# Deliverable: Service Agreement

**Formalize stakeholder commitment with a clear contract - protecting the outcomes they care about**

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## About WDS & the Service Agreement

**WDS (Whiteport Design Studio)** is an AI agent framework module within the BMAD Method that transforms how designers work. Instead of creating documentation that gets lost in translation, your design work becomes **powerful prompts** that guide AI agents and development teams with precision and intent.

**The Service Agreement** formalizes the commitment you secured with your Project Pitch. It protects both parties, defines clear scope around the outcomes they told you they need, and establishes the foundation for a healthy working relationship where everyone's expectations are explicitly aligned.

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## What Is This Deliverable?

The Service Agreement is your formal contract that:
- Defines scope of work around the outcomes they need (what's included, what's not)
- Establishes clear deliverables that serve their desired results
- Protects both parties with terms and conditions
- Provides legal foundation for the project
- Makes explicit what success looks like (their definition)

**Created by:** Saga the Analyst  
**When:** Phase 1 (Module 03) - After pitch is accepted, before work begins  
**Format:** Markdown document converted to contract/PDF format

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## Why This Matters

**Without a formal agreement:**
- ❌ Scope creep around "I thought you meant..." becomes unmanageable
- ❌ Payment becomes contentious when outcomes aren't clear
- ❌ No protection if client stops paying
- ❌ Unclear who owns the final work
- ❌ The outcomes they care about aren't explicitly protected

**With a service agreement:**
- ✅ Protected scope tied to their desired outcomes
- ✅ Clear payment terms
- ✅ Legal recourse if needed
- ✅ Professional credibility
- ✅ Foundation for healthy client relationships
- ✅ Both parties know exactly what success looks like

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## What's Included

- **Scope of Work:** What's included (tied to outcomes they need) and what's explicitly not
- **Deliverables:** Tangible outputs you'll produce that serve their desired results (with links to examples)
- **Timeline:** Key milestones and completion dates
- **Payment Terms:** Cost structure, payment schedule, late fees
- **Change Management:** How scope changes are handled (change order process) - protecting focus on agreed outcomes
- **Acceptance Criteria:** When work is considered complete (based on their definition of success)
- **Intellectual Property:** Who owns what (code, designs, content)
- **Termination Clause:** How either party can exit the agreement
- **Warranties & Limitations:** What you guarantee (and don't)

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## The Dialog with Your Thinking Partner: Saga the Analyst

**The Process (30-45 minutes):**

Saga the Analyst helps you formalize the agreement based on what they told you they need:

```
Saga the Analyst: "Let's protect this project with a solid agreement that 
                   serves the outcomes they care about. What exactly is in scope?"

You: "Landing page redesign, mobile responsive, 5 pages total. They need 
      to reduce cart abandonment by making checkout clearer."

Saga the Analyst: "Good - scope tied to their desired outcome. What's explicitly 
                   OUT of scope?"

You: "No backend work, no e-commerce functionality changes, no third-party 
      integrations. We're focused only on the clarity improvements they need."

Saga the Analyst: "Perfect - that clarity prevents scope creep and keeps focus 
                   on the outcomes they told you matter. Now, what are your 
                   deliverables?"

You: "Page specifications, design system, WordPress-ready content, 
      interactive prototype - all focused on checkout clarity."

Saga the Analyst: "Excellent! What's your timeline and payment structure?"
```

As you talk, Saga the Analyst creates:
- ✅ Clear scope boundaries (protecting their desired outcomes)
- ✅ Specific deliverables list (tied to what they need)
- ✅ Milestone timeline
- ✅ Payment terms
- ✅ Change order process (protecting focus on agreed outcomes)
- ✅ IP ownership terms
- ✅ Acceptance criteria (based on their definition of success)

Then you review together:

```
Saga the Analyst: "Here's your Service Agreement. Does this protect both 
                   of you and keep focus on the outcomes they care about?"

You: "Yes! But add a 50% deposit requirement before work starts."

Saga the Analyst: "Added to payment terms. ✅ Agreement is ready."
```

**Result:** Service Agreement that protects both parties and keeps everyone focused on the outcomes that matter to them

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## Example

See the [WDS Presentation Project - Service Agreement](#) *(Coming soon)*

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## Agent Activation

To start creating your Service Agreement:

```
@saga I need to create a Service Agreement for [Your Project Name].
```

Saga the Analyst will begin the conversation and guide you through the process.

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## How to Create This

**Hands-on Tutorial:** [Module 03: Alignment & Signoff](../module-03-alignment-signoff/tutorial-03.md)

**Workflow Reference:** [Alignment & Signoff Workflow](../src/workflows/1-project-brief/alignment-signoff/)

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## Getting Started with WDS

New to WDS? Install the complete AI agent framework to unlock all capabilities:

👉 **[Install WDS & Get Started](../../getting-started/getting-started-overview.md)**

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**Previous Deliverable:** [Project Pitch](project-pitch.md) - Get stakeholder buy-in first  
**Next Deliverable:** [Product Brief](product-brief.md) - Define what you're actually building
