Choosing between Flash and Compass
How to match a one-week desk brief or a 4-6 week Compass sprint, whether one city or several, to the capital decision on the table.
TACT Insights
Flash is a standalone desk product for when secondary sources can answer the question: trade and infrastructure, competitive landscape, and where the data is thin. Compass is the flagship sprint for when the capital call needs primary consumer, trade, and competitive evidence.
Flash can also be scoped as a trade-only desk brief when the question is channel economics rather than a full landscape scan. If Compass is commissioned within 30 days of Flash delivery, the Flash fee credits toward that sprint.
Compass can cover one city for depth, or two or three cities for comparison. Field teams run in parallel, so the timetable stays at four to six weeks either way.
Choose Flash when a one-week secondary brief is enough to inform the next capital conversation. Choose Compass when the board needs an owned enter, enter differently, or do not enter call from primary fieldwork.
Matching the engagement to the board question keeps the work useful when the decision is due.
