Independent research.
Industry-specific insight.
Board-ready decisions.
AI Strategy & Research Engagement
A focused two-week engagement to help boards and executive teams evaluate an AI opportunity, strategic direction or proposed investment.
We combine targeted stakeholder interviews, independent research, technical assessment and commercial analysis to deliver practical recommendations tailored to your organisation, industry and the decision you need to make.
A decision worth investigating.
- Duration
- Two weeks
- Focus
- One agreed strategic question
- Terms
- Fixed scope and fee
- Audience
- Boards and executive teams
Before you commit resources.
The engagement is particularly suited to a consequential decision where technology capability, implementation feasibility, commercial value or organisational readiness is uncertain.
- Boards evaluating significant AI investments or strategic opportunities
- CEOs and executive leadership teams developing an AI direction
- Organisations considering agentic AI or operational transformation
- Businesses evaluating vendor proposals, technology platforms or major AI initiatives
- Leadership teams needing independent analysis before committing resources
From the initial question to the boardroom.
The ten days below represent the engagement effort and deliverables, typically across two weeks. They need not be consecutive and may be spread out to accommodate calendars. Dates, board presentation scheduling and stakeholder availability are agreed in advance.
- Day 1
Executive briefing
Meet the executive sponsor to understand the decision, objectives, current position, industry context, constraints and desired outcomes.
- Days 2-3
Research planning
Define the research questions, identify competing hypotheses, agree the assessment criteria and select the stakeholders to interview.
- Days 3-4
Stakeholder interviews
Conduct approximately half a day of focused interviews with selected business, technical and operational stakeholders. Capture assumptions, opportunities, concerns, dependencies and constraints.
- Days 4-8
Independent research and analysis
Investigate the relevant technologies, industry landscape, practical feasibility, commercial considerations, risks and strategic alternatives. Distinguish demonstrated capability from vendor promises, forecasts and assumptions.
- Day 9
Executive playback
Present preliminary conclusions to the sponsor or nominated stakeholders, test interpretations, identify material corrections and refine the recommendations.
- Day 10
Board presentation
Deliver the final strategic assessment, recommended options, supporting evidence and next steps to the agreed board or executive audience.
What you take into the decision.
Standard outputs, proportionate to the agreed engagement scope.
- Strategic assessment
- A concise analysis of the chosen AI opportunity or decision, including business context, industry considerations and material assumptions.
- Independent research findings
- Relevant evidence on technology maturity, capabilities, constraints, competitors, market direction and the implications for the client.
- Options and recommendations
- A clear assessment of realistic strategic alternatives, trade-offs, key risks and recommended direction.
- Practical next steps
- A prioritised set of actions, prerequisites, decision gates and questions requiring further validation.
- Board-ready presentation and decision brief
- A presentation of the findings and recommendations, supported by a concise written record of the assumptions, evidence and conclusions.
Research for the decision you actually face.
- Tailored to your industry, operating context and specific decision
- Independent assessment rather than vendor-led recommendations
- Evidence separated from assumptions, projections and marketing claims
- Technical capability considered alongside commercial and organisational feasibility
- Structured to support an actionable board or executive decision
- A focused engagement with a defined beginning, outcome and scope
The research behind our thinking
Redfox's independent Forecast Series explores the implications of emerging technologies, industrial capability, automation and economic change.
Commissioned research engagements apply the same evidence-led approach to your own industry and strategic questions. The public reports are general research, not client-specific advice.
- The Compute Outlook 2026-2036Available through the two-report Forecast Series signup.
- Robots vs Knowledge Work 2026-2036Available through the two-report Forecast Series signup.
- NZ & Macro Economics: Twelve-month outlookRead about the report and download it without signup.
A defined engagement, not an open-ended consulting assignment.
Each engagement focuses on an agreed strategic question or decision. Scope, deliverables, stakeholder involvement and a fixed fee are agreed before commencement.
The standard format is two weeks, with a final executive or board presentation. Larger investigations or subsequent implementation support can be scoped separately.
Production architecture, an extensive implementation roadmap, an audited financial model, legal assurance or deployment are outside the standard scope unless separately agreed.
Discuss an Engagement