---
title: "Policies"
author: "Mr. Edutainment"
url: "https://docs.mredutainment.com/1/policies"
---

# Terms & Conditions

These are the terms for the MrEdutainment.com website/service (including subdomains) which is operated by Fairhead Creative LLC (in this Agreement, "Mr. Edutainment", "we", "us" or "our").

The following terms and conditions govern all use of the Mr. Edutainment website and all content, services, and products available at or through the website (the “Website”). The Website is owned and operated by Mr. Edutainment. The Website is offered subject to your acceptance without modification of all of the terms and conditions contained herein and all other operating rules, policies (including, without limitation, the Mr. Edutainment Privacy Policy) and procedures that may be published from time to time on this Website (collectively, the “Agreement”).

Please read this Agreement carefully before accessing or using the Website. By accessing or using any part of the Website, you agree to become bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement. If you do not agree to all the terms and conditions of this Agreement, then you may not access the Website or use any services. The Website is available only to individuals who are at least 13 years old.


## Your Account

If you create an account on the Website, you are responsible for maintaining the security of your account and for all activities that occur under the account. You must not provide misleading or unlawful information when creating an account. Mr. Edutainment may remove any information that is inappropriate or unlawful. You must notify Mr. Edutainment immediately of any unauthorized use of your account. Mr. Edutainment will not be liable for any losses caused by unauthorized account activity. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for restricting access to your devices.


## Responsibility of Website Visitors

Mr. Edutainment is not obligated to review all material posted to the Website and cannot therefore be responsible for the content, use, or effects of that material.

By operating the Website, Mr. Edutainment does not represent or imply that it endorses the material posted there, or that it believes such material to be accurate, useful, or non-harmful.

You are responsible for taking precautions as necessary to protect yourself and your computer systems from viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and other harmful or destructive content. Mr. Edutainment disclaims any responsibility for any harm resulting from the use by visitors of the Website or from downloading content from the Website.


## Content Posted on Other Websites

We have not reviewed, and cannot review, all of the material made available through websites and webpages to which MrEdutainment.com links, or that link to the Website.

Mr. Edutainment does not control those external websites and is not responsible for their contents or their use. By linking to another website, Mr. Edutainment does not represent or imply that it endorses that website.

You are responsible for taking precautions as necessary to protect yourself and your computer systems from harmful or destructive content.

Mr. Edutainment disclaims any responsibility for any harm resulting from your use of non-Mr. Edutainment websites.


## Intellectual Property

The content on this Website — including text, graphics, illustrations, images, video, audio, branding, and design elements — is protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

All trademarks, service marks, logos, and brand names displayed on the Website belong to Mr. Edutainment or its licensors.

You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, publicly display, or otherwise use any material from the Website without the prior written consent of Mr. Edutainment, except where permitted by law.

This includes, but is not limited to:

- course materials
- videos and animations
- downloadable resources
- worksheets and templates
- comics, artwork, and characters
- written frameworks, strategies, and teaching materials

You may not republish, resell, license, or redistribute any content from Mr. Edutainment without explicit written permission.


## Digital Products and Courses

Mr. Edutainment may offer digital products including courses, downloadable materials, memberships, and educational content.

All purchases of digital products grant you a limited, non-transferable, non-exclusive license to use the materials for personal or internal business use only.

You may not:

- share course access with others
- distribute or upload course materials publicly
- reproduce or sell course content
- incorporate course materials into your own products

Violation of these terms may result in termination of access without refund.


## Subscription Services

Some services may be offered through subscriptions (such as content vaults, memberships, or ongoing educational programs). By subscribing, you authorize recurring billing at the stated interval until you cancel. You may cancel your subscription at any time, and cancellation will take effect at the end of the current billing period. No partial refunds are provided for unused subscription time unless required by law.


## Coaching and Educational Content Disclaimer

Mr. Edutainment provides educational content related to marketing, business, and creative work. The information provided through the Website, courses, or coaching is for educational purposes only. Mr. Edutainment does not guarantee specific business results, income levels, or outcomes. Your results depend on many factors including your own effort, experience, market conditions, and business decisions.


## Acceptable Use

You agree not to use the Website or its services to:

- violate any laws or regulations
- harass, threaten, or harm other users
- distribute spam or malicious software
- attempt to gain unauthorized access to systems
- scrape or harvest Website content without permission

Mr. Edutainment reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these rules.


## Advertisements

Mr. Edutainment reserves the right to display advertising, sponsorships, or promotional content on the Website.


## Changes

Mr. Edutainment reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify or replace any part of this Agreement.

It is your responsibility to check this Agreement periodically for changes. Your continued use of the Website following the posting of any changes constitutes acceptance of those changes.

Mr. Edutainment may also introduce new features, products, services, or tools, which will be subject to the terms of this Agreement.


## Termination

Mr. Edutainment may terminate or suspend your access to all or any part of the Website at any time, with or without cause and with or without notice. If you wish to terminate your use of the Website, you may simply discontinue using it.

All provisions of this Agreement which by their nature should survive termination shall survive termination, including ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.


## Disclaimer of Warranties

The Website is provided “as is” and “as available.” Mr. Edutainment and its suppliers disclaim all warranties of any kind, express or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

Mr. Edutainment does not warrant that the Website will be error-free, secure, or continuously available. You understand that you obtain content or services through the Website at your own risk.


## Limitation of Liability

In no event will Mr. Edutainment be liable for:

- any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
- loss of profits, data, goodwill, or business interruption
- costs of obtaining substitute goods or services arising from your use of the Website.

Mr. Edutainment’s total liability under this Agreement shall not exceed the amount paid by you, if any, for services from Mr. Edutainment during the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.

Nothing in this Agreement excludes liability where such exclusion is prohibited by applicable law.


## Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Mr. Edutainment and its contractors, licensors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

- your use of the Website
- your violation of this Agreement
- your violation of any law or the rights of a third party


## Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the United Kingdom. Any disputes arising from these Terms shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of the United Kingdom.

# Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Mr. Edutainment collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you use the MrEdutainment.com website and related services (the “Website”).

By using the Website, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

## Data Controller

The Data Controller responsible for your personal data is Mr. Edutainment.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, you may contact the owner of the Website through the contact details provided on the Website.

## Types of Data Collected

Mr. Edutainment may collect the following types of personal data:

- first name
- last name
- email address
- phone number
- company name
- account information (if you create an account)
- payment or billing details (processed through third-party payment providers)
- cookies and usage data

Personal data may be:

- provided directly by you (for example when signing up, purchasing a course, or contacting us), or
- collected automatically when you interact with the Website.

Failure to provide certain personal data may make it impossible for the Website to provide certain services.

Users are responsible for any personal data of third parties they share through the Website and confirm they have permission to do so.

## Cookies and Tracking Technologies

The Website may use cookies and similar technologies to:

- remember user preferences
- improve site functionality
- understand how visitors use the Website
- measure marketing and analytics performance

Cookies are small pieces of data stored on your device.

You may disable cookies in your browser settings, though some parts of the Website may not function properly if cookies are disabled.

## How Your Data Is Used

Personal data may be used for the following purposes:

- providing services and digital products
- delivering courses, memberships, or educational materials
- contacting users
- responding to inquiries or support requests
- improving the Website
- analytics and usage monitoring
- processing purchases and payments

Personal data will only be used where there is a legitimate reason to do so.

## Methods of Processing

Mr. Edutainment processes user data securely using appropriate technical and organizational safeguards to prevent:

- unauthorized access
- disclosure
- modification
- destruction of personal data

Data may be processed using computers and secure IT systems.

Access to data may be granted to trusted individuals or service providers involved in operating the Website, such as:

- hosting providers
- payment processors
- email service providers
- analytics providers
- technical support services

These third parties process data only as necessary to provide their services.

## Where Data Is Processed

Data may be processed in the United Kingdom or in other countries where service providers operate.

Where data is transferred internationally, appropriate safeguards are used to ensure compliance with applicable data protection laws.

## Coaching and Educational Content Disclaimer

Mr. Edutainment provides educational content related to marketing, business, and creative work. The information provided through the Website, courses, or coaching is for educational purposes only. Mr. Edutainment does not guarantee specific business results, income levels, or outcomes. Your results depend on many factors including your own effort, experience, market conditions, and business decisions.

## Data Retention

Personal data is kept only for as long as necessary to:

- provide services requested by the user
- comply with legal obligations
- resolve disputes
- enforce agreements

Users may request deletion of their personal data where legally permitted.

## Legal Use of Data

Personal data may be used for legal purposes where necessary, including:

- enforcing terms and policies
- preventing fraud or misuse
- complying with legal obligations
- responding to lawful requests from authorities

## System Logs and Technical Data

For operational and maintenance purposes, the Website and third-party services may collect system logs.

These logs may include information such as:

- IP address
- browser type
- device information
- pages visited
- time spent on pages
- referring websites

## Your Data Protection Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:

- access your personal data
- correct inaccurate data
- request deletion of your data
- restrict or object to certain processing
- request transfer of your data
- withdraw consent where applicable

Requests may be made by contacting Mr. Edutainment through the Website contact details.

## Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers include a “Do Not Track” feature.

The Website may not currently respond to Do Not Track signals, but you can manage tracking through your browser settings.

## Changes to This Privacy Policy

Mr. Edutainment may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.

When changes are made, the updated policy will be published on this page.

Continued use of the Website after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

## Definitions

### Personal Data
Any information relating to an identified or identifiable individual.

### Usage Data
Information collected automatically when using the Website, including: IP address, browser type, device information, time of access, pages visited, referring URLs, general interaction data

### User
The individual using the Website.

### Data Subject
The individual whose personal data is being processed.

### Data Processor
A third party that processes personal data on behalf of the Data Controller.

### Data Controller
The entity responsible for determining how and why personal data is processed. For this Website, the Data Controller is Mr. Edutainment.

### Cookies
Small pieces of data stored on a user’s device to remember preferences or track usage.

## Legal Information

This Privacy Policy applies solely to the MrEdutainment.com website and related services.

This policy is intended to comply with applicable data protection laws including the UK GDPR and other relevant privacy regulations.

# Cookie Policy

This Cookie Policy explains how Mr. Edutainment uses cookies and similar technologies on the MrEdutainment.com website (the “Website”).

By continuing to use the Website, you consent to the use of cookies as described in this policy, except where you have disabled them through your browser or cookie preferences.

## What Are Cookies

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device when you visit a website.

They are widely used to make websites work efficiently and to provide information to website owners about how visitors use their sites.

Cookies can:

- remember your preferences
- improve website functionality
- measure website performance
- support analytics and marketing

## Types of Cookies We Use

### Essential Cookies

These cookies are necessary for the Website to function properly.

They enable basic features such as:

- page navigation
- account login
- security and fraud prevention
- access to secure areas of the Website

The Website cannot function properly without these cookies.

### Analytics Cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors use the Website.

They collect information such as:

- pages visited
- time spent on pages
- how users arrive at the Website
- general interaction data

This information helps us improve the Website.

Examples may include:

- Google Analytics or similar analytics tools
 
These cookies collect information in aggregated form and do not directly identify individuals.

### Functional Cookies

These cookies allow the Website to remember choices you make, such as:

- login preferences
- site settings
- user preferences

They help provide a more personalised experience.

### Marketing Cookies

From time to time, the Website may use marketing or advertising cookies that help measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns or limit repetitive advertising.

These cookies may be set by third-party services used on the Website.

