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NotebookLM Prompt: Module 03 - Alignment & Signoff

Use this prompt to generate audio/video content for Module 03: Alignment & Signoff

Instructions for NotebookLM

This is a single, self-contained prompt file.

Simply upload THIS FILE to NotebookLM and use the prompt below to generate engaging audio/video content. No other files needed.

Prompt

Create an engaging 35-40 minute podcast conversation between two hosts discussing Module 03 of the Whiteport Design Studio (WDS) course: Alignment & Signoff.

IMPORTANT: WDS stands for Whiteport Design Studio - always refer to it by its full name "Whiteport Design Studio" or "WDS" throughout the conversation.

Host 1 (The Hesitant Designer): A designer who struggles with the business side of projects. Uncomfortable talking about money, afraid of contracts, and unsure how to position themselves professionally. Often undersells their value and gets stuck in scope creep situations.

Host 2 (The Strategic Professional): A designer who has learned to navigate the business side with confidence. Understands that protecting the project with clear agreements is serving the client, not being defensive. Has learned from painful lessons.

Conversation structure:

1. Opening (3 min) - Why This Feels Uncomfortable

Start with The Hesitant Designer expressing their discomfort: "I just want to design. The business stuff - pitches, contracts, negotiations - it makes me uncomfortable. I feel like I'm being pushy or greedy when I talk about money. Can't I just skip this part and start designing?"

The Strategic Professional responds with empathy: "I get it. I used to feel exactly the same way. But here's what I learned the hard way: skipping alignment and signoff doesn't make you generous - it makes you unprofessional. And ultimately, it hurts the client even more than it hurts you."

The Strategic Professional continues: "In the next 40 minutes, you'll understand why alignment isn't about being pushy - it's about serving your client with clarity. You'll learn when you actually need this (hint: not always), and how to create alignment documents and contracts that protect both you and your client. This is about building sustainable, healthy working relationships."

2. Understanding Alignment (6 min) - When You Need It (And When You Don't)

The Hesitant Designer asks: "Okay, but do I really need this? Can't I just have a conversation and then start working?"

When to Skip This Module:

The Strategic Professional is direct: "First, let's talk about when you DON'T need this module. If you're doing a project yourself - you have full autonomy, no stakeholders to convince, no one to approve your work - skip this entirely. Go straight to Module 04: Project Brief and start designing. Seriously. Don't waste time on alignment documents when you don't need them."

When to skip:

  • You're building something yourself (side project, portfolio piece)
  • You have full autonomy and budget control
  • No stakeholders need to approve or fund the work
  • You're the sole decision-maker

The Hesitant Designer: "That's a relief. But what about when I do need it?"

When You NEED Alignment:

The Strategic Professional explains: "You need this module when there's a gap between you and the decision-maker. Three common scenarios:"

Scenario 1: Consultant → Client

  • You're proposing a project to a client
  • They need to be convinced it's worth the investment
  • You need formal commitment before you start work

Scenario 2: Business Owner → Suppliers

  • You run a business and need to hire designers/developers
  • You need to align on what you're buying
  • You need a contract to protect your business

Scenario 3: Manager/Employee → Stakeholders

  • You have a project idea but need approval
  • You need budget allocation
  • You need stakeholder buy-in to proceed

The Strategic Professional emphasizes: "In all three scenarios, you're bridging a gap. Someone needs to say 'yes' and commit resources before work can begin. That's when you need alignment."

3. The 6 Elements of Alignment (8 min)

The Hesitant Designer asks: "Okay, so I need to convince someone. But how do I structure that conversation? What do they need to hear?"

The Framework - 6 Core Elements:

The Strategic Professional explains: "Every alignment document - whether it's a pitch, proposal, or internal signoff - needs to answer six core questions. Miss one, and your pitch falls apart."

1. The Idea - What are we building?

  • Clear statement of the solution
  • Not features - the actual thing you're creating
  • One sentence that anyone can understand

2. The Why - Why does this matter?

  • Business value and ROI
  • User pain points being solved
  • Strategic importance
  • What happens if we DON'T do this?

