The Lab · Internal roadmap
March 2026 framing · rollout draft
The Lab — Where We’re Headed

A phased build for how the team actually works.

The Lab is a client portal and AI delivery system designed to remove the manual, repetitive work from how Test Tube Marketing delivers for clients — so more time goes into the work that actually needs human judgment.

Roadmap logic

1

Remove the repetitive.
Start with immediate pain relief using lightweight automations and internal tools.

2

See everything.
Then centralise context so the team can understand any client instantly.

3

Clients feel it.
Only then make it client-facing, with self-serve and AI-assisted delivery.

4

Autonomous delivery.
The horizon is a system that runs more of the process while humans run the strategy.

The phases

This version is structured around the stronger narrative from the updated Claude doc: internal relief first, internal visibility second, client-facing value third, autonomy later.

1
March → April 2026 Phase 1

Remove the Repetitive

This phase does not wait for major infrastructure. It focuses on lightweight tools built around the specific pain points the team raises.

Goal: the boring stuff gets automated — starting now, not in 6 months.
What ships
  • Grace: automated first draft of client project timelines
  • Gabriella: AI-assisted call prep for weekly email clients
  • Ad: automated reporting pulls ahead of meetings
  • Fishtail goes live internally via Slack by end of April
What this means

The worst parts of the week start getting handled early. The team sees value in weeks, not quarters.

Success signal

Specific weekly pain points begin disappearing through small but visible working tools and demos.

2
May → June 2026 Phase 2

See Everything

This phase begins once the Mac mini arrives and is set up. The Lab becomes the place where client context, reporting and internal visibility come together.

Goal: one place where everything lives. No more digging.
What ships
  • The Lab portal goes live internally
  • Centralised client info: transcripts, notes, relationship detail
  • Reporting dashboard with real client data
  • Phase 1 mini-builds plug into the portal via Fishtail
What this means

Grace, Ad and Gabriella can look up any client and instantly know what’s going on without asking around.

Success signal

Client context becomes visible and usable team-wide, with less internal dependency on memory and chat history.

3
September 2026 onwards Phase 3

Clients Feel It

This is where The Lab shifts from an internal operating system to something clients use directly.

Goal: clients experience The Lab directly. We shift from doing to reviewing.
What ships
  • Clients log in to see dashboards, timelines and assets
  • Webinar intake form goes live
  • AI drafts campaign assets from client briefs
  • Routine client comms handled by Fishtail
What this means

The team’s role shifts toward quality control, oversight and relationships rather than admin-heavy delivery work.

Success signal

Clients start self-serving parts of the process while the team reviews, directs and refines rather than builds from scratch.

4
Horizon Phase 4

Autonomous Delivery

The horizon state is a system that runs more of the process end-to-end while the team focuses on strategy and judgment.

Goal: the system runs the process. We run the strategy.
What ships
  • AI listens to client calls and drafts assets in real time
  • Campaign builds happen with minimal manual input
  • Humans focus on direction, quality and relationships
What this means

The operating model becomes far less manual. The team spends its time on the work only humans should be doing.

Success signal

The Lab is no longer just a portal — it becomes a delivery system.

What happens every Monday

Update

The Lab update
What’s been built, what’s next, what’s moved.

Demo

A live demo
One thing, shown working, every single week.

Input

Team feedback
This gets built around how the team actually works, not around assumptions.

Where each of you fits

Person Phase 1 (Now) Phase 2 (May) Phase 3 (Sep)
Grace Timeline automation Full client view Review, not build
Gabriella AI call prep Transcripts + history visible Asset review & approval
Ad Automated reporting Live ads dashboard Client self-serve reporting

Framing note: The Lab is built by us, for us. Nothing gets shipped without team input. This rollout page is designed to be presentation-ready for Monday while still being editable from Slack.