The challenge
The consortium's members agreed on the quantum risk but didn't share a message about it. Each brought a different view of post-quantum cryptography (PQC), which left decision-makers unsure how to prioritize it. They needed a white paper that explained crypto agility, NIST algorithm timelines and quantum threats clearly, and moved readers to act.
The consortium also had no brand of its own. I was briefed just before American Thanksgiving, with a Feb 1 deadline and four sets of SMEs, brands and legal approvals to manage.
What I did
I set the timeline and agreed on the approval process first. Four companies meant four legal reviews. Settling the process early was how we'd keep production tight.
Next I gathered input from subject matter experts at each member company. Those interviews became the backbone of an outline that captured the group's shared priorities and each member's own view.
Once the outline was approved, I wrote an argued white paper on the urgent need for crypto agility. It paired technical depth with practical steps and made the case to prepare for PQC now, before standards are final. It's written for both technical and business leaders.
Results
The white paper gave the consortium one shared narrative for the PQC transition. It came from four companies with their own brands and approval processes. It's since served as an educational resource and a rallying point for people working through quantum risk and the move to crypto agility.