Phase 0112 lessons
Find the real problem
Interview the people closest to the pain until the problem statement survives contact with a skeptic.
You finish with a problem statement you can defend to a stranger in two sentences.
Blocks/Dossier-pack
Dossier Blocks
Add-onThe case-file register: evidence sheets, proof plates, exhibit cards, comparison and cost ledgers, spec sheets, fit lists - for pages that argue with receipts.
Case File Grid
case-file-gridAdd-onWabbit
A horizontal row of 2-5 dossier tiles, each pairing a mono case number, a large proof numeral, a one-line brief, and a subject name — with an optional closing CTA panel as the final tile.
RECEIPTS · CASE FILES
What the last four quarters produced
A scan strip of results, not promises.
FILE 01
+42%
Checkout conversion, 90 days post-launch
Northfield Robotics
Read the fileFILE 02
3.1x
Organic traffic growth year over year
Milltown Roasters
Read the fileFILE 03
Sold out
First production run, pre-order only
Pinehollow Outfitters
Read the fileFILE 04
$2.4M
Pipeline sourced in the first two quarters
Cobalt & Fern Studio
Read the file
Default — receipts bandDisplay headline, big italic-serif proof numerals, top-ruled tiles, bright accent color.
The architecture record
FILE 01
+42%
Checkout conversion, 90 days post-launch
Northfield Robotics
Read the fileFILE 02
3.1x
Organic traffic growth year over year
Milltown Roasters
Read the fileFILE 03
Sold out
First production run, pre-order only
Pinehollow Outfitters
Read the file
Field Manual — document registerTighter document treatment — small mono strip, smaller serif-italic deliverable titles, hairline grid rules, darker accent readable on light bands.
Case files, in the field
FILE 01
+42%
Checkout conversion, 90 days post-launch
Northfield Robotics
Read the fileFILE 02
3.1x
Organic traffic growth year over year
Milltown Roasters
Read the fileFILE 03
Sold out
First production run, pre-order only
Pinehollow Outfitters
Read the fileFILE 04
$2.4M
Pipeline sourced in the first two quarters
Cobalt & Fern Studio
Read the file
Filmstrip — full-bleed proof bandEdge-to-edge portrait strip; a duotone treatment unifies the photography, with the proof numeral burned into the image over a bottom scrim. Requires Tile Images on.
Source code available to entitled users.
Case File Row
case-file-rowAdd-onWabbit
A dark bordered row of up to 6 stat cards — a kicker, a serif stat, a supporting line, a name, and a plain link — with one cell optionally inverted to a light card for emphasis, closed by an anchored see-all link.
The record
Results we can show, not just tell
Six engagements, plainly reported.
Engagement 04No lift
The honest one — a redesign that did not move the number
Lumen K-12Read the study →
Source code available to entitled users.
Evidence Sheet
evidence-sheetAdd-onWabbit
A masthead band of label/value spec rows plus two chip rows (scope and stack), in four treatments — a wide label-left table, a 3-column cell grid, a compact one-row strip, or a verticalized ledger with an optional opening narrative beside it.
EVIDENCE · THE FILE
Source code available to entitled users.
Evidence Plate
evidence-plateAdd-onWabbit
A rule-lane eyebrow, a 3-stat row (two serif giants plus one muted source cell), a reading-lane body paragraph with optional linked citations, and a two-part ink-fill pull statement.
Evidence · Industry Benchmark Report, 2025
0149.4%Five-year attrition rate
023.2xCost of a late rebuild vs. an early one
03n = 1,204Sample size
Most platform rebuilds fail quietly — not with an outage, but with a slow bleed of trust.
Sources Industry Benchmark Report, 2025
A slow bleed of trust is still a bleed. That silence is preventable.
Source code available to entitled users.
Exhibit Artifact
exhibit-artifactAdd-onWabbit
A bordered well with an accent tag chip overlapping the top border, holding an inner elevated card — monospace header rows, a bold subject line, rich-text body, and a signature — with a centered caption below.
FROMNorthfield Robotics, Ops Lead
RELaunch readiness
We are ready sooner than we expected.
— the Northfield team
Source code available to entitled users.