## Managing Cookies

You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings.

Most browsers allow you to:

- view stored cookies
- delete cookies
- block cookies
- receive alerts before cookies are stored

Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect how the Website functions.

## Third-Party Cookies

Some cookies may be set by third-party services used by the Website, such as:

- analytics providers
- payment processors
- embedded content providers

These third parties may have their own privacy and cookie policies.

## Changes to This Policy

Mr. Edutainment may update this Cookie Policy from time to time.

Any changes will be posted on this page.

# Refund & Purchase Policy

This policy explains the terms that apply when purchasing products or services from Mr. Edutainment.

## Digital Products

Mr. Edutainment offers digital products including: online courses, downloadable materials, educational content, memberships or subscriptions.

Because digital products are delivered immediately upon purchase, all sales are generally final unless otherwise stated.

## Refunds

Refunds may be offered only in the following circumstances:

- where required under UK consumer law
- where a refund guarantee is explicitly stated at the point of purchase

If a refund policy is stated for a specific product, that policy will apply.

## Immediate Access to Digital Content

By purchasing digital content and receiving immediate access, you acknowledge that you waive your statutory 14-day cooling-off period under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, where applicable.

## Subscriptions

Some services may be provided on a recurring subscription basis.

By purchasing a subscription you agree that:

- billing will recur at the stated interval
- you may cancel your subscription at any time
- cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period

No partial refunds are provided for unused subscription time unless required by law.

## Access Termination

Mr. Edutainment reserves the right to suspend or terminate access to digital products or services if a user:

- violates the Terms & Conditions
- shares account access with others
- redistributes course materials without permission
- engages in fraudulent or abusive behaviour

In such cases refunds will not be provided.

## Payment Processing

Payments are processed through secure third-party payment providers.

Mr. Edutainment does not store full payment card details.

## Contact

If you have questions about a purchase or refund request, you may contact the Website owner through the contact details listed on the Website.

# Copyright & Content Use Policy
All content published on MrEdutainment.com and related platforms is the intellectual property of Mr. Edutainment, unless otherwise stated.

This includes:
- written content
- videos and course materials
- graphics and illustrations
- comics and artwork
- characters and stories
- branding and logos
- downloadable resources
- frameworks, teaching materials, and methodologies

## Permitted Use
Users who purchase courses or digital products are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use the materials for personal or internal business use.

## Prohibited Use
Without written permission from Mr. Edutainment, you may not:
- reproduce or republish course content
- upload content publicly
- distribute course materials to others
- sell or license the materials
- incorporate the materials into your own products or training programs
- use automated tools or AI systems to scrape or extract content

## Copyright Infringement
If you believe that any content on the Website infringes your copyright, please contact the Website owner with details of the alleged infringement.

## Enforcement
Mr. Edutainment reserves the right to take appropriate action to protect its intellectual property, including removal of access to services or legal action where necessary.

StrategyComics

# StrategyComics Terms of Service

## Foundations

### 1. Scope of Services

#### 1.1. Deliverables
Six live coaching sessions (60–90 minutes each), each accompanied by a fillable worksheet and a session recording.

A 25-page fully illustrated “comic-book” style report summarizing audience insights and buyer-journey recommendations, delivered in PDF format.

#### 1.2. Exclusions
– Copywriting, ad-spend management, or any services not expressly listed above.

### 2. Fees & Payment

#### 2.1. Total Fee: USD 1,995.

#### 2.2. Payment Options (choose one):
a) Upfront: Full payment of USD 1,995 before Session 1.

b) Installments: USD 500 prior to each of Sessions 1, 2, and 3; USD 495 prior to Session 4.

c) Hybrid: USD 500 before Session 1; USD 1,495 before Session 2.

#### 2.3. Payment Method
Stripe payment links only. All fees must clear before each session is delivered.

### 3. Cancellation & Refunds

#### 3.1. Session Refunds
Clients may request a refund for any undelivered sessions at any time prior to that session’s scheduled start.

Once a session has occurred (i.e. the coach has joined and the session time has passed), it is non-refundable.

#### 3.2. Refund Calculation
Refund equals the total pre-paid amount for remaining sessions, less any transaction fees incurred.

#### 3.3. How to Request
Email refund requests to hello@mredutainment.com at least 24 hours before the next scheduled session.

### 4 Rescheduling & No-Shows
#### 4.1.Punctuality
Clients must join each session on time. A 10-minute grace window applies.

#### 4.2. No-Show Policy
First no-show (missed or un-rescheduled session): no fee, and session may be rescheduled once.

Subsequent no-shows: USD 500 fee per missed session; no further reschedules without additional fee.

Sessions canceled or rescheduled with less than 24 hours’ notice count as a no-show.

### 5. Client Responsibilities
**5.1.** Provide timely access to participant email addresses for each session.

**5.2.** Communicate requests for rescheduling or special accommodations at least 24 hours in advance.

### 6. Intellectual Property
#### 6.1. Client Ownership
All custom strategic content (audience insights, journey maps, messaging frameworks) produced for the client is owned exclusively by the client upon payment.

#### 6.2. Provider Ownership
Mr. Edutainment retains all rights to its proprietary methodology, worksheets, and the illustrated characters and comic-book format used in the report. Clients receive a limited, non-transferable license to use these materials solely for their internal business purposes.

### 7. Confidentiality
Both parties agree to keep confidential any non-public business information shared during the engagement.

### 8. Limitation of Liability
Mr. Edutainment’s total liability under this agreement shall not exceed the total fees paid by the client. In no event shall we be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages.

### 9. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution
This agreement is governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any dispute shall be resolved by mediation, and if unsuccessful, by UK courts selected by Mr. Edutainment.

### 10. Acceptance
By making payment for Mr. Edutainment’s StrategyComics Foundations, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms of Service in full.

## Blueprints

### 1. Scope of Services

#### 1.1. Deliverables
Your 'Big Idea' Concept: A fully developed, cohesive marketing theme presented in writing (and, if agreed, via video walkthrough), plus up to three rounds of email-based revisions.

Pre-Sale Map: Detailed sketches and written plans for attention-getting, de-platforming to your website, conversion tactics, nurture sequences, and future-pacing sales materials.

Post-Sale Map: Detailed sketches and written plans for quick wins, future-pacing sales, and champion-creation steps in the post-sale journey.

#### 1.2. Exclusions
– Copywriting, ad-spend management, or any services not expressly listed above.

#### 1.3. Conditional Inclusion of Foundations
If the client has not completed Otherworldly Strategy Foundations, the Big Idea package includes all Foundations deliverables (six sessions + illustrated report) plus the three Big Idea components above.

If the client has completed Foundations, the Big Idea package provides only the three Big Idea components.

### 2. Fees & Payment

#### 2.1. Total Fees
Full Package (Foundations + Big Idea): USD 4,995
Big Idea Only (after Foundations): USD 3,000

#### 2.2. Payment Options (choose one)
Upfront: Pay the full amount before “Your Big Idea” deliverable begins.

Installments (Full Package):
USD 500 before each of the six Foundations sessions (as per Foundations terms),
USD 1,995 before the “Your Big Idea” concept phase begins.

Installments (Big Idea Only after Foundations):
USD 1,995 before the “Your Big Idea” concept phase begins, 
USD 1,005 before the Pre-Sale Map phase begins.

#### 2.3. Payment Method
All payments processed via Stripe links. Each installment must clear before the next phase begins.

### 3. Cancellation & Refunds

#### 3.1. Phase Refunds
Clients may request a refund for any upcoming phase (undelivered Big Idea components or Foundations sessions) at any time prior to that phase’s scheduled start.

Once a phase deliverable has been provided (e.g. concept document delivered or live session held), it is non-refundable.

#### 3.2. Refund Calculation
Refunds equal the pre-paid amount for the remaining phases, minus any Stripe transaction fees incurred.

#### 3.3. How to Request
Email requests to hello@mredutainment.com at least 24 hours before the next scheduled phase start.

### 4. Rescheduling & No-Shows

#### 4.1. Punctuality
For any live session (when Foundations are included), clients must join within a 10-minute grace window.

#### 4.2. No-Show Policy
First no-show: no fee, and session may be rescheduled once without penalty.

Subsequent no-shows: USD 500 fee per missed session; no further reschedules without additional fee.

Cancelling or rescheduling less than 24 hours before a session counts as a no-show.

### 5. Client Responsibilities
**5.1.** Provide timely access to participant email addresses for each session.

**5.2.** Communicate requests for rescheduling or special accommodations at least 24 hours in advance.

**5.3.** Respond to emails sent to you requesting feedback in a timely manner.

### 6. Intellectual Property

#### 6.1. Client Ownership
All custom strategic content (Big Idea theme, pre-sale and post-sale plans) becomes the client’s sole property upon full payment.

#### 6.2. Provider Ownership
Mr. Edutainment retains rights to its proprietary methodology, worksheets, and any illustrated characters or comic-book elements used in deliverables. Clients receive a limited, non-transferable license to use these materials internally.

### 7. Confidentiality
Both parties agree to maintain the confidentiality of any non-public information exchanged during this engagement.

### 8. Limitation of Liability
Mr. Edutainment’s total liability under this agreement shall not exceed the total fees paid. In no event shall we be liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages.

### 9. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution
This agreement is governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any dispute shall be resolved by mediation, and if unsuccessful, by UK courts selected by Mr. Edutainment.

### 10. Acceptance
By making payment for Mr. Edutainment’s Otherworldly Strategy Big Idea, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms of Service in full.


# StrategyComics Scope of Work

## Purpose
This scope of work defines the activities, deliverables, and outcomes for our strategy and blueprint engagement. The goal of this engagement is to create a clear, shared understanding of your audience, the entire buyer experience being created for them, and how your website (and related assets) should function together as a cohesive system within that buyer experience — before any copy, design, or development begins.

This work is designed to remove guesswork, reduce rework, and focus all stakeholders around a consolidated, excellent strategic plan for the marketing work that lies ahead, while making execution of that work methodical and predictable.

## Phase 1: Strategy Foundations

### Objective
Establish a shared strategic foundation by deeply understanding your audience, their needs, and the role your business plays in their journey.

### What We’ll Do
Facilitate six guided strategy sessions (60–90 minutes each). Each session builds on the decisions made in the previous one, as we build a full picture of the marketing opportunity.

Here is a breakdown of each session:
- **Session 1: Audience Habits Session**
In this session, you'll be guided to identify your target market, their objectives, and how they enjoy consuming content on the Internet. This lays the foundations for the second session.

- **Session 2: Audience Narrative Session**
Decisions happen in the buyer's mind, not yours. So this session deep-dives into how they view the journey they're already on, from the problem they're escaping, to the solution they're pursuing.

- **Session 3: Product Bridge Session**
Your product is most interesting when buyers see it as a cab ride from problem-land to solution-land. In this session, we rework your product's language and positioning so it's seen as exactly that.

- **Session 4: Easy-Enrolment Session**
Now we've related to their journey and positioned our product as a cab ride, this session makes the first step on that journey delightful. This is an experience, not a traditional offer — one designed to be enjoyable and worth sharing.

- **Session 5: Narrative Packaging Session**
How do we introduce this new brand messaging? How do we make sure they trust what we say? How does it fit together for use? This session fills in the gaps for a complete message you can share anywhere.

- **Session 6: Content Habits Session**
People don’t want "ads"—they want to learn and/or be entertained. In this session, we uncover how your audience already consumes content, so your brand becomes a sought-after show, not a tedious interruption.

