Business case: a defensible program analysis site
Executive summary
Commission Syntheos to build a dedicated analytical site for our program. Every quantitative claim on every page will be backed by a YAML evidence ledger with a reproducible SQL query and a confidence level. When a reviewer asks "how do you know," we open the ledger and the number reproduces live.
The problem
We're responsible for defending program decisions to people who can and will challenge the underlying evidence. Our current artifact is a consulting deck or a PDF report. Neither can be audited line by line. When a specific number gets questioned, we have no way to reproduce it on the spot — so we either walk it back, spend a week tracking down the analyst, or eat the credibility hit.
Proposed engagement
A fixed-scope, 10 to 16 week project to build a program analysis site modeled on the sites Syntheos has already shipped for DARPA program offices. The site covers the analytical dimensions relevant to our program: global competition picture, research security, citation depth, commercial translation, emergence, case studies, and methods. Every quantitative claim ships with an evidence ledger entry that records the claim text, confidence level, and a reproducible source.
What we get
- A deployed analytical site dedicated to our program
- YAML evidence ledgers colocated with every section component
- The Python refresh pipeline that updates citation and bibliometric data on a schedule
- A verification process that re-runs every query before any content change ships
- Training for our staff on how to make claim changes without breaking the ledger
Risks and mitigations
The main risk is scope drift — analytical sites can grow indefinitely if we don't fix the dimensions up front. Mitigation: Syntheos requires a scoping phase in the first two weeks where we name the specific decision questions the site has to answer, and we refuse to add sections that don't serve one of them. SME availability on our side is a second risk. Mitigation: Syntheos will define a minimum meeting cadence and a back-up reviewer for each section.
Success metrics
- Every claim on the site has a passing evidence ledger entry before deploy
- Any flagged claim can be reproduced from the ledger in under five minutes
- The refresh pipeline runs on schedule without manual intervention
- Program staff can update a claim and re-verify without Syntheos assistance
Investment and timeline
10 to 16 weeks depending on program scope. Costs are in the range of a traditional consulting engagement for a program of comparable size, and the deliverable is a standing analytical site rather than a PDF that ages out. Specific pricing depends on scope and is fixed before kickoff.
Recommended next step
A one-hour briefing with Syntheos principals to walk through a live program analysis site, discuss our program's specific decision questions, and agree on a scoping phase.