3. The What - What exactly is included?

  • Scope of work (what's in, what's out)
  • Deliverables (tangible outputs)
  • Features and functionality
  • What you'll hand over when you're done

4. The How - How will we execute?

  • Your approach and methodology
  • Timeline and milestones
  • Team and resources needed
  • Risk mitigation

5. The Budget - What's the investment?

  • Cost breakdown
  • Payment structure
  • What they're getting for their money
  • ROI justification

6. The Commitment - What do we need to proceed?

  • Decision timeline
  • Resources required
  • Stakeholder involvement
  • Next steps after approval

The Strategic Professional shares a story: "I once pitched a project focusing only on features (The What). I thought if I made it sound cool enough, they'd say yes. They didn't. Why? Because I never answered The Why. I never showed them the business value. I never demonstrated ROI. I was asking for $50K without proving why it was worth it."

The Hesitant Designer: "So it's not about making it sound impressive. It's about answering their actual questions?"

The Strategic Professional: "Exactly. Decision-makers don't care how cool your design is. They care if it's worth the investment. Answer these six questions clearly, and you make it easy for them to say yes."

4. Creating Your Alignment Document (7 min)

The Hesitant Designer asks: "This makes sense. But how do I actually create this document? What's the structure?"

The 10-Section Alignment Document:

The Strategic Professional explains: "Saga the Analyst guides you through creating an alignment document with 10 sections. But here's the key - you don't have to fill them in order. Start with what you know, explore what you're unsure about, and iterate until it's complete."

The 10 sections:

  1. Project Overview - The Idea in clear language
  2. Background & Context - Why now? What led to this?
  3. Problem Statement - What pain are we solving?
  4. Objectives & Goals - What does success look like?
  5. Proposed Solution - The What and How
  6. Scope & Deliverables - What's included (and what's not)
  7. Timeline & Milestones - When will things happen?
  8. Budget & Investment - What's the cost?
  9. Risks & Mitigation - What could go wrong?
  10. Next Steps - What happens after approval?

The Flexible Process:

The Strategic Professional emphasizes: "Saga doesn't force you through these in order. Instead, Saga asks: 'What do you know? What are you uncertain about? Let's explore together.' You might start with the problem, jump to budget, circle back to objectives. That's fine. The goal is clarity, not rigid structure."

Extracting from Existing Materials:

The Strategic Professional adds: "Often, you already have this information scattered across emails, conversations, meeting notes. Saga can help you extract and synthesize it. Upload your notes, share conversation summaries, and Saga structures it into a compelling pitch."

The Hesitant Designer: "So I don't have to start from scratch?"

The Strategic Professional: "Not at all. You're synthesizing what you already know into a document that makes it easy for decision-makers to say yes."

5. Negotiation & Iteration (5 min)

The Hesitant Designer asks nervously: "Okay, I've created the document. Now I have to share it? What if they reject it?"

The Negotiation Mindset:

The Strategic Professional responds: "First, let's reframe 'rejection.' They're not rejecting you. They're providing feedback on the proposal. Big difference. This is negotiation, not judgment."

The process:

  1. Share the alignment document - Give them time to read
  2. Gather feedback - What works? What concerns them?
  3. Iterate - Adjust based on their feedback
  4. Repeat until alignment - Keep refining until everyone agrees

The Strategic Professional shares: "I once pitched a project for $75K. Client said, 'This sounds great, but we only have $50K budgeted.' Instead of walking away, I asked, 'What if we reduced scope to fit $50K?' We cut two phases, kept the core value, and moved forward. That's negotiation."

Acceptance - When Everyone Is Aligned:

The Strategic Professional: "You know you've achieved alignment when the stakeholder says, 'Yes, this is exactly what we need. Let's proceed.' That's your signal to move to the next step: formalize it with a signoff document."

The Hesitant Designer: "So negotiation isn't about being defensive. It's about finding the version that works for everyone?"

The Strategic Professional: "Exactly. You're serving them by helping them make a good decision."

6. Signoff Documents - External Contracts (8 min)

The Hesitant Designer asks: "Okay, they've said yes. Now what? Do I need a contract?"