### Deliverables
- **25-page strategy report**
You receive an illustrated report that documents what your audience wants to see from you in every step of their buyer journey, both pre-sale and post-sale. This will be the foundation for future marketing production, and the basis of the blueprint phase below.

Covers what the opportunity is at each of the six key marketing stages:
a. Earn Attention — how to engage your audience on preferred platforms and formats
b. De-platform — how passive viewers transition to owned experiences
c. Nurture to Sale — how trust and confidence are built leading to purchase
d. Stack Wins — how we reinforce the buyer’s decision post-purchase
e. Future-Pace Sales — how long-term value and anticipation are maintained
f. Create Champions — how satisfied buyers become advocates

- **Worksheet references from each session**
Each session is accompanied by structured worksheets used to capture decisions, insights, and working assumptions in real time. These worksheets ensure nothing discussed is lost, and that strategic decisions are recorded in a consistent, reviewable format.

- **Recordings from each session**
You receive a recording of each session so you can revisit discussions, share context internally, or reference specific
decisions as work progresses.

### Outcome
You will have a shared, tangible understanding of:

- **What your audience wants to learn**
Insight into the questions, problems, curiosities, and motivations your audience brings with them, at each stage of their buyer experience — and what they're hoping to understand or resolve when they engage with your brand.

- **How your audience likes to consume**
An understanding of the formats, tone, pacing, and channels your audience naturally gravitates toward, allowing every stage of our marketing system to feel familiar and enjoyable (however they define the word) rather than forced or interruptive.

- **Our opportunities to combine the two across their whole buyer experience**
A clear view of how learning, immersion, enjoyment, trust-building, and marketing progression fit together across the buyer journey — from first contact through to confident decision-making and post-sale activation.

### How this leads into the Blueprint phase below
The Strategy Foundations phase establishes what the opportunity is for your brand to show up in the market and move people forward in ways they'll genuinely engage with and thank you for. The Blueprint phase that follows is what we're going to do about that: turning strategic understanding into a concrete, visual plan for execution, defining specific pages, experiences, and progression points, and how they work together as a system.

## Phase 2: Experience Blueprint

### Objective
Translate the strategic understanding established in Strategy Foundations into a clear, build-ready plan for how the full buyer experience — and the website in particular — will function, page by page and stage by stage.

The Blueprint phase exists to answer this question: _"What is the single best marketing experience we can produce for our target market, and how is the website going to do its job of taking people from the Attention phase, through to the Nurture phase?"_

### Purpose
By the end of Strategy Foundations, we understand the opportunity:
- how your audience thinks
- what they’re trying to achieve
- how they'd like to be moved from first contact, to customer, to champion.

The Blueprint phase defines your response to that opportunity. Rather than jumping straight into copy, design, or development, this phase creates a shared, visual, and unambiguous plan for the entire buyer experience — ensuring that every asset we later
build is purposeful, coordinated, and justified.

### What We’ll Do

#### 1.Blueprint the Full Buyer Experience
We collaboratively define specifically how your brand will respond to the opportunities defined, for each of the six buyer experience stages identified in Strategy Foundations:
1. Earn Attention — how to engage your audience on preferred platforms and formats
2. De-platform — how passive viewers transition to owned experiences
3. Nurture to Sale — how trust and confidence are built leading to purchase
4. Stack Wins — how we reinforce the buyer’s decision post-purchase
5. Future-Pace Sales — how long-term value and anticipation are maintained
6. Create Champions — how satisfied buyers become advocates

For each stage, we:
- document the strategic intent
- define what will exist in each stage
- sketch how those materials can look
- decide those things based on your appetite, capacity, and priorities

#### 2. Define the website’s role in the system
Once the full experience is mapped, we zoom in on the website specifically. The website is treated as an asset with a job in a larger system, not a standalone artifact. Its role is to receive attention-phase traffic, and move people confidently into the nurture-phase. We define what pages exist, why each page exists, and what each page must accomplish to be "good at its job".

#### 3. Page-by-Page Website Blueprint
For each core page type (e.g. homepage, pricing, blog, interactive experiences, etc.), we define the purpose of the page, write a section-by-section outline of what belongs on the page, and sketch each major section to show structure, hierarchy, and flow. This results in a clear schematic of the entire website, and how it all comes together.

#### 4. Appetite-Led Scoping
All blueprint decisions are shaped by your appetite. This includes how much complexity exists, how many experiences are involved, and how ambitious or conservative each stage is. Because the entire system is conceived upfront, this phase prevents surprise scope, misaligned expectations, or accidental over-engineering.

### Deliverables
At the end of the Blueprint phase, you receive:
- An illustrated blueprint of the full buyer experience
- Written and sketched definitions for each major journey stage
- A page-by-page schematic of the website, including section breakdowns
- Clear documentation of what will be built and why

This documentation is intended to be sufficiently clear that no additional strategic clarification should be required prior to execution. The blueprint is implementation-agnostic: any competent team should be able to build from it without requiring further clarification.

### Outcome
You will have:
- Clarity on how your marketing and website materials all work together as a system
- A shared reference point for all future production decisions
- The ability to scope copy, design, artwork, and development accurately
- Confidence that execution will be deliberate, predictable, and aligned

Once complete, this blueprint can be used to proceed with production internally, engage any external team, or request a detailed build proposal from us, based directly on the plan. There is no obligation nor lock-in to proceed beyond this phase.

### Client Responsibilities
- Attend scheduled strategy sessions or provide advance notice for rescheduling
- Participate collaboratively in decision-making during sessions
- Provide timely feedback on shared materials to keep momentum

No additional materials or preparation are required beyond participation.

## Working Rhythm & Communication
Strategy sessions are conducted live via Zoom. Ahead of the engagement, you’ll receive a scheduling link to book each session. You may schedule all sessions upfront, or schedule sessions one at a time as each session concludes. Before, between or after sessions, any follow-up questions, clarifications, or shared materials will be handled asynchronously via email. This keeps sessions focused and ensures decisions and context are documented clearly. No additional tools, platforms, or
preparation are required beyond attending sessions and participating in discussions.

## Proposal Readiness (What Comes Next)
Once the Foundations and Blueprint are complete, we will be able to:
- Produce a production proposal that reflects the blueprint precisely, should you choose to have our support in building some (or all) of the blueprinted items
- Price and scope execution work (copy, design, artwork, development) accurately
- Move directly into production without revisiting strategic questions

## Timeline
Strategy Foundations: typically completed over 1–3 weeks, depending on scheduling. Blueprint creation follows immediately after Foundations sessions conclude, and typically takes 1 week.

## Fee
StrategyComics Foundations: USD $1995 (paid for in stages). Money-back guarantee if you don't love it.

StrategyComics Blueprints: USD $1995. Money-back guarantee if you don't love it.

## Acceptance
This scope of work defines the full Strategy Comics engagement covering both Foundations and Blueprint phases. Proceeding confirms alignment on the activities and deliverables outlined above.

## Next Steps
If you’re happy with this scope or have any questions, please email adam@mredutainment.com. Once confirmed, we’ll generate an invoice and schedule the first session.

Thank you!

# StrategyComics Production Support

## Purpose
This document will give you an idea of how website production works once strategy is complete.

Now, every strategic blueprint is different.

Because every audience is different. And every business is different.

So planning the best website experience for customers is unique.

But while projects don't repeat themselves, they do rhyme.

So let's look at typical production scopes, timelines, and pricing, so you can see what usually happens next, to get a sense of what the roadmap might look like for your project.

## What this gives you:
- A high-level view of how production engagements typically run, end-to-end
- Clear inputs needed from you, and outputs you receive from us at each stage
- Clarity on what skillsets are covered by our production team
- Clarity over the difference between strategy, production, and optimization

## Phase 1: Strategy Foundations
[A scope of work has been defined for your Strategy Foundations process.](https://docs.mredutainment.com/1/the-writebook-manual/30/scope-of-work)

### Typical Duration
~1–3 weeks (depending on scheduling)

### Your Inputs
- Attend six guided strategy sessions (60–90 minutes)
- Participate in decisions and direction-setting
- Provide feedback on drafts when requested (asynchronous, via email)

### Outputs You Receive
You will have a shared, tangible understanding of:

- **What your audience wants to learn**
Insight into the questions, problems, curiosities, and motivations your audience brings with them, at each stage of their buyer experience — and what they're hoping to understand or resolve when they engage with your brand.

- **How your audience likes to consume**
An understanding of the formats, tone, pacing, and channels your audience naturally gravitates toward, allowing every stage of our marketing system to feel familiar and enjoyable (however they define the word) rather than forced or interruptive.

- **Our opportunities to combine the two across their whole buyer experience**
A clear view of how learning, immersion, enjoyment, trust-building, and marketing progression fit together across the buyer journey — from first contact through to confident decision-making and post-sale activation.

## Phase 2: Experience Blueprint
[A scope of work has been defined for your Blueprint process.](https://docs.mredutainment.com/1/the-writebook-manual/30/scope-of-work#phase-2-experience-blueprint)

### Typical Duration
~1 week

### Your Inputs
- Email correspondence regarding blueprint decisions
- Appetite calibration in response to our questions (what you _want_ or _don't want_ to build)

### Outputs You Receive
At the end of the Blueprint phase, you receive:
- An illustrated blueprint of the full buyer experience
- Written and sketched definitions for each major journey stage
- A page-by-page schematic of the website, including section breakdowns
- Clear documentation of what we recommend should be built and why

This documentation is intended to be sufficiently clear that no additional strategic clarification should be required prior to execution.

## Phase 3: Production Proposal
Turns the blueprint into a production plan: what is being built by us, in what order, at what price.

### Typical Duration
A few days to 1 week (depending on complexity and decision speed)

### Your Inputs
Confirm what you want to build now vs later (phasing)
Confirm ownership:
- Build with us end-to-end, OR
- Use other partners, OR
- Split responsibilities
- Confirm constraints (CMS, hosting, integrations, internal IT requirements)

### What We Do
Create a proposal that covers the website parts of the blueprint:
- A phased build plan
- Scope definition per deliverable category (copy/design/dev/etc.)
- Timeline assumptions and dependencies

### Outputs You Receive
A production-ready proposal, with the ability to click and tweak live in the browser to quickly right-size per your appetite, so we can get moving quickly

Production costs are entirely dependent on:
- Number of pages and interactive flows
- Our involvement with each stage (configurable)
- Style and complexity of each page (configurable)

## Phase 4: Copywriting

### Purpose
Write conversion-oriented copy for pages and flows defined in the blueprint, so every page does its job in the system. You can read about [how we write copy here](https://docs.mredutainment.com/1/the-writebook-manual/24/how-we-write-copy).

### Typical Duration
~1–4 weeks (varies by scope and approval turn-around)

### Your Inputs
- Provide access to any reference materials (optional, not required for our process)
- Confirm any compliance constraints (regulated language, claims, etc.)
- Review and approve copy drafts we send to you

### What We Do
Page-by-page copy, aligned with:
- The page’s job (per blueprint)
- The page's structure (per blueprint)
- The stage it supports (per blueprint; attention / de-platform / nurture, etc.)
- Your preferred tone boundaries
- Includes section hierarchy, headlines, subheads, CTAs, microcopy for forms / interactive states where relevant, and keeps any defined on-site SEO conventions in mind.

