Examples
We took a hypothetical firm through the six steps on virtual data, as far as a simulation allows.
The task
Web agency: why deadlines are missed and margin shrinks
Agency W is a 12-person agency that builds websites for small businesses across Europe. Projects are delivered later than planned, and margin is eaten by production downtime and work nobody is paid for.
Virtual case
This company is hypothetical. Any resemblance to a real company is coincidental.
The roles of the client, employees and the agency’s customer were played by AI language models following a legend. So “confirmed” means “confirmed by two sources inside the simulation”, not in a real firm.
There are no implementation results: there was no implementation, and no team survey either.
How we worked
Six steps on this case
- 01
Gather information for analysis
Two rounds: a form and four interviews with roles inside the agency; then marketing and the customer.
- 02
See it as it is
Walked one project from first contact to handover, through the customer’s eyes and behind the scenes.
- 03
Understand what's really needed
Separated the client’s request from the goal: delivering projects on time without losing margin.
- 04
Name the obstacles
Found five problem areas (from the promise in advertising to handover) and one problem before the sale, and ranked them by impact on the goal.
- 05
Form hypotheses and build the tools
Seven hypotheses, each with instructions on how to test it.
- 06
Act and review
Defined the metrics.
What we found
The work breaks in two places. At the entrance, marketing promises a deadline and “we take care of everything” with no conditions. Further on, at the joins, every handover between sales, the manager, production and the customer rests on memory and trust, not on a check.
Three hypotheses to start with
H1
Status and source of every lead, to see which promise brings in the “wrong” customers.
H2
A deadline in advertising comes with its condition, and a list of what the customer prepares is shown before signing.
H3
A project does not start until the readiness checklist is closed.
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