Proof Plates
proof-platesAdd-onWabbit
A kick/heading/intro header followed by a proof triptych of 2-4 plates — kicker, title, body, and an optional stats line — with one plate optionally flagged for emphasis, in either a joined bordered strip or a set of separate floating cards.
What it runs on
Real deployments, not demos
Northfield Robotics
Platform rebuild
A from-scratch rebuild that shipped in 11 weeks. read the file →
+42% CONVERSIONMilltown Roasters
Storefront + subscriptions
A subscription storefront that paid for itself in the first quarter.
3.1X TRAFFICCapture pending — storefront hero
Pre-order launch
Sold out before the first unit shipped.
SOLD OUTEvery plate here is a shipped deployment, not a mockup.
Source code available to entitled users.
Receipts Trio
receipts-trioAdd-onWabbit
A dark band pairing a kicker + heading + prose with a three-cell hairline-bordered quote grid — for showing results including the honest, non-flattering one.
What the method produced
We'd rather show you receipts than promise you certainty.
They shipped faster than any team we had worked with before.
Dana FerroNorthfield Robotics
The rebuild did not move our numbers, and they told us so before we asked.
Sam OkaforLumen K-12
We finally understood what we were paying for.
Priya AnandMilltown Roasters
Source code available to entitled users.
Record Roster
record-rosterAdd-onWabbit
A ledger of dated/valued rows plus a hairline-bordered logo grid — the cell count follows the number of logos you add — closed by an optional centered coda line.
The record
- 018 years
In continuous operation
- 02340+
Engagements delivered
- 0398%
Client retention, five-year trailing
MARK 01
MARK 02
MARK 03
MARK 04
MARK 05
MARK 06
built by people who ship
Source code available to entitled users.
Compare Ledger
compare-ledgerAdd-onWabbit
A struck-through comparison display — two or three options set side by side, each with a mono label and a large display value, one carrying full ink while the rest render struck through — followed by paired ledger rows contrasting the same options line by line, and closed by an anchored statement.
Two ways to run this
The typical way
Guesswork
The documented way
A ledger
A change takes a weekA change takes an afternoon
Nobody can say what it costsEvery line is priced before it starts
The plan lives in someone's headThe plan lives in the document
The difference is never the idea. It is whether the ledger closes.
Source code available to entitled users.
Comparison Table
comparison-tableAdd-onWabbit
An N-column feature matrix rendered as a real table — one row per capability, one column per option, one cell per intersection, with an optional tone (affirmative/absent/emphasis) per cell and a highlight flag per column.
Compare plans
Which one do you need?
Every plan shares the analytics core. Coaching and response time scale with the tier.
| Feature | Starter | Studio | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guided onboarding modules | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Report templates | 3 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Analyst coaching | — | 2 / mo | Unlimited |
| Priority response SLA | — | — | Yes |
Prices and limits shown are illustrative — see the pricing page for current tiers.
Source code available to entitled users.
Term Ledger
term-ledgerAdd-onWabbit
A ruled term-and-body ledger — an optional kicker and heading, intro copy, then a list of term/definition rows under a top rule, an optional supporting figure beside the rows, and an anchored closing line. Tone variants: a light paper band with a bold display term, and a dark band with a mono accent term (optionally with row bodies on the prose measure).
What changes
Three things shift on day one
Nothing about the work changes. Everything about how it moves does.
Speed.
A change that used to take a week takes an afternoon.
Quality.
The same review gate runs on every change, every time.
Ownership.
You hold the source. Nothing lives behind someone else's login.
The work is the same. The ledger closes faster.
Shifts (light)Light paper band, bold display term, full-ink top rule.
Under the hood
What actually runs this
The technical shape behind the plain-language pitch.
Build pipeline
Every change runs through the same automated checks before it ships.
Content model
Structured fields, not a page builder — content and layout stay separable.
Hosting
Deploys to your own infrastructure, not a platform you rent forever.
None of this is exotic. It is just built to last.
Spec (dark)Dark band, mono accent term, faint top rule.
Under the hood
What it is built on
The same ledger as the spec band, with each row held to a comfortable reading width.
