| name | case-study |
| description | Write ENAC case studies with challenge, approach, outcome, and proof-first storytelling. Use for client stories, success stories, testimonials, proof points, and marketing case narratives. |
Case Study Skill
A case study is proof. Not a success story. Not a testimonial. Proof that ENAC's approach worked in a specific situation with a specific result.
What Makes a Case Study Credible
Specific, not generic. Named client (or named type if confidential). Named challenge. Named outcome with numbers.
"We've done this before" is not proof. "$1 billion in two years" is proof.
Structure
1. The Situation (1-2 paragraphs)
What was actually happening. Not the polished version: the real one.
Include: the constraint, the tension, what had already been tried and failed.
2. The Insight (1 paragraph)
What ENAC saw that others missed. The reframe that changed the approach.
This is the most differentiating section. If it sounds generic, it is.
3. The Work (1-2 paragraphs)
What the engagement looked like. Which phases of the methodology. Who was in the room.
Name the Confront/Co-Create/Copilot phases explicitly.
4. The Outcome (1 paragraph)
Specific. Numbers where possible. Named results.
Include: what changed, what was produced, what happened next.
5. What This Means (1 paragraph, optional)
The principle the case study illustrates. One sentence that makes it applicable to the next client.
The Insight Test
Read only the Insight section. Ask: could this be applied to any client in this industry?
If yes: it's not a real insight. A real insight is specific to this client's situation.
Numbers and Evidence
Every case study should include at least one:
- Dollar figure (revenue, cost, investment)
- Percentage (improvement, reduction, growth)
- Time metric (faster, shorter cycle, earlier delivery)
- Named artifact (a decision, a product, a process that now exists)
If none of these exist: the outcome section is not done.
Confidentiality Handling
If the client cannot be named:
- Use the industry and company size: "a mid-market retailer" or "a federal agency"
- Keep all specific outcomes: those are the proof
- Do not sanitize the challenge: vague situations make vague case studies
Voice Rules
- Past tense throughout
- Active voice: "We ran 12 executive interviews" not "Executive interviews were conducted"
- No marketing superlatives: no "transformative," "revolutionary," "game-changing"
- Short paragraphs: 3-4 sentences maximum
- No em-dashes: use commas, semicolons, colons, or restructure
Quality Tests
| Test | Question | If No |
|---|
| Specific | Is there a real number or named result? | Add proof |
| Insight | Is the reframe specific to this client? | Rewrite it |
| Voice | Does it sound like ENAC talking, not marketing? | Remove superlatives |
| Challenge | Is the real challenge named, not a polished version? | Be more honest |
| Methodology | Are the three phases visible? | Make them explicit |