### Outputs You Receive
- Approved copy documents for each page/flow
- Copy-ready handoff for design and development

#### Where partners may be required:
If you need specialized legal/regulatory review, claims substantiation, deep keyword analysis, or industry compliance sign-off.

## Phase 5: Design

### Purpose
Design the visual system and page layouts that support clarity, personality, and conversion, while maintaining the brand’s personality. You can read about [how we design here](https://docs.mredutainment.com/1/the-writebook-manual/25/how-we-design).

### Typical Duration
~2–4 weeks (varies by scope and approval turn-around)

### Your Inputs
- Provide access to any brand guideline materials (optional, not required for our process)
- Provide access to any supporting site materials such as photography or preferred icons (optional, not required for our process)
- Review and approve design mocks we send to you

### What We Do
Design each page based on:
- The page’s job (per blueprint)
- The page's structure (per blueprint)
- The stage it supports (per blueprint; attention / de-platform / nurture, etc.)
- Your design feedback
- Includes typography, photography, graphics, sidecar pages (such as 'thank you' pages), micro-interactions.
- Component-driven design system
- Interactive UX design for experiences (quizzes/demos/configurators)
- Accessibility-aware design decisions (contrast, hierarchy, focus states, readability)

### Outputs You Receive
- Completed page designs
- Associated design system
- Specs ready for development handover

#### Where partners may be required:
If you have strict internal brand governance requiring a separate brand agency to approve visual identity changes.

## Phase 6: Illustration, Artwork & Motion (Two contexts)
Render any illustrations, artworks or animations needed to complete the scope of the design, while maintaining the brand’s personality. You can read about [how we create site artwork here](https://docs.mredutainment.com/1/the-writebook-manual/26/how-we-create-artwork).

### Typical Duration
Parallel to design and/or development phases, varies by quantity

### Your Inputs
- Review and approve mocks we send to you

### What We Do
- Spot illustrations that clarify concepts and guide attention
- Icons, spots, features and other UI elements that go beyond design
- Looping motion, micro-interactions where beneficial to the project
- Reusable asset libraries for ongoing future production

### Outputs You Receive
- Production-ready assets, integrated into the design.

#### Where partners may be required:
If you have very specific art styles by very specific artists you'd like to commission.

## Phase 7: Development & Implementation

### Purpose
Build the designed system reliably, with accessibility and speed in mind—so it performs well and is easy to maintain and optimize over time. You can read about [how we develop here](https://docs.mredutainment.com/1/the-writebook-manual/27/how-we-develop).

### Typical Duration
~2–4 weeks (varies by scope and approval turn-around)

### Your Inputs
- Confirm hosting / domain / environment access (we will recommend)
- Confirm any tech constraints (e.g. CMS preferences or internal IT policies)
- Provide access to any integrations (e.g. ESP/CRM, analytics, middleware tools)

### What We Do
- Front-end + back-end build per the proposal
- CMS configuration (as selected)
- Accessibility implementation (e.g. semantic markup, keyboard support, ARIA)
- Performance optimization: efficient assets, compression, fast-loading pages)
- Analytics plumbing (e.g. GA/other analytics, GTM, custom events as needed)
- Cookie consent tooling integrated where required
- Forms & conversion plumbing (e.g. newsletter signup, lead routing, CRM/ESP integration)
- QA (per our [Quality Assurance](https://public.3.basecamp.com/p/dUF6njXbKbhYhGoe6WvfEzwY) document)

#### Outputs You Receive
- Built site/experiences in production environment
- Documented tracking/events setup
- Launch checklist completion

## Phase 8: Email Systems & Automations

### Purpose
Make nurture, onboarding, post-sale, and reactivation emails as defined by the blueprint and scoped by the proposal.

### Typical Duration
Parallel to design and/or development phases, varies by quantity

### Your Inputs
- Confirm ESP/CRM tooling
- Approve sequence content and brand tone

### What We Do
- Email strategy + signup plumbing
- Sequence writing (e.g. welcome, nurture, onboarding, post-sale, reactivation)
- Email template design + graphics
- Automation logic (e.g. tags / segments / conditionals / triggers)
- Integrations with forms / quizzes / site events where needed

### Outputs You Receive
- Working automations + templates
- Approved email copy set

#### Where partners may be required:
If you have consultants and partners for specific tech stacks you have standing relationships with, such as Salesforce consultants, for deeper operational integration with business functions.

At this stage, the website is live, and the proposed scope of work will be complete.

From here, we have two more phases to consider as future scopes of work, which both exist as part of a shared ongoing subscription model with our studio:

## Phase 9: Audience Calibration

### Purpose

Improve the system long-term using both qualitative feedback (why assets resonate) and quantitative testing (how assets perform at scale).

### 9.1 Qualitative: Audience Inner Circle

#### Your Inputs
- Help identify candidates (customers/prospects), if available
- Approve outreach messaging and cadence

#### We Do
- Set up lightweight feedback loops
- Present change pitches
- Capture insights and implications

#### Outputs
- Clear “what we learned” notes tied to roadmap decisions
- Refactored StrategyComic document based on the insights we've learned
- Refactored website assets based on the insights we've learned and its appropriation into the StrategyComic document.

### 9.2 Quantitative: CRO

#### Your Inputs
- Access to analytics and goals
- Agreement on what success metrics matter
- Approve synopses and proposed tests

#### We Do
- Review analytics + behavior data
- Identify friction/drop-offs
- Produce hypotheses
- Implement changes (copy / design / dev)
- Run tests where appropriate
- Read results and iterate

#### Outputs
- CRO backlog + test results
- Refactored StrategyComic document based on the insights we've learned
- Refactored website assets based on the insights we've learned and its appropriation into the StrategyComic document.

## Phase 10: Ongoing Production & Support

### Purpose
Once the core website and buyer experience are live, there is often a steady stream of additional production needs that fall outside of audience calibration above, but still benefit from being handled by a team deeply familiar with the strategy, blueprint, and system.

That's what this is for.

Rather than treating these needs as disconnected one-off projects, they can be handled within an ongoing production relationship, keeping everything aligned with the original strategy and experience design.

### Typical Requests Supported
This may include (but is not limited to):
- Additional pages or page variants not originally scoped
- Iterative improvements or refinements requested by the business
- New sections, features, or experiments informed by internal priorities
- Illustration, artwork, or graphic production for website updates, sales enablement assets, and presentations or internal materials
- Social graphics and episodic content creation
- Animated or live-action video production, including explainers, campaign assets, content-hub or social media video.
- Paid media creative production

### How This Work Is Handled
- All work is executed by the same team that produced the original system
- Requests are assessed against the existing blueprint for consistency
- Scope and effort are agreed before work begins
- Work is prioritized collaboratively to keep production prioritized with business goals

This model allows teams to move quickly without repeatedly re-onboarding new partners or re-explaining strategic context.

Otherworldly Alliance

# Principles
## Purpose
These principles exists so the studio can produce great work predictably, calmly, and at high quality, without bottlenecks. If something feels unclear, the answer is: _follow this doctrine._

## What we do
The studio delivers end-to-end execution of edutainment-based marketing experiences:
- Marketing sites (including interactive quizzes and experiences)
- Product design and development (for retainers and approved projects)
- Email copy and email automation systems
- Animated videos and page graphics
- Illustrated page artwork and social content

Inputs that produce the above:
- Copywriting
- Web design
- Illustration
- Animation
- Website development
- Front-end web app development
- Website maintenance

## Where we work
- All studio work lives in Basecamp.
- Partner tools (Asana, email, etc.) are mirrored into Basecamp.
- If it’s not in Basecamp, it does not exist for the team.

## Maintain the Production Cycle
The Production Cycle is: Strategy, Blueprint, Build, Repeat.

Strategy, defines the shape of the work, and how it fits into the big picture. Strategy keeps us clear on why we're doing what we're doing, how to know if what we're doing is working, and what to do about it if it isn't.

Blueprint, defines how we think the strategy will look, for this task, right now. A short description, coupled with a simple sketch, enables everyone to "see" the work before it even happens, directing both partners and our team with what we're going to build.

Build, is when we build what we defined in the blueprint. We combine the 'what' we see in the blueprint, with the 'why' from the strategy, with the 'how' from our processes and best practices, to produce excellent work we are proud of.

Repeat, is when we review the build, the blueprint, and the strategy, and define what should happen next as a result of what was built.

## Projects over tasks
Partners don't want to-dos completed. They want their projects to succeed.

The difference between the two matters to every single person in the studio.

If there's a webpage to build, we don't just "build it and it's done". We use the Production Cycle to understand its importance and how it serves the project's strategic objective, build it to achieve that, then define the next steps we believe should take place in order to ensure the we continue moving toward that objective.

For example, if a partner requests a newsletter subscribe form, the request isn't really for a newsletter subscribe form. The request is to get people subscribing to their newsletter. The Production Cycle should unearth that goal, and build with that in mind. And once the form is built, that doesn't mean the objective has been achieved: does the form work? Does it send people to a thank-you page? Do they receive a confirmation email? Does the email look great? Do they have good email templates to
send the newsletter? Do they need support with the newsletter? These are all natural questions that follow. We should get clear on the shape of the work around the task, and suggest ways to continue moving it forward once it's complete.

This is the difference between a marginalizing web partner who just checks boxes, and a valuable web partner who is invested in the relationship. We must be the latter, in every task, in every project.

## Remember our superpower
Why should anyone work with us over anyone else? We have processes, we have great talent, we've been around since 2009, we're dependable, we're good value, but so what? While most teams cannot honestly claim half of these facts (a peek behind the curtain of most teams will reveal chaos and duct tape everywhere), they nevertheless _claim_ to have these things. And so
they are not distinctive, they don't stand out, they aren't our superpower.

So what is our superpower? Our mastery of 'edutainment': the ability to combine what people want, with how they enjoy receiving it. Installing feedback loops where we hear from customers, update our documents, and reflect new data into production. Building things that are 'remarkable' (meaning, worth making a remark about), where eyes sparkle, people lean in with enjoyment, and look forward to telling others about what they've found.

If a partner wants boring, ho-hum, average work, without interest in customer data nor making it enjoyable for those they serve… we're operating from a marginalized position, are vulnerable in our relationship, and are not serving the partner as fully as we can. It's our job to pursue the data, and propose builds that will bring our superpowers to bear, for the benefit of everyone the partner serves in the market.

Remember our superpower. Every project should ask, are we remembering our superpower? And everyone in the team should respond with a point of view.

## Radiation
Communication is hard. When you know what you're doing, you assume everyone does.

Or that it'll be okay, because they'll know when you're done. It's not okay.

When you're about to start a task, comment that you're about to start the task. As you make progress in a task, comment showing the progress in the task. When you're ready for review, present the work, what you did, and what you want feedback on. When it's done, present the work, write up the finished result, and open a conversation for what should happen next, along with your suggestions, based on your understanding of the project. If a task seems like it might be stalling, comment saying so,
and help get it moving again. Over and over, until it moves.

You might feel like you're oversharing. You might feel like you're being redundant, or even a bit annoying. You're not. Everyone around you will be deeply thankful for the clarity you're bringing.

And what about for partners? The same applies there. In each card we're working on, we should update it each time we have an update to share. Not just when it's done, or ready for review. Partners want to know their projects are in good hands, and this rightly calms nerves and quells undue concerns. The updates you share will serve as essential information for project managers as they radiate updates in this way.