When You Need External Contracts:

The Strategic Professional explains: "If money is changing hands between different legal entities, you need a contract. Two main scenarios:"

Scenario 1: Project Contract (Consultant → Client)

  • You're a consultant/agency working for a client
  • Client is paying you for specific deliverables
  • You need legal protection for both parties

Scenario 2: Service Agreement (Business → Suppliers)

  • Your business is hiring designers/developers
  • You're buying services from another business
  • You need to protect your investment

What's in the Contract:

The Strategic Professional details: "Saga helps you create a contract that includes:"

Key sections:

  • Scope of Work - What's included (and explicitly what's NOT)
  • Deliverables - Tangible outputs with links to examples
  • Timeline - Milestones and deadlines
  • Payment Terms - Cost, payment schedule, late fees
  • Change Management - How scope changes are handled (change order process)
  • Acceptance Criteria - When work is considered complete
  • Intellectual Property - Who owns the code, designs, content
  • Termination Clause - How either party can exit
  • Warranties & Limitations - What you guarantee (and don't)

Business Models:

The Strategic Professional explains different payment structures:

  • Fixed-Price - Total project cost, paid in milestones
  • Hourly/Daily Rate - Time-based billing
  • Retainer - Monthly fee for ongoing availability
  • Value-Based - Price based on impact/value delivered

The Strategic Professional warns: "Here's the mistake I see designers make: they create vague contracts to seem flexible. 'We'll design a website.' That's it. No scope boundaries. No change process. Then the client adds 10 pages, 5 features, and expects the same price. You're stuck."

Protecting Scope:

The Strategic Professional emphasizes: "The most important section is 'What's NOT Included.' Be explicit. 'This does not include e-commerce functionality. This does not include third-party integrations. This does not include backend development.' Why? Because when scope creeps, you point to the contract and say, 'That's a change order. Here's the additional cost.'"

The Hesitant Designer: "So the contract isn't about being defensive. It's about protecting the project?"

The Strategic Professional: "Exactly. It protects you AND the client. It ensures everyone knows what to expect. That's serving them with clarity."

7. Signoff Documents - Internal Signoff (5 min)

The Hesitant Designer asks: "What if I'm not a consultant? What if I work for a company and need approval for an internal project?"

When You Need Internal Signoff:

The Strategic Professional explains: "If you're a manager or employee proposing a project that needs approval and budget allocation, you need an internal signoff document. This is different from an external contract - it's simpler, but still critical."

Internal Signoff Structure:

The Strategic Professional details:

  • Project Summary - The Idea, Why, What
  • Business Case - ROI and strategic value
  • Budget Request - Cost breakdown and approval
  • Timeline - Milestones and deadlines
  • Stakeholder Approval - Who needs to sign off
  • Next Steps - What happens after approval

Company-Specific Formats:

The Strategic Professional adds: "Many companies have their own formats - project intake forms, budget request templates, approval workflows. Saga can adapt to your company's format. You provide the template, Saga helps you fill it in based on your alignment document."

The Hesitant Designer: "So I'm just translating the alignment document into whatever format my company uses?"

The Strategic Professional: "Exactly. The thinking is the same - The Idea, Why, What, How, Budget, Commitment. You're just adapting the presentation."

8. Real Examples - What Good Looks Like (4 min)

The Hesitant Designer asks: "This all sounds great in theory. But what does a good alignment document actually look like?"

Example 1: SaaS Dashboard Redesign

The Strategic Professional shares: "A designer pitched a dashboard redesign for a SaaS company. Here's how they structured it:"

  • The Idea: Redesign the analytics dashboard to make data actionable
  • The Why: Current dashboard overwhelms users - 80% don't use it. Lost opportunity for data-driven decisions.
  • The What: New dashboard with 5 key metrics, drill-down capability, mobile responsive
  • The How: 8-week timeline, user research → prototypes → implementation
  • The Budget: $45K (ROI: 30% increase in feature adoption = $200K annual value)
  • The Commitment: Approval by March 1st, access to 10 users for research

The Strategic Professional: "Notice the ROI calculation? They didn't just say 'better dashboard.' They quantified the impact: 30% increase in adoption equals $200K value. That's how you get a yes."

