Is this worth pursuing?
Who is better off because of ASU?
A shared way to pressure-test an idea before we commit to a story, video, post or pitch. It doesn't make the decision. It gives the team common language for making it, so strong choices are easy to explain and weak ones are hard to defend.
Two roles, four steps
Part 1 is for the person pitching. Part 2 is for the person deciding. Often that's the same meeting, and sometimes the same person.
Say it in one sentence
The quickest test of whether an idea is ready. Rough wording is fine.
Who at ASU is doing what, which matters to whom because the proof.
Answer seven questions
Quick yes, somewhat or no answers. They open with the core question, Who is better off because of ASU?, then test the idea against our four north stars (service to the country, service to the state, Research Matters, changing higher education) and story strength.
Make the call
Every pitch ends in one of five calls: three kinds of yes, a not yet, and a no.
Go
Yes · full effortStrategic and a strong story. ASU is acting, the value is clear, and the audience is defined.
"This is ours. Let's do it."
Go small
Yes · light effortWorth doing, but a lighter format does the job: a post, a short video, or an expert offered to reporters.
"Let's do a quick version."
20% pick
Yes · used sparinglyNot strategic, but a story people will love, like the Friendship Bench. Full treatment is fine. The limit is how often: about one story in five.
"Not strategic, but worth one of our 20% slots."
Reshape
Not yetThe value is real, but the angle needs work.
"There's something here. Let's find the angle first."
Pass
A no, for nowNo clear ASU role or value, and better uses for the time.
"Not this one, and here's why."
Two things are settled before the call: a story a college or unit owns gets handed off, and leadership requests go ahead in their own lane.
Tag the lane
Each decision also gets one of four tags. Counted each month, they show how close we are to a portfolio that's 80% strategic. The other 20% is for timely stories and stories people simply love, chosen on purpose and only about one time in five.
The check
Run it alone before a meeting or together during one. Start with your own idea, or load a made-up example to see how different pitches land.
Where did it come from?
What sparked it?
Whose story is it?
Breaking campus news follows the crisis communications protocol.
Units own their stories, so the rest of Part 1 isn't needed. Amplifying their version is often the best support.
Say it in one sentence
Fill in each line. Rough wording is fine. A line that's hard to fill is usually where the pitch needs work.
Answer seven questions
Answer based on what you know today, not how promising the topic sounds.
The first question
Everything starts hereStrategic value
One strong yes counts for more than several "somewhat"sStory strength
Both matter before production startsTeam notes
Not part of the daily check. These are the open decisions for this draft, plus the meeting card and Slack pin.
Choose the core line
One sentence anyone can apply without the full list. Pick one or write your own. It updates the whole guide, the card and the Slack pin.
Open questions for this draft
- The core line wording.
- The one-line definitions for each north star and topical priority, especially the scale thresholds for service to the state and changing higher education.
- What the media desk needs instead of this check. Reporter requests move too fast for a click-through tool.
- Whether the 80/20 counts projects or hours, and whether it's reviewed monthly or quarterly.
- Where the lane tag lives. A field in Airtable would make the count automatic.
Meeting card and Slack pin
Is this worth pursuing?
Who is better off because of ASU?
Part 1 · Say it in one sentenceWho at ASU is doing what, which matters to whom because the proof.
Audience: who exactly · Why now: this month because
- Is it clear who is better off because of ASU?
- Does it help the country, Arizona or everyday people?
- Does it show ASU research or innovation?
- Does it show ASU changing higher ed, or why college is important?
- Does it advance a topical priority?
- Would you share it on your own feed?
- Is it clear who it's for and why now?