Initial Consultation

To ensure our initial meeting is as productive as possible, we ask that prospective clients review the following questions prior to our call. Preparation in these areas enables us to move directly into substantive discussion, accurately scope the engagement, and provide relevant recommendations within the time allotted. 

• What does your organization do, and who are the primary consumers of the reports or dashboards in scope?
• What industry do you operate in, and are there regulatory, compliance, or data classification requirements that govern how data may be handled or shared?
• Approximately how many individuals will require access to the deliverables?
• Is there a dedicated IT or data team involved, or will this be managed primarily by business stakeholders?

• Where does your data currently reside? (e.g., SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, Excel, SharePoint, Salesforce, Dynamics 365, QuickBooks, third-party APIs, flat files)
• How many distinct data sources are involved in this engagement?
• What refresh cadence is required — real-time, near-real-time, daily, or periodic?
• Do you currently have the necessary credentials and permissions to access these data sources, or are there access barriers that would need to be resolved prior to development?

• Are there existing Power BI reports, datasets, or dataflows currently in production?
• If so, what is functioning effectively, and what are the primary deficiencies or limitations?
• Are there reports developed in other platforms — such as Excel, Tableau, or SSRS — that this engagement would replace or supplement?
• What is the current Power BI proficiency level of the team members who will maintain or interact with the solution after delivery?

• What specific business decisions or questions should these reports help you answer?
• What does success look like 90 days after this project is complete?
• Are there particular KPIs, metrics, or dimensions you know you need to track?
• Is there a specific report, dashboard, or visual you've seen elsewhere that captures the kind of output you're looking for?

• Is there a hard deadline or business event driving the timeline for this project?
• Has a budget range been established for this engagement?
• Who else is involved in the decision — is this yours to make, or does it require broader sign-off?
• Are you evaluating other consultants, or are you ready to move forward if the fit is there?