Controls on publication based on past papers

Purpose

Identify relevant past publications on a topic and assess alignment, differentiation, and novelty to support a clear go/no-go decision before publishing.

Primary users

Consultants, thought leadership authors, research teams, and publication approvers who need a rapid, defensible review of prior art and positioning.

Where it fits (process/stage/trigger)

Used during the final drafting and approval stage, triggered when a new article, point of view, client note, or research piece is proposed for publication.

Key capabilities / workflow

It searches and consolidates past papers from competitors, clients, and research sources, extracts the core theses and angles, compares them with the draft’s claims, flags overlaps and contradictions, and determines whether the draft adds a genuinely new angle, ending with a recommended go/no-go and next edits if needed.

Inputs

A topic statement or draft publication text, optional target audience and key messages, and any known competing or prior publications to prioritize.

Outputs / Deliverables

A referenced list of relevant past publications, an alignment vs. differentiation summary, identified novelty angles (or gaps), key risks of redundancy, and a final go/no-go recommendation with concrete revision guidance.

Value

Reduces reputational and compliance risk from redundant or misaligned publications, improves differentiation and quality of thought leadership, and speeds up approval decisions with consistent, evidence-based checks.