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Engagement Process

From first discussion to accepted delivery.

A practical guide to starting an assignment with ARE Global: establish fit, agree authority and scope, and define what closes the work.

Starting the assignment

Agree the work before records change hands.

  1. 1. Describe the need.

    Email or call with the decision question, organization, requester role, timing, and desired output. No attachments or credentials in an initial inquiry.

  2. 2. Establish fit.

    Review capability, capacity, timing, conflicts, and any specialist or teaming dependency. The result may be a scoped proposal, clarification, referral, or decline.

  3. 3. Confirm authority.

    Name who may authorize record access, approve tools, change scope, receive findings, and accept delivery. Resolve unclear authority before affected work begins.

Written scope

Give the assignment a usable operating record.

Question and evidence

Define the decision, audience, review period, source set, assumptions, exclusions, and known record gaps.

Handling and tools

Agree permitted information, transfer and storage methods, access, approved tools, retention, and deletion. Records enter review only through the authorized route.

Schedule and responsibilities

Record milestones, fees, dependencies, client responsibilities, communication expectations, and change approvals.

Output and acceptance

Specify the artifact, format, intended use, authorized recipient, acceptance criteria, and treatment of questions and corrections.

The accepted contract, statement of work, purchase order, or other controlling instrument governs the assignment. An inquiry begins the discussion; substantive work requires accepted scope and authorization.

Execution and closure

Make the handoff reviewable.

  1. Review within scope.

    Apply the TRACE method to authorized evidence. Preserve material questions, changes, and limits.

  2. Deliver for a decision.

    Release a human-reviewed artifact with source support, limitations, open items, ownership, and a proposed next action.

  3. Record acceptance and closure.

    Assess the output against agreed criteria. Record accepted corrections, unresolved items, retained materials, deletion obligations, and the closure decision.

Acceptance means the agreed work has been assessed against its criteria. It does not depend on a favorable finding or an external approval.

Changes and pauses

Approve material changes before proceeding.

New records, a different audience, an expanded question, a new tool, or a changed deadline can affect authority, handling, cost, and acceptance. Document that impact and obtain the required approval.

If authority, information handling, independence, or tool approval remains unresolved, pause the affected work. Proceed only within an agreed, authorized route.

First discussion

Bring the question and the timing.

A short, non-sensitive email or call is enough to begin.

alfonso.evans@areglobalconsulting.net