agency-methodology

Signature Methodology

In Industry Rockstar's worldview, every advisor sells a methodology — a named, visualized, repeatable system that transforms intangible expertise into a defensible product. It's the difference between "I do consulting" and "I install the 6-Pillar Operating System."

Inputs

Read:

• memory/mvv.md — voice and reason for being
• memory/offer-stack.md — the outcome you sell
• memory/value-drivers.md — which drivers your methodology operates in

Goal

Produce memory/methodology.md with:

1. Methodology name — branded, memorable, ownable
2. The promise — what the methodology delivers, in one sentence
3. The structure — 3-7 phases, gears, pillars, or stages (use the structural metaphor that fits)
4. The visual — a description of how to render it (for Gamma / Canva / a designer)
5. The teaching version — how the founder explains it in 90 seconds on a sales call
6. The deliverable mapping — which phase produces which artifact

Method

Step 1 — Naming

Generate 5-8 candidate names. Each must:

• Be ownable (a Google search doesn't surface a competitor with the same name)
• Imply a system (not just a service)
• Be memorable on first hearing

Categories that work:

• Acronym — "AOS", "RPM", "GROW", "DRIVE"
• Number-led — "The 6 Pillars of X", "5-Phase Y System"
• Metaphor-led — "The Operating System", "The Engine", "The Blueprint"
• Verb-first — "Architect", "Orchestrate", "Crystallize"

Test each: "If a client repeated this back to a peer, would they remember it?"

Step 2 — Structure

Pick the right number of phases:

• 3 — too thin to feel like a system
• 4-7 — sweet spot; 5 is the most common
• 8+ — too many; clients can't remember

For each phase: name + outcome + duration + signature deliverable.

Step 3 — Visualization

Describe what the methodology looks like when drawn:

• Linear path — phases left-to-right (Onboard → Discover → Build → Deploy → Scale)
• Cycle — phases loop back (a flywheel — common for retainers)
• Pillars — phases stand side-by-side supporting an outcome (Rockstar 5 Pillars structure)
• Gears — phases interlock and turn together (advanced — implies system maturity)
• Pyramid — phases stack toward an outcome at top (good for value-stack alignment)

Pick one. Write a brief description of how to render it so Gamma / a designer can produce it.

Step 4 — Teaching version

The 90-second sales-call explanation. Format:

"Our methodology is called {NAME}. It's how we {core promise}. There are {N} phases: {phase 1} where {outcome}; {phase 2} where {outcome}; {phase N} where {outcome}. Most agencies skip {phase X} — that's the one that actually makes {Y} stick."

Step 5 — Mapping

Connect each phase to:

• Which Sprint Framework phase maps to it (if relevant)
• Which plugin skill runs it (if any)
• Which deliverable artifact the client receives

This is what makes the methodology real and not just a graphic.

Output

Write to memory/methodology.md:

# Signature Methodology: {NAME}

**Last updated:** YYYY-MM-DD

## Promise
{one sentence}

## Structure ({N} phases)

| # | Phase | Outcome | Duration | Signature deliverable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| 2 | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |

## Visualization
**Shape:** {linear / cycle / pillars / gears / pyramid}

**Render description:** {how it looks — for Gamma / designer}

## 90-second teaching version
> "..."

## Phase → tooling map

| Phase | Sprint Framework alignment | Plugin skill | Client artifact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Strategic Alignment | `agency-strategic-alignment` | Alignment doc |
| 2 | Process Map | `agency-process-map` | Process map |
| ... | ... | ... | ... |

## Naming alternates considered
- ...
- ...

After writing

The methodology is named, structured, and mapped. Now every persona has a defensible answer to "what's your process?".

Want a Gamma-ready slide of the visual? Say so and I'll generate the description block. Want this as a downloadable one-pager for the sales kit? /agency-content-engine can render it.

Boundaries

• Don't pick the first name — generate 5+ options minimum.
• Don't name a methodology with more than 7 phases. Cognitive load kills sales.
• Don't claim a methodology covers what it doesn't actually deliver. The credibility cost of a leaky framework is brutal.