May 12, 2025
The First 10 Days of Any Digital Project — And Why They Matter More Than You Think
From the field: Notes on modernizing public operations

Alexis Maison
Founder
The beginning of any digital project feels full of potential.
But it’s also where most things quietly go wrong.
In our work across West Africa, we’ve learned that the first 10 days are the most decisive. Not because they’re the flashiest — but because they set the tone for everything that follows.
In those 10 days, teams either…
Feel heard
Or feel like they’re being “software’d”
See how the tool will reflect their real work
Or see a vague idea of what outsiders think they need
Gain trust in the process
Or brace for another initiative that will fade out
This is why OSP90 begins with a sharp, low-friction Discovery phase.
No bloated workshops. No audits. No theoretical redesigns.
Just:
One or two critical workflows
A clear, respectful mapping of what’s already happening
And a shared commitment: “Let’s make this one thing better — together”
When teams experience early traction, they gain energy.
They start imagining what else might be possible.
And that’s how momentum builds — not months in, but days in.
Digital transformation isn’t a mystery.
It’s a relationship — and it begins on Day 1.