# Module 03: Alignment & Signoff **Get stakeholders aligned and secure commitment before starting the project** --- ## Overview This module teaches you how to create alignment around your idea and secure formal commitment from stakeholders before diving into detailed project work. **Time:** 55-75 minutes **Prerequisites:** Module 02 completed (WDS installed) **When to use:** Optional - Use when you need stakeholder alignment (consultant → client, business → suppliers, manager → stakeholders) **What you'll create:** Alignment document (pitch) and signoff document (contract/service agreement/signoff) --- ## What You'll Learn - **The discovery discipline** - how to understand their outcomes before proposing solutions - **The two-meeting approach** - separate discovery from solution presentation - **Professional patience** - the carpenter measures twice, the doctor diagnoses first - How to ask discovery questions that reveal what success looks like for them - Creating a compelling alignment document that gets everyone on the same page - Negotiating and iterating until stakeholders accept - Generating appropriate signoff documents (external contracts or internal signoff) - When to skip this module (if you're doing it yourself) --- ## Module Structure ### [Lesson 1: Understanding Alignment](lesson-01-understanding-alignment.md) **Time:** 10 minutes - Why alignment matters before starting work - **The discovery discipline**: Understanding before solving - **Professional patience**: The carpenter measures twice, the doctor diagnoses first - The 6 elements of alignment (Idea, Why, What, How, Budget, Commitment) - Different user scenarios (consultant, business owner, manager/employee) - When to skip alignment (doing it yourself) ### [Lesson 2: Creating Your Alignment Document](lesson-02-creating-alignment-document.md) **Time:** 20 minutes - **The discovery phase**: Ask questions until you find the real pain point - **Resist solving in the discovery meeting**: Take notes, confirm, then stop - The 10 sections of an alignment document - How to explore sections flexibly - Extracting information from existing communications - Synthesizing into a clear, compelling document ### [Lesson 3: Negotiation & Acceptance](lesson-03-negotiation-acceptance.md) **Time:** 10 minutes - Sharing with stakeholders - Gathering feedback and iterating - Getting acceptance and alignment - When everyone is on the same page ### [Lesson 4: External Contracts](lesson-04-external-contracts.md) **Time:** 15 minutes - When you need external contracts (consultant → client, business → suppliers) - Project Contract vs. Service Agreement - Key contract clauses and best practices - Business models (fixed-price, hourly, retainer) - Payment terms, scope protection, legal framework ### [Lesson 5: Internal Signoff Documents](lesson-05-internal-signoff.md) **Time:** 10 minutes - When you need internal signoff (manager/employee seeking approval) - Internal signoff document structure - Company signoff format adaptation - Approval workflows and stakeholders --- ## Tutorial **[Tutorial: Alignment & Signoff →](tutorial-03.md)** Step-by-step hands-on guide to creating your alignment document and securing signoff. **Time:** 55-75 minutes **What you'll create:** Complete alignment document and signoff document (external contract or internal signoff) --- ## Key Concepts **The Discovery Discipline:** - **Understand before you solve** - The carpenter measures twice, the doctor diagnoses first - **Separate discovery from solution** - Don't present solutions in the first meeting - **Ask until you find the pain point** - Keep digging deeper to understand the real issue - **Take notes, confirm understanding, then stop** - Come back with a thoughtful proposal **Alignment Document (Pitch):** - Created AFTER discovery phase - Makes the case for why the project matters - Gets stakeholders aligned on Idea, Why, What, How, Budget, Commitment - Readable in 2-3 minutes - Allows negotiation and iteration **Signoff Documents:** - **External Contracts**: Project Contract (consultant → client) or Service Agreement (business → suppliers) - Includes legal protections, payment terms, IP ownership - Different business models (fixed-price, hourly, retainer) - **Internal Signoff**: For internal company projects - May follow company-specific formats - Focuses on approval workflows and budget allocation - Both include scope, investment, timeline, deliverables **The Flow:** 1. **Discovery meeting** - Listen: Ask questions, understand their goals and what's important for success 2. **Stop & reflect** - "Let me think about this and come back with a thoughtful proposal" 3. **Create alignment document** - Create: Build pitch based on what they told you 4. **Presentation meeting** - Present: Share proposal showing you understood them 5. **Iterate** - Negotiate: Adjust and refine together to find the perfect match 6. **Get acceptance** - Accept: They say yes to the pitch 7. **Generate signoff** - Contract: Create short, clear contract based on accepted pitch 8. **Sign** - Both parties sign 9. **Proceed to Project Brief** - Brief: Use pitch and contract as the backbone **Key:** Pitch and contract become the foundation for your project brief - not throwaway documents. --- ## Learning Outcomes By the end of this module, you will: - ✅ Understand the discipline of discovery before solution - ✅ Know how to ask questions that reveal what success looks like for them - ✅ Be able to separate discovery meetings from solution presentation - ✅ Understand when you need stakeholder alignment - ✅ Know how to create a compelling alignment document based on real understanding - ✅ Be able to negotiate and iterate until acceptance - ✅ Generate appropriate external contracts or internal signoff documents - ✅ Know when to skip this module and go straight to Project Brief --- ## When to Skip This Module **Skip if:** - You're doing the project yourself - You have full autonomy - You don't need stakeholder approval **Go directly to:** [Module 04: Create Project Brief](../module-04-project-brief/tutorial-04.md) --- ## Start Learning **[Begin with Lesson 1: Understanding Alignment →](lesson-01-understanding-alignment.md)** --- [← Back to Course Overview](../00-course-overview.md) | [Next: Module 04: Create Project Brief →](../module-04-project-brief/tutorial-04.md) *Part of the WDS Course: From Designer to Linchpin*