## We don't stall
'Stalled' is when a project or task is of interest to a partner but, it comes to a halt for some reason, and nobody does anything about it. Except it's still of interest to the partner, or it would have been discarded. So allowing it to stall is us saying to our partner, "We don't care enough about what you care about, to keep it moving when it's not on your watch." That carries more problems than I can list in this doctrine.

So work doesn't stall. Projects move with radiation, or they are actively re-engaged until they get going again, are deliberately paused until a specific date, or are discarded with partner approval.

If something is unclear: PM seeks clarification from either the team or the partner. If unresolved, the team proceeds using the blueprint, processes, or partner direction. Any assumptions are stated clearly as such in Basecamp, so it's always clear what is fact vs assumption. When in doubt, and as a last resort, PM escalates to Adam with specific questions while staying in control of the task, rather than handing it over.

## Done vs Done-Done
Completed work is always in one of two states:

'Done' means a task is complete. Perhaps a page was developed, or a design was created. There's a thing to do, and it's been done. 'Done'. But that's not the end of the story, something else must follow the work. The design must be built, the build must be tested. It goes on.

'Done-done' means a task is completed in context: fully integrated, tested, approved by the partner, deployed, with next steps clearly defined so whatever needs to (or may need to) happen next has been made totally clear.

If something is Done-Done, we can tell the partner it is done, close it out, and turn our attention to the strategic objective.

If something is Done, but not Done-Done, we clearly communicate what has been completed, what remains, and the next steps we think are required to reach Done-Done.

## What 'done' looks like
These lists are a work in progress, and should be added to as we uncover things that deserve to be here, for the purpose of making everything we produce more methodical, more predictable, more dependable, and calmer to run.

### Web page or Product UI changes
* Matches the approved blueprint
* Correct copy in place
* Design matches approved designs exactly
* Desktop and mobile verified
* Tested across browsers, screen sizes, and OS
* All buttons, links, and forms tested
* Integrated into navigation / flows
* Partner has reviewed and approved
* Approval flow:
 - Design: Project designer & Adam
 - Build: Project developer & Adam
 - Technical sign-off: Development manager
 - Partner sign-off: coordinated by PM

### Design Systems
- Full typography system (H1–H6, body, lists, quotes, etc.)
- Complete color palette (active + future use)
- Spacing system defined
- Component patterns defined
- Approval flow:
 - Design: Project designer & Adam
 - Partner sign-off: coordinated by PM

## How we do tasks
Projects consist mostly of tasks: little bits of work that contribute to the larger project. If you're assigned to a task, that means you're responsible for two things:

1. The task itself: Whatever the the task is, you're not just assigned, you're responsible.

2. What happens next: When it's done, something else must happen next. You're responsible for ensuring that next thing commences, and that whoever is responsible for that next thing, takes responsibility for it.

Each task gets a Card, on the project's Card Table. The title represents the work, the notes field describes what must be achieved, and the due-date defines when it will be completed. If the partner is in Basecamp, the comments section is used to communicate with the partner, and to-do lists are created privately (using the same name as the card its associated with) to divvy up assignments and discuss progress. If the partner is not in Basecamp, the comments section is used for the team to
communicate internally, with partner communication relayed into the comments section for record.

Cards are assigned to the team members working on them (be it for production or PM), just like the associated to-dos are, so everyone's Basecamp schedule represents each moving part of interest to them.

Every card and to-do always has an assignee and a due-date. Without an assignee, no one is responsible, and Basecamp has no one to alert, thus it risks going forgotten. Without a due-date, there are still no alerts, and it will remain low priority forever. If a card has a client-facing due-date, its internal due-date must be set at least one day prior, so there is room to catch and correct before the deadline is reached.

Tasks do not go past-due. If a due-date will be missed, the reason should always be clearly defined in a comment, and the due-date must be moved reasonably, with partners made aware alongside radiation. If a due-date cannot be changed, don't miss the date.

For every task, the assignee owns the decision of how to complete it within the blueprint and doctrine. But they may need decisions from others to help them move their task to done-done. So while the success of the task still ultimately relies on the assignee, and it's their responsibility to chase down the decisions they need, here is who to involve as needed:
- If a decision affects priority, sequencing, or coordination, that belongs to PM.
- If a decision affects strategy, scope, money, or trust, that belongs to Adam.
- If a decision affects technical correctness, that belongs to Denis.
- If a decision affects design quality, that belongs to Larrirose.
- If you own the decision, you do not wait for permission.
- If you don’t own the decision, you do not make it.

If you are responsible for a task, but are for some reason unable to satisfy its conditions for whatever reason (e.g. you need to go unexpectedly OOO) it is still your responsibility:
- Its completion is still your responsibility.
- Locating someone else on the team to handle it for you is your responsibility.
- Even locating assistance in locating someone else on the team is your responsibility.
- Their completion of it on your behalf is your responsibility.
- Your tidying things up when you return is your responsibility.

## Heartbeats
At the end of each week, we all answer an automated check-in that asks what we did on a project. We always answer these, if we've done anything at all on that project. Our answers are written in a way that is thorough, intended to be partner-ready for the most part, with parts that highlight the need for support clearly marked, so that help can be forthcoming.

Those check-ins are what PM uses to write 'Heartbeats': a short message board post to each partner that summarizes what we did that week. They should already know everything that has been written, thanks to radiating information throughout the week, but the summary can be really helpful in remembering the progress we've made, and being able to look back across weeks passed for a sense of momentum.

## Forecasts
Heartbeats are for looking back over a week. Forecasts are for looking ahead over a month. At the start of each month, we kick off a message board post in each active project, to discuss what we believe are the most important focuses for that month. This is not to say we must stick to only these things, or to forgo things not mentioned. Rather, this is to help us keep a big picture focus of each project, how we're progressing, and what needs our focus and attention, so that no one finds themselves in a situation where they can't see the wood for the trees.

## How to fail
People hesitate when they’re afraid of being wrong. But failure is not wrong, it's data.

We don't learn, or grow, by hesitating. We learn, and grow, by taking responsibility for our work, finding the answers we need, and remembering if a task we're responsible for fails, it's our responsibility to work out why, and improve the system so it doesn't happen again.

- Mistakes are expected. We are a team that finds and fixes them, together.
- Silence and stalling are always worse than imperfect progress.
- Rework is sometimes part of doing meaningful work.

If something ships and needs revision, we fix it, we update blueprints and checklists as needed, and we move on stronger as a result. This is a celebrate-able event, not one to be ashamed of.

Everyone has the authority to push work forward, request clarity, reopen tasks, and escalate issues when needed, without asking for permission. The PM is ultimately responsible for these things, but everyone has the ability to be a team-player and take initiative on these things, to prevent unnecessary failure.

# How we write copy

## Beliefs

### Edutainment-first
Our contribution to society—our art—is edutainment. The act of making things that help people grow through enjoyment. If a script is “cool sounding” but doesn’t facilitate learning while also being enjoyable to them to read, it’s not edutainment, it's not our art, and it's not for us. Everything we produce should live at that intersection: things that help people "grow through fun," however they define fun or enjoyment.


### Clarity beats cleverness
Commercial writing loves to hide behind fancy words. Sensationalism. Bravado. Complexity.

All things that readers _don't_ love. For that reason among others, we don't write like that. These things don't help readers. They're like rain in the wind, obscuring their view, making it harder to determine what's really being said. They impress brand owners and confuse readers. When in doubt, be as clear as possible.


### Write for humans in their moment
Readers are at a moment in time. We know, as authors, how their story is likely to unfold if they proceed with the buyer experience we're preparing for them. But they don't. Not quite like we do. Not yet.

So prattling on about what we know to be true, while it remains one of a million potential futures to them, does them no service. What they want, is to be seen in their moment. To know we understand what it's like to be right there, where they stand, today. Yes, that we know what their dream outcome looks like… And yes, that we see the path between the two places… And yes, that we understand their unique sense of humor and their unique ideas of "enjoyment". But that we are able to be in this moment, and help them into their next moment.

Writing in this way means we use their language. Language they use in searches and prompts. Language filled with tell-tale signs that we're not imposters, that we're there with them. Language that, as it happens, also helps with SEO, LLM discovery, trust, and conversion.

### Comfy but with personality
Our work should feel comfortable and familiar to the people it’s for. Modern, simple, and recognizable within their world. That's not an excuse for generic or soulless. Rather, it's a call to meet them where they are, before we take them somewhere else.

“Comfy” means familiar vernacular, shared in-jokes, sensible spacing, and avoiding things that make users stop and think _“wait, what are they talking about? Is this not for me?”_ “Personality” means warmth, intentional quirks, and decisions that feel thoughtful and delightful, rather than templated. Our goal is not to impress other writers. Our goal is to make the right people feel at ease, curious, and engaged, and as though they're going to enjoy exploring this further (however they define "enjoy").

### Less but better
We favor fewer words, executed with more care, over many paragraphs executed poorly. We can do a lot with a little, if those few pieces are excellent.

The details matter: consistent pacing. Restrained, intentional reading age. Semantic written structure that feels easy to skim yet easy to dive into. Repetition of patterns so users can feel concepts resolving, like good music. If we're going to include something in the page, it needs a darn good reason for being there, beyond "it sounds cool" or "I saw a competitor say it". If it doesn’t serve the experience, it doesn’t belong.

### Not for everyone
Our work is not designed to please everyone. It is crafted for the defined target audience, and people one degree removed from them. If a copywriting decision improves clarity, comfort, or enjoyment for the intended audience but might confuse or alienate others, that's totally okay, and often desirable. Trying to make work that pleases everyone usually results in work that excites no one.



## Process
### Rough
The first step is to see it. The rough lets us compose from the ideas throughout the blueprint and the audience's narrative, and feel the shape of the script, before we go through the process of actually writing it. This is useful for obvious reasons: we can write confidently, without anxiety about whether it's going where we want it to go, and without stabbing at ideas in hope they resolve properly.

### Sanity check
At this stage, copy and design review the progress to ensure we're in scope. We change the shape of the work if not, then proceed with the production process.

### Draft 1
With an approved rough, we can start assembling the first draft. This draft is a "wireframe", where we have each section of the experience spoken for, in roughly the right length, in roughly the right pace. We're not really editing nor polish yet, we're making sure everything fits where it goes, and still feels good as things move from sketchy concepts to real written form. We don't tend to secure partner feedback at this stage, since it's tricky to give feedback on "the shape of a narrative" without experience with the copywriting process. This draft collects internal feedback needed to produce Draft 2.

### Draft 2
This draft is the near-final, unfinished version of the script. The copy isn't done, it isn't dialed in, but if you metaphorically lean back and squint your eyes, it basically reads like the finished piece. This is a stage we share with partners for feedback, with the note that it is medium-fidelity, not finished-finished, it's still malleable for their feedback, so they can sign off on the page coming together as they'd like. The disclaimer is important, so that nobody conflates "in progress" materials with "proposed final" materials.

### Final draft
The final draft is the final version of the copy. All sections of the page, from core text to microcopy, is both present and polished. Once this is approved, there should be no further tweaks to make in order to progress over to the handover stage.

### Handover
With final draft approved, at this stage we get things ready for design to take over. Everything is uploaded to Basecamp, with a write-up guiding designers "what goes where" so there's no ambiguity around how to use the script. Designers should then have everything they need to build the design, with the final result properly representing the vision behind the words.



## Tools
What we use, and why we use them.

### Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Basecamp Docs
Word for long-form writing without the need to collaborate. Google Docs for collaborative writing. Basecamp Docs for handover and review / final edits. Word used since the late 90s. Google Docs used since 2006. Basecamp used since 2010.

