| name | Donald Miller — Cognitive Load Messaging Mastery |
| description | Scores, diagnoses, and eliminates cognitive friction from messaging using Donald Miller's methodology — zero-load sound bites, the PEACE framework (Problem / Empathy / Authority / Confidence / Examples), three-phase campaign architecture (curiosity → enlightenment → commitment), and cognitive-load autopsies on copy that "tested fine but didn't convert". Treats every extra word as a tax. Use when website copy is smart-but-confusing, a sales page has too many competing ideas, sound bites need to land in 5 seconds (interviews, podcast intros, pitches), or training a team in cognitive-load discipline. Trigger proactively whenever the user says "this is too complicated", "make it simpler", "they're not getting it", or "sound bite". For full StoryBrand SB7 narrative use storybrand; for internal culture-change messaging use donald-miller-culture-turnaround. |
| version | 1.0 |
| format | completion-engine |
| workflows | 8 |
Donald Miller — Cognitive Load Messaging Mastery
Words have weight. Every phrase a business uses carries a cognitive load score from 0 to 100. At zero, the message is weightless — a customer processes it without thinking. At 100, the message is a boulder nobody picks up. Most businesses speak in boulders without knowing it.
This skill deploys Miller's Cognitive Load Scoring System, the customer-facing PEACE Sound Bite Framework (Problem → Empathy → Answer → Change → End Result), and the Three-Phase Messaging Campaign Architecture (Curiosity → Enlightenment → Commitment). It sits upstream of all copy execution — you design the 5 zero-load sound bites first, then deploy them through every downstream expert and channel for 10+ years.
Available Workflows
Tier 1 — Foundation
| # | Workflow | Produces | Use When |
|---|
| 01 | Cognitive Load Autopsy | Scored diagnostic with per-phrase weight analysis + zero-load rewrites | Diagnosing WHY messaging isn't converting — the first move before any rewrite |
| 02 | PEACE Sound Bite Generator | 5 interlocking zero-load sound bites (PEACE framework) | Creating the messaging foundation for any business, product, or campaign |
| 03 | Three-Phase Campaign Architect | Full Curiosity → Enlightenment → Commitment campaign blueprint | Building the complete messaging campaign structure from sound bites through collateral |
Tier 2 — Practitioner
| # | Workflow | Produces | Use When |
|---|
| 04 | Zero-Load Rewrite Engine | Rewritten copy scored at zero cognitive load | Transforming existing copy — the fix, not the diagnosis |
| 05 | Sound Bite Deployment Matrix | Channel-by-channel deployment plan with verbatim sound bites | Mapping sound bites across all channels for decade-long consistency |
| 06 | Enlightenment Collateral Generator | 3+ enlightenment pieces (lead gens, blogs, video scripts, social) | Building "front porch" material that earns the right to sell |
| 07 | Commitment Incentive Designer | 3+ commitment incentives (bonuses, trials, contests) | Designing "front door" conversion mechanisms |
Tier 3 — Stacking
| # | Workflow | Produces | Stacking Partners |
|---|
| 08 | Friction-Proof Copy Chain | Copy that is zero-friction AND persuasive AND proven | Miller (cognitive load) → Wiebe (persuasion) → Iha (proof) |
Stacking Guide
| If You Need | Start With | Then Stack |
|---|
| Messaging diagnosis | 01-cognitive-load-autopsy | → 04-zero-load-rewrite-engine |
| Complete sound bite foundation | 02-peace-soundbite-generator | → 05-soundbite-deployment-matrix |
| Full campaign build | 02-peace-soundbite-generator | → 03-three-phase-campaign-architect → 06-enlightenment-collateral-generator → 07-commitment-incentive-designer |
| Conversion-optimized copy | 01-cognitive-load-autopsy | → 08-friction-proof-copy-chain |
| StoryBrand + Cognitive Load | 02-peace-soundbite-generator | → StoryBrand 01-brandscript-generator (score all elements for load) |
Quick Reference
Execution Prompts (structure-pure v2)
8 deterministic practitioner prompts — each carries an Output Contract, Output Skeleton, and Quality Gate. When a deliverable matches one, Read it and honor its contract instead of improvising the output shape.
- Donald Miller — Cognitive Load Autopsy —
skills/donald-miller-cognitive-load/references/prompts-v2/cognitive-load-autopsy.md
- Donald Miller — Commitment Incentive Package —
skills/donald-miller-cognitive-load/references/prompts-v2/commitment-incentive-package.md
- Donald Miller — Enlightenment Collateral Package —
skills/donald-miller-cognitive-load/references/prompts-v2/enlightenment-collateral-package.md
- Donald Miller — Friction-Proof Copy Chain —
skills/donald-miller-cognitive-load/references/prompts-v2/friction-proof-copy-chain.md
- Donald Miller — PEACE Sound Bite System —
skills/donald-miller-cognitive-load/references/prompts-v2/peace-soundbite-system.md
- Donald Miller — Sound Bite Deployment Matrix —
skills/donald-miller-cognitive-load/references/prompts-v2/soundbite-deployment-matrix.md
- Donald Miller — Three-Phase Campaign Blueprint —
skills/donald-miller-cognitive-load/references/prompts-v2/three-phase-campaign-blueprint.md
- Donald Miller — Zero-Load Rewrite —
skills/donald-miller-cognitive-load/references/prompts-v2/zero-load-rewrite.md
