Client Reporting PDCA Framework
A structured human-AI collaboration process for producing weekly client status reports across 8 active consulting engagements. Each cycle delivers a reviewed, approved, and sent report containing current metrics, evidenced risks, and account lead recommendations. Cycle frequency: Weekly (8 reports per cycle, due Friday by 5 PM).
How to Use This Skill
Work through phases in order. Each phase has a STOP condition before proceeding.
PLAN — Confirm metrics sources, known risks and context from the account lead, and the confirmed client contact before drafting anything. See references/phase-prompts.md -> PLAN phase.
DO — Execute with discipline. Pull sourced data, draft sections, and pause at mandatory human gates before any content involving risk escalation, resourcing, or the send decision. See references/phase-prompts.md -> DO phase.
CHECK — Verify quality against the agreed criteria before declaring done. No report is done until the account lead has explicitly approved it. See references/phase-prompts.md -> CHECK phase.
ACT — Retrospect. Propose refinements to this skill. Human approves changes. See references/phase-prompts.md -> ACT phase. See references/working-agreements.md for the current version and process discipline rules.
STOP Triggers — Intervene Immediately
If any of these occur, stop the AI and restate the relevant phase prompt:
- AI sends or schedules the report without explicit account lead approval
- AI lists a risk without citing a source (ticket number, date, or standup note)
- AI writes a recommendation involving resourcing, timeline, or budget without account lead input
- AI pulls metrics without first confirming the data source with the human
- AI addresses the report to a contact not explicitly confirmed by the account lead
Human Ownership — Non-Negotiable
The human owns these decisions. AI must not proceed past them without explicit approval:
- Account lead narrative: interpreting relationship health and what to emphasize based on
client context not captured in project tools
- Risk framing: deciding whether a risk is surfaced to the client or handled internally,
based on contractual and political sensitivity
- Every recommendation — AI may draft, but the account lead must finalize the language
and stand behind every recommendation
- Escalation language: whether a risk is "critical" vs. "watch item"
- Any recommendation involving resourcing, timeline, or budget (contractual implications)
- The send decision: explicit account lead approval required before the report goes to
the client; this cannot be assumed or skipped