### Final Draft
While you can write script anywhere that accepts keyboard input, and fountain-focused apps like Slugline are great, Final Draft is the industry standard, its beat board tools really work well in our production workflows, and it integrates nicely with Storyboard Pro. Used since 2023 (Previously: iA Writer since 2010, TextEdit since 2005, Notepad since 2000).



## Technical checks
Things we always do.

### Check the handover
Before handing work over, ensure everything meets the brief. Verify that persona, pacing, tone and direction are defined clearly. Mark in each section of the script what goes where. Designers should never need to guess or recreate copywriting decisions.

### Check the brief at every stage
Sometimes a good idea can become a bad idea, if it loses sight of the goal it’s trying to achieve, and for whom. So checking the goal in each stage helps prevent that from happening, or from a misdirection from carrying on too long through the process.

### Artist vs paintbrush
Know, going into a design, whether you’re being the artist or the paintbrush. When you’re the artist, you’re conceiving the solution. When you’re the paintbrush, you’re expressing a prescribed solution. Neither is right or wrong, good or bad. Just know which one you are in this specific design, contributing fully within those parameters.

### Pride-check
When the work is done, are you truly proud of the work we’ve done? Truly? If it shipped like this today, which parts would haunt you, or make you think “hm, maybe that part there shouldn’t feature in the team portfolio”, or lower the perceived quality of the whole experience? If able, raise these areas as concerns before the work ships. We should be proud of the work we do.

### Collaborate with those working one degree from you
If you’re designing a webpage, you’re 1 degree from the designer who builds it, 1 degree from the designer, 1 degree from the artists creating graphics, and 1 degree from the person leading the project. This means you should liaise with those people, ensuring you have everything you need from them, and they have everything they need from you. Be the collaborator you wish everyone else was: be clear and thorough in your communication, prompt and proactive in your responses, and go the extra mile to make things buttery-smooth when they deal with you. The copywriting is on you to be the best it can be, so go get what you need, and go give them what they need, so the finished result can be as great as it can be.



## Technical no-gos
Things we never do.

### Don’t skip steps
Some of the steps may feel superfluous sometimes, but the work is better when we stick to them. So stick to them.

### Don’t ship to partners without peer-review
We’re only human: sometimes a second pair of eyes can be invaluable in spotting things you became blind to due to exposure to the work. Have someone peer-review it, to where they put their name to the deliverable’s quality too. Two sets of eyes committed to the work are better than one.

### Don’t assume others know what you’re thinking
Copy should feel obvious, but it feels most obvious to the writer. Where does that piece of copy go? Which modal window is that for? What should be written on that button? Obvious to you, in your mind’s eye, intuiting each user interaction. Not obvious to others, unless it’s either written up. So write it up. Leave no space for assumptions.

### Don’t miss deadlines
If we have deadlines, do not miss them. That means proactive communication around your work to ensure you have everything you need in good time, managing your schedule to comfortably meet the deadlines even if multiple rounds of revisions show up, and over-communicating about how things are going on your side of things, so that everybody can see movement and not
worry about whether or not you dropped the ball. If a deadline is under threat, communicate it as early as possible—as soon as you suspect it may be. That gives the team time to assess what to do about that: let a partner know if there is one, cut scope to
make it fit, increase support on the project so there are more hands working on it, or simply resolve to push through and find the time to make it work if the scope nor the budget can shift, and there is no one else who can jump in to support.

### Don’t work in chaos
The writing process can be messy at times. But a craftsman always leaves his desk in order. Your working files and references should be clearly labelled and neatly organized, so that anyone who works on the copy in future can easily find what they’re looking for. Any requests you made should have a follow-up scheduled so you don’t forget (either make a to-do for yourself for
that, or snooze an email notification about it, whatever works best for you) so nothing slips through the cracks. Stay organized, so you (or worse, others) don’t have to work in chaos.


# How we design
## Beliefs

### Edutainment-first
Our contribution to society—our art—is edutainment. The act of making things that help people grow through enjoyment. If a design is “cool looking” but doesn’t facilitate learning while also being enjoyable for them, it’s not edutainment, it's not our art, and it's not for us. Everything we produce should live at that intersection: things that help people "grow through fun," however they define fun or enjoyment

### Design presents, and yields to, words and art
Design’s job is to facilitate people. They’re trying to go somewhere or do something, and design helps make that possible. Such is the importance of design, and the gift of good design. For instance, relaxing and reading are both activities that can happen in chairs… but each function is better suited to a different type of chair. In each case, the chair’s job isn’t to say “Look at me!” (itself), it’s to say “Look at this!” (an invitation to relax, or to read).

When people remark on good design, what they’re usually describing is the experience it will facilitate (and how effective it will be at that). When people remark on bad design, what they’re usually describing is merely the way it looks (and how it may fail at that experience). A well-designed cup holds the right amount of liquid, is easy to fill and pour from, and is comfortable to drink from. A badly designed cup prioritizes its appearance over its function, holding the wrong amount of liquid, or being less
comfortable to hold or drink.

That’s not to say good design is boring, though. Good design can facilitate art and words. If a user needs those things to have the experience they’re looking for, then it’s design’s (and the designer's) job to facilitate those things.

Design orchestrates the right words and pictures to ensure users get the best experience they possibly can. For instance, it helps the words they need to read be read and presents pictures to assist in comprehension and immersion, while helping our edutainment-first goals shine through. Good design is able to take these things and present them to the user. Bad design will do none of that. It will try to be the centre of attention, resulting in words being more challenging to read, images being
meaningless decoration, and losing sight of its goal. We do _good design_.

### Comfy but with personality
Our work should feel comfortable and familiar to the people it’s for. Modern, legible, and recognizable within their world. That's not an excuse for generic or soulless. Rather, it's a call to meet them where they are, before we take them somewhere else.

“Comfy” means familiar UI patterns, readable typography, sensible spacing, and avoiding things that make users stop and think _“wait, how does this work?”_ “Personality” means warmth, intentional quirks, visual decisions that feel thoughtful and delightful, rather than templated. Our goal is not to impress other designers. Our goal is to make the _right people_ feel at ease, curious, and engaged, and as though they're going to enjoy using this (however they define "enjoy").

### Less but better
We favor fewer elements, executed with more care, over many elements executed poorly. We can do a lot with a little, if those few pieces are excellent.

The details matter: consistent spacing and padding. Restrained, intentional color use. Typographic hierarchy that feels calm and obvious. Repetition of patterns so users can relax into the experience. If we're going to include something in the page, it needs a darn good reason for being there, beyond "it looks nice" or "I saw a competitor do it". If it doesn’t serve the experience, it doesn’t belong.

### Not for everyone
Our work is not designed to please everyone. It is designed for the defined target audience, and people one degree removed from them. If a design decision improves clarity, comfort, or enjoyment for the intended audience but might confuse or alienate others, that's totally okay, and often desirable. Trying to make work that pleases everyone usually results in work that excites no one.

## Process
### Sketch
The first step is to see it. Sketches let us see the work and secure approval from a partner, before we go through the process of actually making it. This is useful for obvious reasons: we can design confidently, without anxiety about whether it'll get shot down, and without rushing to show something substantial for feedback. When things are shared in low-fidelity like this, people tend not to judge it on the details, because there are no details yet! It focuses everyone on the shape of the work, the placement of things, and maybe some screenshots that accompany the sketch to infer the kind of visual polish we'll be going
for, if needed or appropriate. Photograph a piece of paper, draw in Photoshop/CSP/Krita, or a mixture of the two. Totally up to you. The important thing is that we can show how it'll look, before we make it, so we can make it confidently and calmly.

### Sanity check
At this stage, design and development review the progress to ensure we're in scope. We change the shape of the work if not, then proceed with the production process.

### LowFi
With an approved sketch, we can start assembling the LowFi. The LowFi is a "wireframe", where we have either grey boxes and un-styled text in the places everything goes to infer form, or scaffold the page using existing patterned/approved materials, or a mixture of the two. We're not layering in colors and polish yet, we're making sure everything fits where it goes, and still feels good as things move from sketchy lines to real digital form. We don't tend to secure partner feedback at this stage, since
there's nothing for them to really give feedback on.

### MedFi
MedFi is the near-final, unfinished version of the design. Art isn't done, spacing etc. isn't dialed in, but if you lean back and squint your eyes, it basically looks like the finished piece. This is a stage we do share with partners for feedback, with the note that it is medium-fidelity, not high-fidelity, it's ahead of polishing graphics or dialing in the details, so they can sign off on the page coming together as they'd like. The disclaimer is important, so that nobody conflates MedFi materials with HiFi materials.

### HiFi
HiFi is the final version of the design. Art is done, spacing is correct, color palettes are defined and properly used, viewports are all defined, components are orderly. Once this is approved, there should be no further tweaks to make in order to progress over to the handover stage.

### Handover
With HiFi approved, at this stage we get things ready for development to take over. Everything is uploaded and annotated in Zeplin, with swatches and styles clearly defined for orderly reuse. Any user interactions are written up, in terms of how they're supposed to function, such as color changes, delays or transitions. Developers should then have everything they need to confidently build the design, with the final result properly representing the vision behind the design.

## Tools
What we use, and why we use them.

### [Figma](https://www.figma.com/)
For composition, design, and application of copy and artwork into those compositions. 

All design materials end up here.

### [Photoshop](https://www.adobe.com/uk/products/photoshop/landpa.html) or [Photopea](https://www.photopea.com/)
General purpose raster image editing. Used for producing raster graphics, and also for sketching if you prefer to sketch digitally.

### [Clip Studio Paint](https://www.clipstudio.net/en/)
When working with line-art-heavy artwork files, they tend to be exported as png, but the working files will likely be .clip, thanks to CSP's wonderful vector brush system.

### [Zeplin](https://zeplin.io/)
Handover tool for hooking up developers with everything they need to implement designs accurately. Colors, components, type styles and spacing are all referenced by developers in here. Usually, we don't rely on Zeplin's image relay, preferring to cut webp images (shared in a Docs&Files folder in the corresponding project) using Ezgif for better loading images per image.

### [Ezgif](https://ezgif.com/webp-maker)
When we need to cut webp images, be they static or animated, Ezgif is a really convenient way of doing that. For static images, it has a [png-to-webp converter](https://ezgif.com/png-to-webp). For animated images (eg assembling individual frames exported from [Harmony](https://www.toonboom.com/products/harmony)) it has a [webp maker](https://ezgif.com/webp-maker).

### [Principle](https://principleformac.com/)
For quick mocks of how micro-animations might work, when visuals are needed beyond words alone, Principle is a really handy way of doing that. Figma artboards can be imported directly into Principle, and animated quickly to visualize how we'd like things to behave.

## Getting inspiration
How to source it, and what to do with it.

### Know the goal
Before looking at any references, get clear on who this is for. What feels “comfy” to them. What they’re trying to learn, do, or understand. Where the fun is meant to come from, for them. What words and visuals the design must present or elevate. If you can’t yet articulate the intersection of audience, comfort, learning, and fun, you’re not ready to look for inspiration yet.

### Explore inspiration
Look for fragments, not finished solutions. Use our sources repository, product screenshots, layouts often used in an industry or parallel industries, even apps or experiences you've personally enjoyed if there's something relatable.

