| name | agency-methodology |
| description | Builds the agency's named, branded signature methodology — the visual framework that turns intangible expertise into a sellable, defensible, recognizable IP asset. Core Industry Rockstar concept. Reads memory/mvv.md, memory/offer-stack.md, memory/value-drivers.md. Writes to memory/methodology.md. Use when the user says "methodology", "signature framework", "my IP", "name my system", "productize my expertise", "framework graphic". |
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:
- Methodology name — branded, memorable, ownable
- The promise — what the methodology delivers, in one sentence
- The structure — 3-7 phases, gears, pillars, or stages (use the structural metaphor that fits)
- The visual — a description of how to render it (for Gamma / Canva / a designer)
- The teaching version — how the founder explains it in 90 seconds on a sales call
- 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.