Engagement Model

1. Executive summary

Model

Five-phase engagement: Discovery, Scoping, Pilot, Production, and Delivery

Terms

Steps, responsibilities, and acceptance criteria formalized in the statement of work

Roles

Documented for both client and YPAI teams

Acceptance

Criteria established for each phase before proceeding

Change control

Procedures govern scope modifications throughout the engagement

Governance

Documentation maintained for audit readiness

DPA

Executed before production data collection commences

2. Engagement overview

YPAI operates a structured engagement model designed for enterprise procurement, legal review, and long-term production use. This is not a marketplace or self-service platform.

Each engagement follows a defined process from initial consultation through production delivery, with clear checkpoints, documented acceptance criteria, and governance procedures throughout.

The engagement model accommodates both standard data collection projects and custom collection protocols designed for specialized model requirements.

Engagement structure and phase definitions are adapted based on project scope and client requirements during scoping.

3. Engagement phases

Phase 1, Discovery: Initial consultation to understand data collection requirements, technical specifications, compliance needs, and project constraints. Includes requirements assessment, preliminary scope discussion, and governance requirements identification.

Phase 2, Scoping: Detailed project definition including specifications, acceptance criteria, milestones, and contractual terms. Technical specifications are finalized, statement of work prepared, and DPA executed.

Phase 3, Pilot / Evaluation: Limited-scale data collection to validate specifications, quality standards, and integration workflows. Sample dataset production, quality validation, and production readiness assessment.

Phase 4, Production: Full-scale data collection following validated specifications and quality protocols. Includes contributor recruitment, controlled recording environment management, and continuous quality assurance.

Phase 5, Delivery: Milestone deliveries with formal acceptance process and supporting documentation. Deliverables prepared per technical specifications with full documentation package.

Phase structure and checkpoints are adapted based on project scope. Not all engagements require all phases.

4. Roles and responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities are documented in the statement of work. Clear ownership ensures accountability throughout the engagement.

YPAI responsibilities: Data collection design and protocol development, contributor vetting and management, recording environment validation, quality assurance and human review, progress reporting, deliverable preparation, and audit artifact maintenance.

Client responsibilities: Requirements definition and specification approval, acceptance criteria definition, designated project contact and escalation path, milestone review and formal acceptance, integration testing, and change request submission through agreed channels.

Specific role assignments and communication protocols are documented in the statement of work.

5. Acceptance and sign-off

Formal acceptance checkpoints are established for each engagement phase and milestone delivery. Acceptance criteria are defined during scoping and documented in the statement of work.

Phase acceptance: Each phase concludes with a formal acceptance checkpoint. Proceeding to the next phase requires documented sign-off against agreed criteria.

Milestone acceptance: Deliverables are validated against technical specifications, quality metrics, and documentation requirements before formal acceptance.

Acceptance criteria include:

• Technical format compliance (audio specifications, metadata structure)
• Quality metrics validation (acoustic quality, transcription accuracy)
• Documentation completeness (provenance records, consent verification)
• Volume and demographic requirements fulfillment

Acceptance periods, validation procedures, and sign-off authorities are defined in the statement of work.

6. Change control

Change control procedures govern modifications to scope, specifications, timeline, or deliverables after engagement commencement.

Change request process: Scope changes are submitted through documented channels. Each request includes description, justification, and requested timeline.

Impact assessment: Changes are evaluated for impact on timeline, resources, quality, and contractual terms. Assessment is documented and communicated to stakeholders.

Approval workflow: Changes require approval from designated stakeholders on both sides before implementation. Approval thresholds and authorities are defined in the engagement agreement.

Documentation: Approved changes are documented as amendments to the statement of work. Change history is maintained for audit and reference purposes.

7. Governance and documentation

Governance and documentation procedures ensure compliance, auditability, and long-term defensibility of delivered data.

DPA governance: Data Processing Agreements are executed during scoping, aligned with GDPR Article 28 requirements. Sub-processors are disclosed. YPAI acts as Data Processor or Independent Controller depending on engagement structure.

Audit documentation: Full audit trail is maintained throughout the engagement including:

• Provenance records for all delivered data
• Consent verification and contributor documentation
• Quality validation logs and gate passage records
• Change control documentation and approval history
• Delivery acknowledgment and acceptance records

Reporting: Status reports are provided per agreed cadence. Reports include production progress, quality metrics, milestone status, and any issues or risks.

Retention: Documentation is retained according to agreed terms for compliance verification and audit purposes.

Governance requirements, reporting cadence, and audit access procedures are defined in the engagement agreement.

8. Procurement and operations FAQ

How does the engagement process begin?

Engagements begin with a discovery phase where we assess your data collection requirements, technical specifications, compliance needs, and project timeline. This initial consultation is confidential and non-binding.

What is defined during scoping?

Scoping defines the complete project parameters including volume requirements, language and demographic specifications, technical acceptance criteria, delivery milestones, and contractual terms. The statement of work formalizes these details.

Is a pilot phase required?

A pilot or evaluation phase is recommended for new engagements. This allows validation of technical specifications, quality standards, and workflow integration before committing to production scale. Pilot scope is defined during scoping.

How are acceptance criteria determined?

Acceptance criteria are established collaboratively during scoping based on your technical requirements and quality standards. Criteria are documented in the statement of work and validated at each phase checkpoint.

Who is responsible for what during the engagement?

Roles and responsibilities are documented in the statement of work. YPAI manages data collection, quality assurance, and delivery. Client responsibilities typically include requirements definition, milestone acceptance, and integration testing.

How are scope changes handled?

Change control procedures are defined during scoping. Scope modifications require documented change requests, impact assessment, and approval through agreed channels before implementation.

What happens if delivered data does not meet acceptance criteria?

Remediation procedures are documented in the engagement agreement. Non-conforming deliverables are flagged, root cause analyzed, and corrective actions implemented according to agreed timelines.

When is the DPA executed?

The Data Processing Agreement is executed during the scoping phase, before any production data collection commences. DPA terms align with GDPR Article 28 requirements for processor engagements.

What documentation is provided throughout the engagement?

Documentation includes project status reports, quality metrics, milestone completion records, and audit artifacts. Specific documentation requirements are agreed during scoping.

How long does a typical engagement take?

Engagement timelines depend on scope, volume, and complexity. Timeline estimates are provided during scoping based on your specific requirements. We do not provide generic timelines.

Can engagement terms be customized for our procurement requirements?

Yes. We work with your procurement and legal teams to address enterprise requirements including vendor assessment questionnaires, security documentation, and compliance certifications.

What audit documentation is available?

Full audit documentation is available for compliance and internal review. This includes provenance records, consent verification, quality validation logs, and chain of custody documentation. Access procedures are defined in the engagement agreement.

Engagement structure and specific terms are defined during scoping based on your project requirements.