: Amendments & finalisation
- Complete agreed amendments
- Resolve outstanding questions
- Finalise research findings and strategic recommendations
- Any additional work outside scope is identified and approved before proceeding
13
Final sign offGateWorkbook: Final sign-off
- Client approves final research
- strategy
- Final documents, presentations and supporting outputs completed
- Final versions locked
14
Handover and implementationWorkbook: Handover / implementation
- Translate recommendations into actions for relevant teams
- Handover to Media, Creative, Digital, Account or other delivery teams where required
- Create follow-on projects
- tasks from agreed recommendations
- Ensure outputs are stored centrally and accessible
15
Close outWorkbook: Close-out
- Confirm all agreed deliverables completed
- Check actual resource against agreed scope
- Record any additional
- out-of-scope work
- Capture learnings
- Archive research and final outputs
- Close project
SLA counts working hours, nine to half five Monday to Friday in the account timezone. A gate cannot be skipped, only passed with a note.