The challenge
Northpoint Advisory is a 60-person management consultancy that had started using AI tools organically across the firm. Different teams took different approaches. One partner's team used AI for proposal drafting; another used it for data analysis; a third avoided it entirely. There was no consistent methodology, no quality gates, and no way to ensure deliverable quality when AI was involved.
Senior partners were concerned that inconsistent AI usage was creating both quality and reputational risk. Junior consultants wanted more structure — they could see the potential but didn't know where to start or what "good" looked like. The firm didn't need another point solution. They needed a repeatable framework that embedded AI into their existing delivery model without replacing the judgement their clients paid for.
What we built
A structured engagement methodology powered by AI, with defined phases, specialist roles, and quality governance:
- Four-phase engagement model — every engagement progresses through Analysis, Planning, Solutioning, and Implementation, with clear entry and exit criteria at each phase and defined deliverables at every gate
- Role-based AI assistants — configurable specialist assistants that mirror the firm's own structure: project managers for scoping and planning, analysts for research and data work, designers for client-facing deliverables, and reviewers for quality assurance
- 45+ engagement templates — pre-built frameworks covering the firm's most common engagement types, from strategy reviews to technology assessments to operational audits, each with phase-specific guidance and deliverable templates
- Automated quality gates — structured checkpoints between phases ensuring deliverables meet the firm's standards before progressing, with review checklists calibrated to engagement type and risk level
The results
- 45+ engagement types standardised with repeatable, governed frameworks
- Engagement setup time reduced from days of scoping and planning to hours
- Consistent deliverable quality across all teams and offices for the first time
- Junior consultants productive on complex engagements 60% faster with structured phase-by-phase guidance
What the client said
"We didn't want AI that replaced our consultants — we wanted a methodology that made them better. The four-phase model gave us governance without bureaucracy, and the templates mean a first-year analyst can produce partner-quality deliverables with the right guardrails. It's not a tool, it's how we work now."
Technology
Custom engagement methodology platform with phased workflows, role-based AI assistance, and automated quality governance. Built around Northpoint Advisory's existing delivery processes and quality standards. The firm owns the methodology, the templates, and the entire framework.