Data model
Every record has a typed schema, and every change to that schema ships as a reviewed migration, so the shape of the data is never a surprise to the code that reads it.
Access control
Permissions are checked on the server for every read and write. The interface hides what a role cannot do, but the server is what refuses it.
Backups
The database is copied off-site every night, and a restore is rehearsed on a schedule, because a backup nobody has restored is only a hope.
Plain parts, chosen to outlast the people who chose them.
Spec, measured (dark)The Spec band and terms, with each row body held to the prose measure instead of 74ch. The rules still run the full width.
Source code available to entitled users.
Cost Ledger
cost-ledgerAdd-onWabbit
An accounting-style ledger for the cost of a status quo — a 3-column strip header (line/category, the debit, what compounds), up to 6 dated rows with exactly one row meant to render as a lit dark plate, closed by a coda naming what it adds up to.
The ledger
You already know the tax
Every week this runs the old way, it adds another line to the same account.
Line · categoryThe debitWhat compounds
L01Speed
A change that should take an hour takes five days
every downstream deadline slips with itL02Trust
Nobody can say what a change will cost before it starts
estimates become guesses, guesses become disputesL03Ownership
The build lives behind someone else's login
leverage compounds for whoever holds the accountWhat it adds up to
Not one bad week. A standing cost, paid every week after.
Source code available to entitled users.
Ledger
ledgerAdd-onWabbit
A four-column line-item table — line, category, cost, and what-compounds — with one optional accent row and an optional closing note on an inset band. Reads as a forensic breakdown of what something actually costs over time.
OPERATIONAL DRAG · RUNNING TALLY
SECTION 04 / 07
What the delay actually costs
Not one number — five compounding ones.
LINECATEGORYTHE COST (DEBIT)WHAT COMPOUNDS
L01SPEED+6 days / releaseEvery downstream deadline slips with it.
L02REWORK+3 review cyclesTrust in the estimate erodes each round.
L03COVERAGE2 blind spots / quarterEach one surfaces as an incident later.
L04MORALE1 escalation / sprintThe team routes around the process instead of through it.
L05COMPOUND18% slower every quarter
What the delay actually costs
Not one number — five compounding ones.
LINECATEGORYTHE COST (DEBIT)WHAT COMPOUNDS
L01SPEED+6 days / releaseEvery downstream deadline slips with it.
L02REWORK+3 review cyclesTrust in the estimate erodes each round.
L03COVERAGE2 blind spots / quarterEach one surfaces as an incident later.
CompactDenser rows with the top strip suppressed — for ledgers nested in a shorter section.
Source code available to entitled users.
Grants Ledger
grants-ledgerAdd-onWabbit
A feature-matrix comparison table — one row per feature, one column per plan or tier. One column can be marked "zone" for a fully inverted (dark, accent-headed) treatment, independent of a separate single-column highlight.
What each plan grants
One table, no guessing.
| Feature | Free | Pro | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Included sites | 1 | 5 | Unlimited |
| Support | Community | Dedicated | |
| Custom integrations | No | Add separately | Included |
| How you get it | Sign up | Checkout | Conversation |
What each plan grants
One table, no guessing.
| Feature | Free | Pro | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Included sites | 1 | 5 | Unlimited |
| Support | Community | Dedicated | |
| Custom integrations | No | Add separately | Included |
CompactDenser table rows and a smaller heading — for a matrix nested in a shorter section.
Source code available to entitled users.
Shift Rows
shift-rowsAdd-onWabbit
Before/after rows — each row states one benefit as a literal transformation: a label, a BEFORE value, an arrow, and an AFTER value. Built for copy already structured as a shift (e.g. "18 months -> 4-6 months").
What changes
SECTION 04 / 07
Here is what changes when the build keeps a ledger.
Not a promise — a row-by-row account of the shift.
TIMELINE
From kickoff to launch.
Before
18 months
Sequential handoffs, waiting on approvals at every stage.
After
4-6 months
Parallel workstreams with one accountable team.
COST OF CHANGE
What a late revision costs.
Before
3 change orders
Every revision routes back through the original vendor.
