Recording studio mixing console

Process

How a Portalhorizon audit unfolds

From the first listening question to the final walkthrough — what happens, what we need from you, and when decisions land.

Music streaming teams rarely lack charts. They lack a shared reading of what those charts mean for listener habits. Our process keeps the work grounded in skips, playlist entries, and cohort sessions — and keeps opinion separate from evidence.

The four stages

  1. Frame the listening question. We spend the opening call naming one primary behaviour — for example, evening mix abandonment or free-to-paid listening depth — so the audit does not sprawl.
  2. Secure a clean data window. You share exports or controlled dashboard access. We refuse to start analysis until personally identifiable fields are removed and the date range is confirmed.
  3. Read and challenge. Two analysts draft findings independently, then reconcile. Weak claims are cut. Charts that merely decorate a slide are discarded.
  4. Deliver and revisit. You receive the written brief, a walkthrough, and a short follow-up window for factual corrections — not endless re-scoping.

Typical timeline

StageCalendar spanYour involvement
IntakeDays 1–360-minute call, access checklist
Data windowDays 3–8Exports or dashboard credentials
ReadingDays 8–18Occasional clarification emails
DeliveryDays 18–22Walkthrough attendance

Materials that help

Catalogue change logs, playlist rule notes, and a list of releases that landed during the study window. Surprises in the data are easier to interpret when we know what the editorial team altered.

Ready to begin?

Browse audits or write to us with the listening behaviour that keeps resurfacing in your product meetings.