Decision Summary

Approve discovery. Make Stage 1 earn the right to exist.

The valuable action is not to buy AI. It is to collect the five numbers that decide whether a proposal cockpit is worth funding.

Template source

This asset follows the playbook instrument pattern: sequence constraints, name the first proof, set a dated stop rule, and make the next action clear enough to take without another meeting.

AI Transformation Roadmap Data Flow Map Constraint Map

CONDITIONAL GO

CRITICAL

Do not start Stage 1 unless Day 14 proves enough proposal volume, owner time drag, OpenSolar feasibility, and commercial/school lead value. If Stage 1 starts, pause at Week 6 if proposal effort has not fallen by at least 30%.

Cost to walk away: Stop. Do not invest further.

The ONE Thing

Run a 14-day discovery sprint that turns Solar365's enquiry-to-proposal loop from opinion into evidence. The first proof is a commercial proposal cockpit, but only if the baseline shows enough leverage upside.

90-Day Experiment

Discovery maps 20 recent leads, times 5 proposal examples, audits OpenSolar/Quotient/Xero, and drafts the Stage 1 work order. If approved, Stage 1 builds the qualified enquiry -> decision brief -> proposal packet -> follow-up -> win/loss loop.

Success Metric

Day 14 decision can name proposal volume, cycle time, owner hours, win rate by segment, OpenSolar usage, and the exact Week 6 kill signal.

Stage 1 Investment

Discovery first. Stage 1 estimate: NZD $15K-$25K over 90 days, subject to tool audit and lead-volume proof.

Conditions for GO on Stage 1

1. 20 recent enquiries tagged by source, segment, stage, outcome, lost reason, and owner time spent

Condition 1 of 4

Window: Day 3 - owner Mike / Austin

2. 5 proposal examples timed from enquiry received to proposal sent, including rework and follow-up effort

Condition 2 of 4

Window: Day 7 - owner proposal lead

3. OpenSolar, Quotient, and Xero workflow audited for templates, exports, duplicate entry, and automation rights

Condition 3 of 4

Window: Day 10 - owner Dream + proposal lead

4. Stage 1 scope, budget cap, Week 6 kill signal, and buyer approval point written before any build starts

Condition 4 of 4

Window: Day 14 - owner Mike / Austin

Stage Sequence

DiscoveryDays 1-14

Small diagnostic

Trigger: Start now

Outcome: Evidence to decide Stage 1

Kill: Stop if proposal volume or tool feasibility is too thin

Stage 1Days 15-90

NZD $15K-$25K estimate

Trigger: 4 GO conditions met

Outcome: Commercial proposal cockpit proves leverage

Kill: Week 6: less than 30% proposal-effort reduction

Stage 2Months 4-6

Success-gated

Trigger: Stage 1 saves time and improves follow-up discipline

Outcome: Business/school ICP targeting and win/loss learning

Kill: Cancelled if Stage 1 adoption fails

Stage	Months	Investment	Trigger	Outcome	Kill Signal
Discovery	Days 1-14	Small diagnostic	Start now	Evidence to decide Stage 1	Stop if proposal volume or tool feasibility is too thin
Stage 1	Days 15-90	NZD $15K-$25K estimate	4 GO conditions met	Commercial proposal cockpit proves leverage	Week 6: less than 30% proposal-effort reduction
Stage 2	Months 4-6	Success-gated	Stage 1 saves time and improves follow-up discipline	Business/school ICP targeting and win/loss learning	Cancelled if Stage 1 adoption fails

Next Actions

01Today - choose the proposal owner who can produce 5 real examples.
02Day 1 - export or reconstruct the last 20 enquiries.
03Day 3 - tag each enquiry by segment, value, stage, outcome, and owner time.
04Day 7 - time 5 proposal examples and mark every manual hop.
05Day 10 - audit OpenSolar/Quotient/Xero workflow and name duplicate entry.
06Day 14 - decide GO / NARROW / HOLD on Stage 1.

Put this to work

Stress-test the discovery decision with your own AI assistant

For Mike / Austin

Copy this prompt. Paste into Claude, ChatGPT, or any AI assistant. The page context is already loaded — send it and get analysis tailored to your role.

I'm Mike or Austin at Solar365. I need to decide whether to approve a 14-day discovery sprint before funding any AI automation.

THE SITUATION:
Solar365 has public trust proof: 3,000 installations, 15 years combined experience, 16% average return, and 6-year payback claims.
The visible lead form captures contact, location, build type, and property type, but not bill size, urgency, roof facts, budget, or decision date.
The current operating loop is Lead Gen -> Enquiry Triage -> Proposal Generation -> Sub-contractor Engagement -> Billing.
The likely constraint is leverage: too much expert judgment sits inside manual triage, proposal drafting, follow-up, and handoff.

THE PROPOSED NEXT STEP:
Approve discovery only. In 14 days, map 20 recent leads, time 5 proposal examples, audit OpenSolar/Quotient/Xero usage, and write the Stage 1 kill signal.

THE STAGE 1 IDEA IF DISCOVERY PASSES:
Build a commercial proposal cockpit for businesses first and schools second.
Proof loop: qualified enquiry -> decision brief -> proposal packet -> follow-up task -> win/loss learning.
Stage 1 estimate: NZD $15K-$25K over 90 days.
Target: 50% reduction in owner/proposal effort.
Kill signal: pause if proposal effort does not fall by at least 30% by Week 6.

What are the 10 questions I should answer before approving Stage 1? Which missing number matters most: proposal volume, win rate, gross profit, cycle time, or OpenSolar automation access? Give me a GO / NARROW / HOLD recommendation.

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