The first two weeks of an expert engagement determine whether it succeeds. This checklist prevents the common failure mode: the expert spends the first month getting access and context instead of delivering value.
Before Day 1 (Client Responsibility)
- Contract and NDA executed and filed
- Systems access provisioned: email alias, Slack/Teams, relevant SaaS tools
- Data room or shared folder created with context documents
- Key contacts list with names, roles, and preferred communication channels
- Kickoff meeting scheduled (CEO or key sponsor + expert)
- First invoice/payment scheduled per agreement
Day 1: Context Transfer
- Company background: history, current priorities, known constraints
- Problem statement deep-dive: what has been tried, what failed, and why
- Key stakeholder introductions (30-min each for top 3-5 stakeholders)
- Current-state documentation reviewed: reports, dashboards, prior analyses
- Access to historical context: prior consultant reports, board decks, strategy docs
Week 1: Discovery
- Stakeholder interviews completed (all named contacts)
- Current-state assessment documented (expert's own view, not client's)
- Data access confirmed and quality validated
- Quick wins identified (low-effort, high-visibility)
- First deliverable scoped and timeline confirmed
Week 2: Activation
- First deliverable in review
- Ongoing meeting cadence established (weekly sync at minimum)
- Communication norms confirmed (async tool, response SLA)
- Blockers documented and escalation path agreed
- Milestone 1 definition agreed and documented
Day 30: Engagement Health Check
- Deliverables on track vs. original plan
- Both parties satisfied with communication and quality
- Scope unchanged or scope change documented and priced
- Key stakeholders feel expert is additive, not redundant
- Renewal/extension decision point approached proactively