Each participant conducts a research project designed to improve the participant’s firm or profession. Working with a mentor, participants create a project of their own or select one from among the 100 described in the FOPP Research-Assignment Compendium. Each participant prepares a proposal, a draft report, and a final report. John Bachner personally reviews everything each FOPP participant writes; every e-mail, every proposal, and both research reports, critiquing each for soundness of thought and effectiveness of writing.

Just a few of the topics include:

• Prepare a comprehensive checklist of pre-engagement-acceptance factors (go/no go) your firm’s representatives should consider.
• Prepare an easily understood description of your firm's professional-liability-insurance (PLI) policy. Teach other members of the firm about the types of claims the policy does and does not cover.
• Teach other members of the firm about the types of claims the policy does and does not cover.
• Develop a comprehensive “niche-marketing” plan for your firm, relying on a new “subsidiary” or division you develop specifically for niche-marketing purposes.
• Identify factors that influence the length of time professional employees stay with a firm.
• Review five, client-developed contracts that your firm has recently accepted. Identify potential problems created by inclusion or omission.
• Identify how your firm can convert clients to “clients for life.”
• Interview three persons of different rank in each of your firm's departments. What are the top-five changes each would make to improve the firm’s productivity, professionalism, and profitability?
• Research projects that have lost money for your firm over the past three years. Identify their commonalities; develop recommendations for improvement.
• What are the effects of working an alternative work schedule, year-round or seasonally, versus the traditional five eight-hour days?
• Assess the demand, competition, implementation approaches, and cost to develop a new service line your firm wants to offer.
• Learn about rapid-response project-intervention teams and develop a plan for creating one for your firm.
• Establish the marketing and sales organization your firm or office needs to bring in new business.