Example 2: Internal Tool for Support Team

The Strategic Professional shares another: "An employee pitched an internal tool to their manager:"

  • The Idea: Build a knowledge base search tool for support team
  • The Why: Support reps spend 15 minutes per ticket searching for answers. 100 tickets/day = 25 wasted hours.
  • The What: AI-powered search, integration with existing knowledge base, Slack bot
  • The How: 6-week build, beta test with 5 reps, full rollout after validation
  • The Budget: $8K (ROI: 25 hours/day saved = $150K/year in productivity)
  • The Commitment: Approval this week, 5 reps for beta testing

The Strategic Professional: "Again, notice the quantification. They didn't say 'support reps are frustrated.' They said '25 wasted hours per day = $150K annually.' That's the language decision-makers understand."

9. Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them (5 min)

The Hesitant Designer asks: "What are the biggest mistakes designers make with alignment and contracts?"

Mistake 1: Vague Scope

The Strategic Professional: "The biggest mistake is being vague about scope to seem flexible. 'We'll design a great website' - that's meaningless. Great in whose opinion? How many pages? What functionality? Be specific. Define boundaries."

Mistake 2: No 'What's NOT Included' Section

The Strategic Professional: "Designers skip this because it feels negative. But this is your scope protection. 'This does not include SEO. This does not include content writing. This does not include hosting setup.' When the client asks for it later, you have a clear answer: 'That's a change order.'"

Mistake 3: Not Quantifying Value

The Strategic Professional: "Saying 'This will improve the user experience' isn't enough. Improve by how much? What's the business impact? 'This will reduce cart abandonment by 15% = $50K additional revenue.' That's how you justify your price."

Mistake 4: Avoiding Money Conversations

The Strategic Professional addresses The Hesitant Designer directly: "I know you feel uncomfortable talking about money. But here's the truth - if you don't talk about money upfront, you'll talk about it later when the client refuses to pay or disputes the bill. Being clear about cost at the beginning is serving them."

Mistake 5: Not Using Change Orders

The Strategic Professional: "When scope changes mid-project, designers often just absorb it to avoid conflict. That's how you end up working for free. Instead: 'That's outside our current scope. I can provide a change order with the additional cost and timeline impact.' That's professional."

The Hesitant Designer: "So being clear isn't being greedy. It's being professional?"

The Strategic Professional: "Exactly. Clarity serves everyone."

10. Closing - Your Professional Foundation (4 min)

The Strategic Professional brings it home: "You've just learned how to create alignment and protect your projects with clear agreements. This isn't about being pushy or defensive. It's about serving your clients and stakeholders with clarity."

The Hesitant Designer reflects: "I see it now. Alignment isn't about selling. It's about making sure everyone understands what we're building and why it matters. And contracts aren't about mistrust - they're about protecting the project so it can succeed."

The Strategic Professional: "Exactly. Here's what you now know:"

What You've Learned:

  • When you need alignment (and when to skip it)
  • The 6 elements every alignment document needs
  • How to create a compelling pitch that makes it easy to say yes
  • Negotiation as iteration - refining until everyone agrees
  • External contracts - protecting consultant/client relationships
  • Internal signoff - navigating company approval processes
  • What good looks like - real examples with quantified ROI
  • Common mistakes - and how to avoid them

Your Action:

The Strategic Professional: "Now, here's what you do. If you need stakeholder alignment, move to the tutorial. Work through it with Saga the Analyst. Create your alignment document. Share it with your stakeholder. Negotiate. Get approval. Formalize it with a contract or signoff document."

The Strategic Professional continues: "But if you're building something yourself - if you have full autonomy and don't need approval - skip this entirely. Go straight to Module 04: Project Brief and start designing. Don't waste time on alignment when you don't need it."

Building Your Professional Foundation:

The Strategic Professional emphasizes: "This module is about building your professional foundation. You're learning to operate as a strategic professional, not just a designer who executes orders. You're learning to bridge the gap between idea and execution, between vision and commitment."

The Hesitant Designer: "I'm ready. What's next?"

The Strategic Professional: "Next is Module 04: Project Brief - where you transform that alignment into a detailed blueprint for what you're building. But before you move forward, make sure you have commitment. Don't start detailed work until stakeholders have said yes."

The Hesitant Designer: "Alignment first. Design second."

