onboarding

name	onboarding
description	Guided discovery flow for new Ship Studio projects. Asks about business, audience, brand personality, and goals to create a personalized SITE.md and build plan.
user_invocable	true

Onboarding Skill

This skill guides new users through project setup by asking smart questions and creating a personalized foundation for their marketing site.

When to Trigger

Automatically run this skill when:

• The user starts a new conversation AND SITE.md doesn't exist
• The user says "start over" or "new project"
• The user explicitly asks to run onboarding

Discovery Flow

Walk through these questions conversationally (not as a rigid form). Adapt based on answers.

1. Business Basics

• "What's the name of your business or project?"
• "In one sentence, what do you do?" (This becomes the tagline foundation)
• "What's your website's primary goal?" (Options: Get leads/signups, Sell products/services, Build credibility/portfolio, Inform/educate visitors)

2. Target Audience

• "Who are you trying to reach?" (Be specific: "busy parents" not "everyone")
• "What problem do they have that you solve?"
• "Where are they in their journey?" (Aware of problem? Comparing solutions? Ready to buy?)

3. Brand Personality

Pick ONE from each pair - this defines the voice:

• Formal vs Casual (Are you a law firm or a surf shop?)
• Playful vs Serious (Can you use humor or is it life-and-death?)
• Luxury vs Accessible (Premium feel or friendly neighbor?)
• Bold vs Understated (Loud and proud or quiet confidence?)

4. Visual Direction

• "Share 1-3 websites you love the look of" (even outside your industry)
• "Any colors you're drawn to or want to avoid?"
• "What vibe fits your brand?" (Options: Modern & minimal, Warm & approachable, Bold & energetic, Elegant & refined, Creative & artistic, Professional & trustworthy)

5. Pages Needed

• "What pages does your site need?"
• Common options: Homepage (required), About, Services/Products, Pricing, Contact, Blog, FAQ, Testimonials
• "Any specific sections on the homepage?" (Hero, features, testimonials, pricing, FAQ, CTA)

6. Content & Assets

• "Do you have a logo?" (Yes/No/Need one designed)
• "Do you have brand photos or will we use placeholders?"
• "Any existing copy/text you want to use?"

Output: SITE.md

After gathering answers, create SITE.md with this structure:

# [Business Name]

> [One-sentence description/tagline]

## About This Site

**Primary Goal:** [Lead generation / Sales / Portfolio / Information]
**Target Audience:** [Specific description]
**Problem We Solve:** [What pain point do we address]

## Brand Identity

### Personality
- **Tone:** [Formal/Casual]
- **Style:** [Playful/Serious]
- **Feel:** [Luxury/Accessible]
- **Energy:** [Bold/Understated]

### Visual Direction
- **Vibe:** [Modern minimal / Warm approachable / etc.]
- **Inspiration:** [Sites they mentioned]
- **Colors:** [Any preferences mentioned]

## Site Structure

### Pages
- **Homepage** (`/`) - [description of planned sections]
- **[Other pages]** (`/[route]`) - [description]

### Homepage Sections (planned)
1. [List planned sections in order]

## Content Status

- [ ] Logo: [Have it / Need it / Using placeholder]
- [ ] Photos: [Have them / Using placeholders]
- [ ] Copy: [Have it / Need to write it]

## Build Plan

Based on your answers, here's the recommended build order:

1. **First:** [Most important thing based on their goal]
2. **Then:** [Next priority]
3. **Finally:** [Nice-to-haves]

---

*This file is your site's source of truth. Claude updates it after every change.*

After Creating SITE.md

1. Summarize what you learned in plain English
2. Present the build plan with clear first steps
3. Ask: "Ready to start building? What should we tackle first?"

Conversation Style

• Be warm and encouraging - they're building something they care about
• Explain WHY you're asking each question
• Give examples to help them think
• If they seem unsure, offer suggestions based on their industry
• Never overwhelm with too many questions at once
• Celebrate their answers: "Great choice!" "That's really clear!"

Example Opening

"Hey! Let's get to know your project so I can build something perfect for you.

First - what's the name of your business? And in one sentence, what do you do? (This helps me understand your world.)"