After
Same-sprint
Revisions land in the sprint they are requested.
VISIBILITY
What you can see mid-project.
Before
Monthly status calls
A summary, after the fact.
After
Live build
Watch the actual site update as it is built.
What changes
SECTION 04 / 07
Here is what changes when the build keeps a ledger.
Not a promise — a row-by-row account of the shift.
TIMELINE
From kickoff to launch.
Before
18 months
Sequential handoffs, waiting on approvals at every stage.
After
4-6 months
Parallel workstreams with one accountable team.
COST OF CHANGE
What a late revision costs.
Before
3 change orders
Every revision routes back through the original vendor.
After
Same-sprint
Revisions land in the sprint they are requested.
CompactTighter row spacing and smaller headline — for rows nested in a shorter section.
Source code available to entitled users.
Fit List
fit-listAdd-onWabbit
An honest fit-check — a kicker + heading over two ruled columns ("Build this if" / "Skip this if"), closed by one anchored statement.
Is this right for you at all?
Build this if it fits. Skip it if it does not.
Build this if
- You need a real site live in weeks, not quarters
- Your content changes often enough that a rebuild-per-edit workflow is a bottleneck
- You want ownership of the codebase, not a locked-in platform
Skip this if
- You need a marketplace with thousands of live listings on day one
- You want a no-code drag-and-drop builder you edit yourself, unattended
- You are still validating the offer and are not ready to commit to a build
Most of the visitors who read this list correctly are the ones who stay.
Is this right for you at all?
Build this if it fits. Skip it if it does not.
Build this if
- You need a real site live in weeks, not quarters
- Your content changes often enough that a rebuild-per-edit workflow is a bottleneck
Skip this if
- You need a marketplace with thousands of live listings on day one
- You want a no-code drag-and-drop builder you edit yourself, unattended
Most of the visitors who read this list correctly are the ones who stay.
CompactTighter spacing and a smaller heading — for a fit-check nested in a shorter section.
Source code available to entitled users.
Fit Prose
fit-proseAdd-onWabbit
A two-plate honest-fit comparison in spoken prose — a "not for you" paragraph beside a "this is for you" paragraph, closing on one anchored statement. No bullets; the honesty of the split is the whole device.
The honest part
What it isn't, and what it is.
Not a fit
If you need a full outline signed off before anyone opens an editor, this process will frustrate you — the plan sharpens as we build, not before it starts.
A fit
If you can point at a rough shape and trust the details to resolve in the room, this is the fastest route from an idea to a thing that actually works.
If the first two weeks don't earn your confidence, you don't pay for them.
Source code available to entitled users.
Zone Directory
zone-directoryAdd-onWabbit
A bordered board of 2-4 numbered zone cells, each a whole-cell link to its own destination — an outline numeral, a kicker, a title, a description, and a go label. Any cell can invert to a dark register independent of the others.
Three ways in
Most of it, you can just start.
Pick the zone that matches how much of the decision you want to make yourself.
Zone 01 — self-serve
Start today
Pick a package, fill in the brief, and the build queues automatically.
See what's on the shelf Zone 02 — guidedTalk it through first
A short call to shape scope before anything is queued.
Book the call Zone 03 — set up with usFull build partnership
We scope, build, and hand off the whole thing together.
See how it worksSource code available to entitled users.
Spec Sheet
spec-sheetAdd-onWabbit
A compact spec table of up to 4 label/value cells (e.g. Duration / Fee / What happens next), plus an optional note line beneath it.
- Duration
- Two weeks
- Fee
- $4,200 flat
- If you proceed
- Fee credits toward the build
No obligation to continue past the sprint — the plan is yours either way.
Source code available to entitled users.
Spec Plate
spec-plateAdd-onWabbit
A technical spec cheat sheet — a heading + a spoken-sentence lede, then up to 6 label/value cells (each with an optional small note) on a bordered plate.
Under the hood, for the technical buyer.
Listed here because the technical buyer asks — never because it's the pitch.
RuntimeNode.jslong-term support
StorageObject storageself-hosted
HostingYour infrastructureowned outright at launch
AuthSingle sign-onemail + OAuth
DatabasePostgresno vendor lock-in
HandoffFull sourceno ongoing license
Source code available to entitled users.