The Strategic Professional: "Exactly. Now let yourself be known. Have that uncomfortable conversation about money. Define clear scope. Create a contract that protects everyone. That's how professional designers operate."

Resources to Include

At the end of the podcast, The Strategic Professional should mention these resources:

Key Concepts:

  • The 6 elements of alignment (Idea, Why, What, How, Budget, Commitment)
  • When to skip this module (doing it yourself)
  • Alignment document structure (10 sections)
  • External contracts (Project Contract and Service Agreement)
  • Internal signoff documents
  • Business models (fixed-price, hourly, retainer, value-based)
  • Change order process
  • Scope protection strategies

Next Steps:

  • Complete Module 04: Project Brief
  • Practice pitching with quantified ROI
  • Review your current contracts for scope clarity
  • Set up change order templates

Community:

  • BMad Discord: Share your alignment document
  • GitHub Discussions: Ask questions about contracts and pricing

Instructions for NotebookLM

Tone:

  • Empathetic about discomfort with business/money conversations
  • Direct about the importance of professional boundaries
  • Practical with real examples and specific numbers
  • Empowering about serving clients through clarity
  • Normalize the discomfort - everyone feels this way
  • Balance business protection with serving the client

Key messages to emphasize:

  • When to skip - if you're doing it yourself, skip this module
  • When you need it - consultant/client, business/suppliers, manager/stakeholders
  • The 6 elements - Idea, Why, What, How, Budget, Commitment
  • Clarity serves everyone - not being pushy, being professional
  • Quantify value - ROI calculations make it easy to say yes
  • Scope protection - "What's NOT Included" is critical
  • Change orders - how to handle scope changes professionally
  • Negotiation as iteration - refining until everyone agrees
  • Contracts protect everyone - not defensive, protective
  • Talk about money upfront - avoiding it doesn't make you generous
  • Professional foundation - operating as a strategic professional

Avoid:

  • Making it sound like you need this for every project
  • Being overly legal or formal in tone
  • Making contracts sound scary or adversarial
  • Focusing too much on worst-case scenarios
  • Assuming everyone is a consultant (some are employees)
  • Being too vague about pricing and scope

Expected Output

A natural, engaging conversation that:

  • Clarifies when this module is needed (and when to skip it)
  • Explains the 6 elements of alignment clearly and practically
  • Shows how to structure an alignment document (10 sections)
  • Demonstrates negotiation as iteration - not rejection
  • Details external contracts with clear sections and business models
  • Explains internal signoff for employees and managers
  • Provides real examples with quantified ROI
  • Highlights common mistakes and how to avoid them
  • Empowers designers to operate as strategic professionals
  • Normalizes discomfort about money and contracts
  • Emphasizes serving through clarity - not being defensive
  • Ends with clear action - create alignment, get signoff, move to Project Brief
  • Takes 35-40 minutes to listen to

Alternative: Video Script

If generating video instead of audio, add these visual elements:

On-screen text:

  • "When to Skip This Module"
  • "The 6 Elements of Alignment"
  • "Idea, Why, What, How, Budget, Commitment"
  • "Negotiation as Iteration"
  • "What's NOT Included - Your Scope Protection"
  • "Change Order Process"
  • "Clarity Serves Everyone"
  • "Quantify Your Value"
  • "ROI = Easy Yes"
  • "Professional Foundation"
  • "Next: Module 04 - Project Brief"

B-roll suggestions:

  • Designer presenting to stakeholders
  • Negotiation and iteration process
  • Contract signing
  • Budget calculations and ROI
  • Scope boundaries being drawn
  • Change order being created
  • Professional designer-client relationship
  • Internal approval workflow
  • Transformation: hesitant → confident

Usage Tips

  1. Upload THIS SINGLE FILE to NotebookLM - no other files needed
  2. Use the prompt exactly as written for best results
  3. Generate multiple versions and pick the best one
  4. Share the audio/video with your team or community
  5. Iterate - if the output isn't quite right, refine the prompt

Next Steps

After generating Module 03 content:

  • Create NotebookLM prompt for Module 04: Project Brief
  • Build prompts for all remaining modules
  • Share in BMad Discord designer channel

This module transforms how designers navigate the business side - from uncomfortable to professionally confident! 🎯✨