Scope Discovery & Proposal Process — 2025-12-29

Overview

During the 2025-12-29 Monday sync, Melissa and Mark aligned on the next steps for The Vilas engagement. The project is in pre-proposal territory — no formal scope has been defined yet. The agreed process is to first have a discovery conversation with the client before drafting anything formal.

See the source meeting: ^[1]

Process Agreed

The two-step approach Mark outlined:

1. Discovery conversation — Melissa talks with The Vilas client to understand what they think they need, layered with Melissa's own assessment of what the work actually requires.
2. Verbal agreement — Secure informal alignment on scope and direction before committing anything to paper.
3. Formal proposal — Once verbal agreement is in hand, bring it back to Mark and draft the written proposal together.

"Ask them what they think they need or what you think they need and try to get them to agree verbally. And then once you get that figured out, then come back to me and we'll propose something."
— Mark Hope

Action Items

• [ ] Melissa — Email The Vilas to open scope/needs conversation; identify what the client wants and what the work actually requires (@Melissa Cusumano)
• [ ] Melissa — Secure verbal agreement on scope direction before drafting anything formal (@Melissa Cusumano)
• [ ] Melissa + Mark — Collaborate on formal written proposal once verbal alignment is confirmed

Notes

• No formal proposal exists yet; this is early-stage discovery.
• Melissa flagged she may need Mark's help drafting the proposal when the time comes.
• The Vilas is a client Melissa is managing directly; Mark's involvement at this stage is advisory on process.

Related

• ^[2]
• ^[1]