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