Lab Notes
lab-notesAdd-onWabbit
A field-notebook section: a label strip, a serif headline and italic subtitle, then labeled entries running down a margin rule, with an optional closing line and link.
FIELD NOTES · ENTRY 04 · STATUS: CONCLUDED
SECTION 04 / 07
We tried productizing it. We stopped.
A short account of what happened when we tried to sell the process on its own.
- E.01
- Attempt
- We packaged the internal process into a paid, self-serve product.
- E.02
- Signal
- Onboarding calls kept surfacing the same blocker: nobody wanted the process, they wanted the outcome.
- E.03
- Outcome
- We shelved the product and folded the process back into delivery, where it always worked.
Source code available to entitled users.
Phase Ledger
phase-ledgerAdd-onWabbit
A numbered ledger of process phases — a lane kicker beside a serif heading and optional intro, then a 2px-ruled row per phase carrying a locator (number + chip), a title, and a body-plus-outcome line.
The curriculum · 51 lessons · Idea → validated demand
Three phases. You build the real thing at each one.
Phase 0218 lessons
Prove the demand
Build the smallest thing that could possibly get someone to say yes with money or their calendar.
You finish with a signal that is either real or clearly not — no more guessing.
Phase 0321 lessons
Build the real thing
Scope down to the version that ships this month, then ship it in front of the people who already said yes.
You finish with a self-assessment that surfaces the blind spots in how you work now.
How it works · Four steps
Four steps, and you always know which one you are on.
Phase 0112 lessons
Find the real problem
Interview the people closest to the pain until the problem statement survives contact with a skeptic.
You finish with a problem statement you can defend to a stranger in two sentences.
Phase 0218 lessons
Prove the demand
Build the smallest thing that could possibly get someone to say yes with money or their calendar.
You finish with a signal that is either real or clearly not — no more guessing.
Phase 0321 lessons
Build the real thing
Scope down to the version that ships this month, then ship it in front of the people who already said yes.
You finish with a self-assessment that surfaces the blind spots in how you work now.
Phase 049 lessons
Hand it over
Write down what you built and why, then walk the next owner through it until they can run it without you.
You finish with a handover the next owner signs off on.
RailUp to four columns under a horizontal progress rail on desktop (a vertical rail on the left edge below 1024px) that fills as the section is read, each phase's dot lighting when reached. Fully drawn with reduced motion or without JavaScript.
Areas of work
What we work on
- 1
Planning and setup
Choosing the structure, then the agreements and the yearly paperwork that go with it.
Led by the founding partner
- 2
Agreements
Supply, service and licensing agreements, drafted for you or reviewed before you sign.
Led by the second partner
- 3
Property and premises
Reviewing and negotiating the terms of the space you work from, before you commit to it.
Led by the senior associate
- 4
Handing on the business
Plans for the day an owner steps back, written while there is still time to choose.
Led by the founding partner
IndexA numbered index of ruled rows: a large number, the title, one line of body, and a byline with an optional link that covers the whole row. One line per row on desktop, stacked on phones.
How it works
What happens after you get in touch
01
First conversation
An hour with the person who will handle your work. By the end you know what needs doing and roughly what it will cost.
Fixed fee, agreed when you book
02
Written scope
The scope, fee and timeline in writing, usually on two pages. Work starts once you have signed it.
Within two working days
03
The work
Drafts arrive with every change marked and explained, and a short status note every Friday.
Weekly written status
04
Close and file
You get the signed originals and a one-page summary of what was done, with any later dates in the calendar.
Records kept for ten years
PanelOne large media panel above a row of numbered steps (an ARIA tablist): the active step swaps the picture, number, title, text and meta. Steps follow click and arrow keys, and from 768px the scroll as well. Every step is listed in full without JavaScript.
How a job runs
Brief, Concept, Drawings, Build, Handover
Brief
We walk the site with you and write down what the place is for.
Concept
Two or three ways to answer the brief, as models and sketches.
Drawings
One direction, drawn to the detail the crew will build from.
