Define the job.
State what the system must help the audience do and which business objective it supports.
Completion check
- Audience is named.
- Primary outcome is specific.
- Constraints are written down.
Inventory what already exists.
List content, products, questions, channels, and recurring production work before adding anything new.
Turn the inventory into hierarchy.
Group material by audience intent and decision path rather than internal department labels.
Standardize the repeatable parts.
Create reusable briefs, checklists, templates, and review gates while preserving room for editorial judgment.
Measure what changes the next decision.
Track signals that affect prioritization, not metrics that exist only to decorate a report.
Common implementation questions
Do I need automation first?
No. Define the operating model before automating it.
How many templates are enough?
Enough to remove repetitive setup without forcing every piece of work into the same shape.