Data, Design, Delivery
The key to client happiness is the kick-off. You need to gather as much information as possible during that first client meet, to maximise your efforts at the end of the week.
BEFORE (the project kick-off)
Before you even step into that client meeting first thing on a Monday morning, you need to have done your homework. Who is your client? What are they about? What is their market niche? What is their biggest competition? And most importantly, why are they coming to you? This is essential context that will help you out before you have a look at the dataset(s) they provide (hopefully you can tell what product or service you are investigating).
DURING
After the client has delivered their brief, you need to monopolize on their (virtual) presence in the room. Establishing the major aims of their experience with The Information Lab is the first thing I would like to do. After their brief, recall back to them what you have understood to be the major aims, and clarify what the priority list is. Normally they give you more than you can manage, so by prioritising, you are already managing expectation. Break down your follow up questions by the following: data, design and delivery.
Data
- How do you want to measure ‘growth?’ (Or any other key/ repeated word used in the brief)
- What are the key KPIs you use/ want to focus on?
- Do you have a data dictionary?/ Explain headers of dataset/ industry-specific language?
- Establish data fluency: how does the company collect data/ prep data/ use data?
- Where is the data coming from? Are there suggestions on existing programs to use to prepare and design?
Design
- Company layout style e.g. standard colour scheme, fonts
- Outline the key business questions you are answering
- Key audience of the work- who are they and what level of data fluency is expected?
- How will the audience view the report?
Delivery
- What stakeholders will attend the presentation?
- What stakeholders should the report be aimed to?
- General: follow up for end of day?
- Why have they come to us?
AFTER
After the client briefing, email them to set up a channel of communication immediately. As well as courteous and up-beat language, the ONE thing you need to include is your user stories. This shows your client how you intend on approaching the week’s work, and allows them to stamp out any inaccuracies or assumptions made, on the spot. ASSUMPTIONS are a big killer for a consultant (of any kind) when trying no to decide an area of focus. The last thing to include in this email is to secure a follow up call/ email for the end of day to show them sketches of your general dashboards/ goals.
Post-briefing
Mid-week communication. You need to keep your client up to date as your work progresses. This is essential for building up trust, but even more importantly, to manage those expectations! For example, companies that lack data fluency might think that their dataset is in good shape, whereas it’s taking you longer than expected to clean and transform. If you don’t relay this to your client, they will expect much more from you come presentation day on the Friday.
Friday
Present and handover. After a beautifully-performed presentation, you need to hand over that data. Not just your dashboards/ reports, but all of the extras too, like a video of the presentation and sketches... basically all of the evidence that you have been a consultant for the week. Consultants need a paper trail!