Build
Our own crew on site, with the architect there every week.
Handover
A walk-through, a binder of the drawings, and a visit a year on.
Phase 1 · Brief
We walk the site with you and write down what the place is for.
On site with the plan, before anything is drawn. Illustrative photo
Phase 2 · Concept
Two or three ways to answer the brief, as models and sketches.
A card model of the main room. Illustrative photo
Phase 3 · Drawings
One direction, drawn to the detail the crew will build from.
Details drawn at the desk the crew will build from. Illustrative photo
Phase 4 · Build
Our own crew on site, with the architect there every week.
The frame up, week 15. Illustrative photo
Phase 5 · Handover
A walk-through, a binder of the drawings, and a visit a year on.
The walk-through before the keys change hands. Illustrative photo
PinnedA numbered list of phases that sticks beside one 3:2 plate per phase (from 1024px). The phase whose plate is in view is marked in the list with ink and a small square; on phones the list gives way to the plates, the first full width and then pairs, each captioned with its phase. Every phase shows without JavaScript.
Source code available to entitled users.
Practice Modes
practice-modesAdd-onWabbit
A two-column ruled comparison — a kicker-lane heading over exactly two labeled mode columns, closing with an anchored statement and an optional side link. The ledger variant compares two paths row by row (included, length, fit, price) with two doors each.
In practice
Two ways teams actually run this.
Compressed
One person owns the whole loop end to end, in short daily cycles. Fast, but it caps out at whatever one person can hold in their head.
Expanded
A small group splits research, build, and review across a longer weekly cycle. Slower to start, but it survives someone being out sick.
Most teams start compressed and drift expanded as the stakes go up.
See the full comparisonTwo ways to work
Two ways in, one way of working.
A defined piece of work
The project
Twelve weeks toward one decision, with a finish line and a written plan at the end of it.
An ongoing relationship
The standing hour
A standing hour twice a month for people who already made the change and want someone outside it to think with.
What's included
- Eight ninety-minute sessions, about ten days apart
- A written summary within a day of each one
- Email between sessions when something cannot wait
- Two sixty-minute sessions a month
- Short notes after each one
- Pause or stop any month, with no notice period
How long
12 weeks
Three months to start, then month to month
Good fit if
- You have a decision with a date on it
- You want a finish line
- You've already made the change
- You want a thinking partner, not a program
From
$2,400 or three payments of $800
$450 a month
Most people start with the project and stay for the hour.
LedgerThe two modes as paths compared row by row: row labels in the left lane, a column per path, with what is included, how long, who it fits, the price and two ways to act. Two tabs on phones.
Source code available to entitled users.
Wall Rows
wall-rowsAdd-onWabbit
A kick + serif heading with rich-text intro, then a bordered rounded ledger of rows — who, what they needed, and a one-word verdict — closing with an anchored statement.
Why it exists
We built this because everything else said no.
The distributor
Wanted a private-label version to sell under their own name.
Wall.The lender
Wanted exclusive rights before the product had a single customer.
Wall.The landlord
Wanted the plan changed to fit a deal that hadn't closed yet.
Wall.None of these asks were unreasonable. They just weren't this.
Source code available to entitled users.
Dated Ledger
dated-ledgerAdd-onWabbit
A dated record of finished work — each entry led by a large day numeral and a month, year and reference line, then an optional photo, a chip, a title, one result line and an optional figure. Lays out as up to four columns or as ruled rows.
The record
Four entries from this past month.
No. 1187
North districtFull replacement, finished in one visit
Signed off two days later, on the quoted price.
No. 1183
No. 1176
No. 1171
ColumnsUp to four entries per row, each led by a large day numeral, then its photo, chip, title and result line. One column on phones.
The record
Every entry, dated and numbered.
No. 1187
North districtFull replacement, finished in one visit
Signed off two days later, on the quoted price.
1 dayOn site
No. 1183
6 daysStart to finish
No. 1176
0Call-backs
No. 1171
2 daysFrame to finish
RowsRuled rows: the date and reference in the left lane, an optional photo, the title and result line, and an optional big figure in the right lane. Stacks on phones.
Source code available to entitled users.