You are not looking for full layouts to copy, or a "style" to mimic. We don't do that. You are looking for spacing patterns, familiar tone or rhythm, and for "material" that works for the target audience already. This can be helpful in understanding what the target user is familiar with, and what stands out in that space as quality, so we have an understanding of how our audience might currently define "great". This is not a place to hide, this is a mood board upon which we will exercise our edutainment superpowers.

### Artboard
Pull the fragments you’ve found into a single artboard. This is not a mood board just for aesthetics, it's a thinking surface. Seeing references side-by-side helps you notice common threads, avoid unconsciously mimicking a source, and make more intentional decisions.

### Write it out
Before sketching, write a short paragraph describing what the experience should feel like. What the user should understand, do, and feel. What role the design is playing (guide, stage, container, amplifier). Writing clarifies intent and prevents drifting into vague “inspiration mode", or being led by what others are doing.

### Sketch it out
Sketch ways to represent the intersection you’re aiming for. These sketches don't need to be pretty. They don't need to be complete. They exist to help you think and move forward, and to secure early feedback from peers and even the partner once they're suitably fleshed out and approved internally. They may also serve as useful references later when refining the work or explaining decisions to others.

## Technical checks
Things we always do.

### Check the handover
Before handing work over, ensure assets are accessible in Zeplin as expected. Verify that colours, spacing, and type styles are defined clearly. Manually export and supply any images that Zeplin does not handle correctly. Developers should never need to guess or recreate design decisions.

### Check the brief at every stage
Sometimes a good idea can become a bad idea, if it loses sight of the goal it’s trying to achieve, and for whom. So checking the goal in each stage helps prevent that from happening, or from a misdirection from carrying on too long through the process.

### Artist vs paintbrush
Know, going into a design, whether you’re being the artist or the paintbrush. When you’re the artist, you’re conceiving the solution. When you’re the paintbrush, you’re expressing a prescribed solution. Neither is right or wrong, good or bad. Just know which one you are in this specific design, contributing fully within those parameters.

### Pride-check
When the work is done, are you truly proud of the work we’ve done? Truly? If it shipped like this today, which parts would haunt you, or make you think “hm, maybe that part there shouldn’t feature in the team portfolio”, or lower the perceived quality of the whole design or experience? If able, raise these areas as concerns before the work ships. We should be proud of the work we do.

### Collaborate with those working one degree from you
If you’re designing a webpage, you’re 1 degree from the developer who builds it, 1 degree from the copywriter, 1 degree from the artists creating the graphics, and 1 degree from the person leading the project. This means you should liaise with those people, ensuring you have everything you need from them, and they have everything they need from you. Be the collaborator you wish everyone else was: be clear and thorough in your communication, prompt and proactive in your responses, and go the extra mile to make things buttery-smooth when they deal with you. Design is on you to be the best it can be, so go get what you need, and go give them what they need, so the finished result can be as great as it can be.

## Technical no-gos
Things we never do.

### Don’t skip steps
Some of the steps may feel superfluous sometimes, but the work is better when we stick to them. So stick to them.

### Don’t ship to partners without peer-review
We’re only human: sometimes a second pair of eyes can be invaluable in spotting things you became blind to due to exposure to the work. Have someone peer-review it, to where they put their name to the deliverable’s quality too. Two sets of eyes committed to the work are better than one.

### Don’t assume others know what you’re thinking
Design should feel obvious, but it feels most obvious to the designer. What happens when I click that? What happens when that opens up? Obvious to you, in your mind’s eye, intuiting each user interaction. Not obvious to others, unless it’s either visualized or written up. So at a minimum, visualize it or write it up. Ideally, do both. Leave no space for assumptions.

### Don’t miss deadlines
If we have deadlines, do not miss them. That means proactive communication around your work to ensure you have everything you need in good time, managing your schedule to comfortably meet the deadlines even if multiple rounds of revisions show up, and over-communicating about how things are going on your side of things, so that everybody can see movement and not
worry about whether or not you dropped the ball. If a deadline is under threat, communicate it as early as possible—as soon as you suspect it may be. That gives the team time to assess what to do about that: let a partner know if there is one, cut scope to make it fit, increase support on the project so there are more hands working on it, or simply resolve to push through and find
the time to make it work if the scope nor the budget can shift, and there is no one else who can jump in to support.

### Don’t work in chaos
The design process can be messy at times. But a craftsman always leaves his desk in order. Your Figma artboards should be clearly labelled and neatly organized, so that anyone who uses them can easily find what they’re looking for. Photoshop layers should be grouped and named for easy reuse in the future. Any requests you made should have a follow-up scheduled so you don’t forget (either make a to-do for yourself for that, or snooze an email notification about it, whatever works best for you) so nothing slips through the cracks. Stay organized, so you (or worse, others) don’t have to work in chaos.









# How we create artwork

## Beliefs
### Edutainment-first
Each piece of artwork we produce has three things to keep in mind. One, to visually express and enhance what viewers want to learn. Two, to produce that expression in a way that those viewers will really enjoy and appreciate. Three, to maintain continuity and immersion with the rest of the production the artwork belongs to. This intersection is where our artwork uniquely shines,
supporting education, nurturing delight, and assisting conversion. Everything we produce should live at that intersection: things that help people "grow through fun," however they define fun or enjoyment.

### Comfy but with personality
Our artwork should feel comfortable and familiar to the people it’s for. Most commercial artwork is fairly sterile and, frankly, a bit boring. It's so samey, it practically need not be there at all, as its essence and duty has been sacrificed at the altar of peer mimicry. That's not a call to follow. Rather, it's a call to meet visitors where they are, and give show them something special, something different, something they resonate with, something that draws them in.

“Comfy” means there's familiarity for visitors, so that it's not completely "out there." The comfort assures them they're in the right place, while the personality shows them this is a completely new opportunity for them. “Personality” means warmth, intentional quirks, visual decisions that feel thoughtful and delightful, rather than templated. Our goal is not to impress other artists. Our goal is to make the _right people_ feel at ease, curious, and engaged, and as though they're going to enjoy using this (however they define "enjoy").

### Less but better
We favor fewer elements, executed with more care, over many elements executed poorly. We can do a lot with a little, if those few pieces are excellent.

The details matter: consistent line discipline and considered volumes. Restrained, intentional color palettes. Inference to the "story" each piece tells, relative to the overall work. Masterful inking and rendering. Repetition of subjects and world material so users can relax into the experience. If we're going to include something new to add to a page, it needs a darn good reason for being there, beyond "it looks nice" or "I saw a competitor do it". If it doesn’t serve the experience, it doesn’t belong.

### Not for everyone
Our work is not designed to please everyone. It is crafted for the defined target audience, and people one degree removed from them. If an art decision improves clarity, comfort, or enjoyment for the intended audience but might confuse or alienate others, that's totally okay, and often desirable. Trying to make work that pleases everyone usually results in work that excites no one.

## Process
### Sketch
The first step is to see it. Sketches let us see the work and secure approval from both partners and designers, before we go through the process of actually making it each piece. This is useful for obvious reasons: we can ink and render confidently, without anxiety about whether it'll get shot down, and without rushing to show something substantial for feedback. When things are shared in low-fidelity like this, people tend not to judge it on the details, because there are no details yet! It focuses everyone on the shape of the work, and the flow of the piece in relation to the rest of the work. Photograph a piece of paper, draw in Photoshop/CSP/Krita, or a mixture of the two. Totally up to you. The important thing is that we can show how it'll look, before we make it, so we can make it confidently and calmly.

### Sanity check
At this stage, art and design review the progress to ensure we're in scope. We change the shape of the work if not, then proceed with the production process.

### Tie down
With an approved sketch, we can start tying down the sketch. The tie down phase consists of taking the sketches we prepared, and working into the winning directions so that the loose line inferences consolidate around stronger line composition. We're not cleaning up the art yet, we're making sure everything fits where it goes, and still feels good as things move from sketchy lines to real digital form. We don't tend to secure partner feedback at this stage, since there's nothing for them to really give feedback on.

### Clean up
The clean up phase consists of inking the final form of each piece, laying base tones to ensure the volumes all feel right, and defining the highs and lows throughout the piece. At this stage, if you lean back and squint your eyes, it basically looks like the finished piece. This is a stage we do share with partners for feedback, with the note that it is medium-fidelity, not finished, it's ahead of rendering and dialing in the details, so they can sign off on the piece coming together as they'd like. The disclaimer is important, so that nobody conflates MedFi materials with HiFi materials.

### Render
This stage produces is the final version of the piece. Once this is approved, there should be no further tweaks to make in order to progress over to the handover stage.

### Handover
With rendering complete, at this stage we get things ready for designers to take over. Everything is exported in clean, 24-bit pngs, with swatches and styles clearly defined for orderly reuse if subsequent images are to be produced. Any user interactions are written up, such as if the piece comes in multiple slices for assembly. Designers should then have everything they need to confidently construct the piece in the design, with the final result properly representing the vision behind the artwork.

## Tools
What we use, and why we use them.

### [Clip Studio Paint](https://www.clipstudio.net/en/)
When working with line-art-heavy artwork files, we use CSP wonderful vector brush system. Great for page flow, cartoon-style visuals, and resizable line art.

### [Photoshop](https://www.adobe.com/uk/products/photoshop/landpa.html)
Raster image editor, background painting, vector fx, sketching, thumbnailing, raster illustration. There are simpler tools, we’ve tried many of them (Pixelmator, Affinity Photo/Designer, GIMP, Procreate) but nothing beats Photoshop in these areas. In the toolkit since 2002.

### [Toon Boom Storyboard Pro](https://www.toonboom.com/products/storyboard-pro)
Storyboarding and animatics. We love how it enables us to flow from storyboarding to animatic, scripts in tow, and hand-over to Harmony in one continuous, smooth workflow. In the toolkit since 2021 (previously, Adobe Photoshop & Bridge since 2002).

### [Toon Boom Harmony Premium](https://www.toonboom.com/products/harmony)
2D animation. Industry standard in the animation industry. It's mature, organized, the deformations/rigging is fantastic, and makes both cutout and paperless workflows a dream. In the toolkit since 2021 (previously, Adobe Animate/Flash since 2002).

### [Ezgif](https://ezgif.com/webp-maker)
When we need to cut webp images, be they static or animated, Ezgif is a really convenient way of doing that. For static images, it has a [png-to-webp converter](https://ezgif.com/png-to-webp). For animated images (eg assembling individual frames exported from [Harmony](https://www.toonboom.com/products/harmony)) it has a [webp maker](https://ezgif.com/webp-maker).

## Technical Checks
Things we always do.

### Check the handover
Before handing work over, ensure assets are properly exported, with no strange halos or effects accidentally trying to bake into alpha. Verify that colors look correct after exporting. Manually export a full composition as well as the component parts; designers should never need to guess or recreate art decisions.

### Check the brief at every stage
Sometimes a good idea can become a bad idea, if it loses sight of the goal it’s trying to achieve, and for whom. So checking the goal in each stage helps prevent that from happening, or from a misdirection from carrying on too long through the process.

### Artist vs paintbrush
Know, going into a piece of art, whether you’re being the artist or the paintbrush. When you’re the artist, you’re conceiving the solution. When you’re the paintbrush, you’re expressing a prescribed solution. Neither is right or wrong, good or bad. Just know which one you are in this specific design, contributing fully within those parameters.

### Pride-check
When the work is done, are you truly proud of the work we’ve done? Truly? If it shipped like this today, which parts would haunt you, or make you think “hm, maybe that part there shouldn’t feature in the team portfolio”, or lower the perceived quality of the whole design or experience? If able, raise these areas as concerns before the work ships. We should be proud of the work we do.

