The Question Ledger

There is no formal minimum, but the work tends to fit best with organisations that have between 15 and 200 people. Large enough to have real process complexity, small enough that one person can get a genuine read on what's happening. Smaller founder-led businesses and larger teams have both worked well when the problem is the right kind.

It depends on current capacity. If there is an open slot, a Strategy Sprint or Operations Review can typically begin within two to three weeks of scoping. Decision Workshops can sometimes be arranged faster. The honest answer is: ask, and we'll tell you what the diary looks like.

Yes, routinely. A mutual NDA is standard before any substantive conversation. If your organisation has its own template, we'll review it. If not, we have a straightforward one we use.

For most fixed-fee engagements, we split payment: 50% on agreement, 50% on delivery of the final output. Retained advisory is billed monthly. If your organisation has a different payment cycle, it's worth raising early. We can usually find something that works.

Scope changes happen. If the work grows materially beyond what was agreed, we pause, discuss, and agree a written amendment before continuing. We don't absorb unlimited scope creep silently, and we don't invoice for extras without prior agreement.

Both. Some engagements are entirely remote; others involve regular on-site time. For workshops and facilitated sessions, being in the room usually produces better results. Travel within Japan is included in the fee for most engagements; international travel is agreed separately.