PAST Framework Application Example
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PAST Framework Application Example
Company: Mid-size consulting firm rolling out AI for research and proposal development
Purpose: Reduce proposal development time by 40% while improving quality and win rates through better research synthesis and content personalisation.
Audience:
- Primary: Senior consultants who write proposals
- Secondary: Partners who review and approve proposals
- Decision Makers: Practice leaders who control budgets
- IT: Must ensure client data security
Scope:
- In: Research synthesis, competitive analysis, proposal section drafting
- Out: Client relationship management, final proposal approval, pricing decisions
- Phase 1: One practice area, 5 senior consultants, standard proposal templates
- Phase 2: All practice areas, proposal presentation support
- Phase 3: Integration with CRM and project management systems
Tone:
- Professional but approachable (matches consulting culture)
- Supports human expertise rather than replacing it
- Maintains high-quality standards expected by clients
- Respects confidentiality and client-specific custom work needs
- Avoids AI slop: Proposals reference specific client challenges, not generic business compliments
- Stands out: The firm’s industry knowledge stays central — AI handles efficiency, not insights
Result: A clear plan that matches how you actually work, delivers results you can track, and keeps your client communication authentic.
The PAST Framework doesn’t tell you which tools to buy. It tells you what you’re actually trying to accomplish — and that’s the question most people never ask before they start spending.
Next: You’ve defined what you want and set boundaries around it. Chapter 3 turns that strategy into a step-by-step execution plan — because knowing what you want and actually doing it are different problems.