Work Plan and Timeline

Phase Work Plan

Phase	Key Activities	Outputs / Checkpoints	Weeks
Phase 1: Inception & Design	Kickoff; decision gate alignment; candidate region list; interview guides; screening criteria; bias control protocols; stakeholder recruitment plan; IRB/ethics confirmation	Kickoff Report; Research Design Document; Candidate Region List; Approved Interview Guide	Weeks 1–3
Phase 2: Screening & Desk Research	RARF application to all candidate clusters; regulatory landscape preliminary scan; use-case viability hypothesis construction; counterparty desk mapping; preliminary infrastructure review	Preliminary Market Prioritisation Matrix; Screening Review with CPC; Priority Deep-Dive Selection	Weeks 4–6
Phase 3: Primary Research & Field Access	Stakeholder interviews across all respondent categories; ALJ facilitation in priority hub locations; expert panels; regulatory expert calls; counterparty mapping refinement; infrastructure assessment	Stakeholder Access Check (Week 8); Regulatory & Infrastructure Review (Week 10); Interim Findings Review (Week 12)	Weeks 7–12
Phase 4.1: Analysis & Framework Development	RARF score revision with primary evidence; CASS classification of all signals; playbook drafting; regulatory summary writing; counterparty access register compilation; use-case viability assessment completion	Internal Analysis Memo; Draft Framework Outputs	Weeks 13–15
Phase 4.2: Drafting & Review	Full draft of all core deliverables; CPC draft review; validation against decision gates; revision based on review feedback; public summary preparation	Draft Deliverables Review with CPC (Week 16); Revised Draft	Weeks 15–17
Phase 5: Final Delivery	Final report; executive decision memo; cross-RFP handoff memo; final presentation to CPC; public summary; evidence register; confidence and limitations register	Final Report & Presentation (Week 17–18); Public Summary (Week 18)	Week 18

Milestone Schedule

Milestone	Timing	Purpose
Kickoff	Week 1	Confirm objectives, decision gates, scope, communication cadence, and confidentiality expectations
Research Design Review	End Week 3	Align on RARF criteria, candidate regions, use-case hypotheses, interview guides, and bias controls before fieldwork begins
Regional Screening Review	End Week 6	Present preliminary RARF scores; confirm priority deep-dive selections; adjust workplan if screening surfaces unexpected constraints
Stakeholder Access Check	End Week 8	Surface any recruitment gaps, access constraints, or regional limitations requiring methodology adaptation
Regulatory & Infrastructure Review	End Week 10	Present initial regulatory findings and infrastructure prerequisite assessments; identify where further expert access is needed
Interim Findings Review	End Week 12	Test whether evidence is answering the decision gates; adjust playbook structure if regional evidence requires it
Draft Deliverables Review	End Week 16	Full draft review: market prioritisation matrix, entry playbooks, regulatory summaries, CASS framework, counterparty map, roadmap
Final Report & Presentation	Week 17–18	Present final findings, confidence levels, limitations, decisions enabled, and recommended actions
Public Summary	Week 18	Confirm what can be published; deliver non-confidential public summary for Cardano community