### Collaborate with those working one degree from you
If you’re crafting artwork, you’re 1 degree from the designer who builds it, 1 degree from the copywriter, and 1 degree from the person leading the project. This means you should liaise with those people, ensuring you have everything you need from them, and they have everything they need from you. Be the collaborator you wish everyone else was: be clear and thorough in your communication, prompt and proactive in your responses, and go the extra mile to make things buttery-smooth when they deal with you. The artwork is on you to be the best it can be, so go get what you need, and go give them what they need, so the finished result can be as great as it can be.


## Technical no-gos
Things we never do.

### Don’t skip steps
Some of the steps may feel superfluous sometimes, but the work is better when we stick to them. So stick to them.

### Don’t ship to partners without peer-review
We’re only human: sometimes a second pair of eyes can be invaluable in spotting things you became blind to due to exposure to the work. Have someone peer-review it, to where they put their name to the deliverable’s quality too. Two sets of eyes committed to the work are better than one.

### Don’t miss deadlines
If we have deadlines, do not miss them. That means proactive communication around your work to ensure you have everything you need in good time, managing your schedule to comfortably meet the deadlines even if multiple rounds of revisions show up, and over-communicating about how things are going on your side of things, so that everybody can see movement and not
worry about whether or not you dropped the ball. If a deadline is under threat, communicate it as early as possible—as soon as you suspect it may be. That gives the team time to assess what to do about that: let a partner know if there is one, cut scope to make it fit, increase support on the project so there are more hands working on it, or simply resolve to push through and find
the time to make it work if the scope nor the budget can shift, and there is no one else who can jump in to support.

### Don’t work in chaos
The art process can be messy at times. But a craftsman always leaves his desk in order. Your working files artboards should be clearly labelled and neatly organized, so that anyone who uses them can easily find what they’re looking for. Photoshop/CSP layers should be grouped and named for easy reuse in the future. Any requests you made should have a follow-up scheduled
so you don’t forget (either make a to-do for yourself for that, or snooze an email notification about it, whatever works best for you) so nothing slips through the cracks. Stay organized, so you (or worse, others) don’t have to work in chaos.



# How we develop

## Beliefs

### Simple beats complex
If there’s a simpler way to do something, do that. A CSS-only solution is preferable to cumbersome JavaScript libs that achieve the same thing. A static solution is preferable to a dynamic one if the data rarely changes. A boring, obvious solution that works is better than a clever one that needs explanation. Complexity has a cost: it slows understanding, increases bugs, and makes future changes harder. We only regress into complexity when simplicity genuinely can’t meet the need.

### Document everything
Code is read far more often than it is written. As you write code, comment why something exists, not just what it does. Write short explanations outside the code that describe how the system works. Add a date when documenting non-obvious behavior so others know how current the explanation is. It’s much harder to explain code after the fact, especially in larger codebases. Documenting as you go allows others — and future-you — to pick up work confidently without reverse-engineering intent.

### Speak the second language
Every codebase is written in a language (eg javascript, ruby). But every codebase also has a second language: patterns, conventions, structure, and assumptions. When working in an existing codebase, follow its patterns, even if you’d personally do it differently. Match naming, structure, and style. Resist the urge to “clean up” unrelated areas unless explicitly asked. Consistency is tidiness. A system where everything is blue is clearer than one where one section is green because someone
preferred it once.

### Red, green, refactor
First solve the problem, even if the solution is a bit rough. Then make it correct, reliable, and complete. Finally, refactor it into something elegant and simple. Don’t let the desire for the perfect solution prevent forward progress. The end result should be clean and thoughtful, but you are more likely to arrive at that solution if you allow yourself to make it work imperfectly first.

### If in doubt,discuss
If you suspect something already exists in the codebase (a function, helper, pattern, solution to a similar problem, etc.), then recreating it should be a last resort. First take a moment to search more deeply, ask a peer, or flag the uncertainty. A few minutes of due diligence can prevent years of duplicated logic and technical debt. When unsure, conversation beats assumption.

### Partner-ready != locally correct
Code is not done when it works on your machine. It’s done when it’s wired into the real system, edge cases are handled, errors fail gracefully, a partner cannot accidentally break it through normal use, and it's integrated into its surroundings.

## Process
### Asset Grab
Before writing code, we make sure we understand what we’re building and what we’re building with. This means reviewing the design materials provided, reviewing the existing codebase (if there is one), and understanding how the new work fits into what already exists. Sometimes everything we need is already present in the system. Sometimes assets, decisions, or clarifications
are missing. In both cases, it is the developer’s responsibility to identify what’s needed and go and get it.

This does not mean we block all progress until everything is perfect. It means we take ownership of readiness: requesting missing assets. Asking clarifying questions. Flagging assumptions clearly in Basecamp. Development should not stall because something is unclear. If clarity is missing, we actively pursue it while moving forward where reasonable.

### Spike
Before committing to implementation, we do a spike. A spike is a short, quick step to sketch and/or write out how a solution will work, explore feasibility or constraints, and sanity-check the shape of the solution with peers. If we can explain how we’re going to build something before we build it, we greatly reduce the risk of rework due to additional context or data later.

### Red, Green,Refactor
Once we’re confident in the approach, we build. We follow a Red, Green, Refactor approach. Red: Start with the problem. Make it work by any reasonable means. This stage is about momentum and correctness, not elegance. Green: Stabilize the solution. Ensure it behaves correctly, integrates properly, and handles real usage scenarios. Refactor: Only once the solution works do we make it beautiful by simplifying logic, removing duplication, improving readability, aligning with existing patterns, and
generally making it easier for others to work with in the future.

### QA
Before anything is considered finished, the work is reviewed internally. This is a moment to present the implementation, test how it all works (both the golden path and edge cases), try to break it, and confirm it behaves as expected in context of a larger work, not just in isolation. This review may involve other developers, designers, even a PM; anyone one degree removed
from the work who can provide useful perspective.

### Handover
Once the work is complete and reviewed, it is handed over. This means the work is ready to be used, tested, or shipped in the real system. Assumptions are documented. Limitations or follow-ups are clearly stated, and the PM has everything they need to move it forward appropriately. At this point, ownership transitions from development to the PM. The work should be in a state where it can progress without the developer needing to remain attached to it.

## Tools
What we use, and why we use them.

### Jekyll
Jekyll is our primary tool for building fast, reliable marketing sites. It’s a static site generator that allows us to keep things simple and predictable, avoid unnecessary runtime complexity, and ship sites that are fast, secure, and easy to maintain. Where content changes infrequently or can be managed through structured data, static beats dynamic. Jekyll aligns strongly with our belief that simple beats complex.

### Framer
Framer is used when a partner wants a highly visual, drag-and-drop marketing site with fast iteration and direct control. We use it when speed of iteration matters more than long-term extensibility, the site is content-led rather than system-led, and the partner explicitly requests it or it’s clearly the right fit for us to recommend it. When working in Framer, our responsibility is still the same: clarity, consistency, performance, and partner safety.

### WordPress
WordPress is used when a partner explicitly requests it or already relies on it. When working in WordPress, we favour minimal themes and restraint around plugins, we avoid unnecessary customization and we work with the grain of the platform rather than fighting it, as much as possible.

### Partner Codebases (Web Applications)
For web applications, we work within the codebase the partner has provisioned. Our role is to understand the existing architecture, respect established patterns, and integrate changes cleanly without destabilising the system. We do not impose our preferred stack unless they ask.

### GitHub
GitHub is used for source control, collaboration, and change history. We use it to make work traceable, review changes clearly, enable others to understand what changed and why, and collaborate without stepping on toes. Commits should be readable and thoughtfully written.

### LambdaTest
LambdaTest is used to test work across browsers, operating systems, viewports, and devices. Local testing is not enough: we need to be sure it works for others, too. Anything that ships must be verified in real-world conditions so partners don’t discover issues for us. LambdaTest helps us ensure work is partner-safe, not just locally correct.

### Zeplin
Zeplin is how designs are handed over to development. Designers use it to define spacing, colours, typography, components, and communicate visual intent clearly and consistently. Developers use it to reference exact values, avoid guessing, and ensure the built result matches the design. Zeplin is a source of truth for design intent.

## Technical checks
Things we always do.

### Check the handover
Before starting development, confirm that all inputs are complete and usable: designs, content, requirements, acceptance criteria, and technical constraints. Identify missing assets, unclear behaviors, consider undefined edge cases and flag them explicitly. Development should not rely on guesswork or implied intent.

### Continuously re-check the brief
Validate the original goal through implementation. Even if a solution is technically correct, it can still be wrong if it diverges from the problem it was meant to solve. If there are performance, complexity, or scope issues that can cause trade-offs, then surfacing them is preferred to adjusting the course silently.

### Engineering vs. implementing
Be explicit about your role on a given task. You could be creating a new solution, or you could be implementing a predefined one. When integrating into an existing system, prioritize utility, consistency, and safety over personal preference. When engineering a new solution, document decisions and rationale clearly.

### Quality Bar
Before reporting the work as complete, consider if it shipped right now, would it reflect well on team's technical standards. Look for brittle assumptions, unclear abstraction, look for shortcuts that could erode sustainability. Do not ignore those, but rather raise these concerns before announcing for partner review or delivery.

### Collaborate with those working one degree from you
Developers are one degree away from designers, PMs, other engineers on the team, so it makes sense to ensure alignment in order to clarify expectations, surface risks, provide context or ask for one where needed. Smooth collaboration is preferred to isolated technical excellence because not only does it reduce reworking, but also ensures a better product.

## Quality standards
Every site we ship is built to a baseline we’re happy to put in writing. These aren’t upsells. They’re just what “done” means to us.
- **Fast.** Built to load quickly and feel snappy. We target an A-grade in Lighthouse / GTmetrix on all pages under normal conditions, and we’ll flag any blueprint-driven trade‑offs early.
- **Cross-platform.** Designed for phones, tablets, and desktops across devices, browsers and operating systems so visitors will have a good time whatever they're using.
- **Modern browser support.** We only use technology with broad support as cited by caniuse.com. We avoid legacy browsers that require slow, heavy patches unless needed.
- **Accessible by default.** We aim for WCAG 2.1 AA alignment on all pages, to the degree your infrastructure allow us to: semantic HTML, sensible contrast, keyboard navigation, and assistive‑tech‑friendly structure. If any tech or plans introduce trade‑offs, we’ll flag it.
- **Full QA before handover.** Automated audits (e.g. Lighthouse), cross‑browser checks (e.g. LambdaTest), and a manual stress-testing to catch any experiential issues.
- **SEO fundamentals.** Semantic HTML structure, proper use of headings, meta data and opengraph data, and optimized loading practices to support search engine ranking.
- **Security best practices.** Implementation of HTTPS, secure coding practices, and protection against common vulnerabilities to ensure user data safety.
- **Deployed to live environment.** The final site is deployed to the agreed hosting platform, and configured to perform well and remain performant and reliable.
- **Standards-based production.** Semantic HTML, CSS and vanilla JavaScript where possible. Clean, readable front-end code that's easy to maintain. Images optimized using modern formats (such as WebP).
- **GDPR Compliance.** Iubenda via GTM consent mode by default, unless you specify otherwise. Analytics (e.g. GA4) will also be added as requested, while remaining compliant.

## Engineering non-negotiables
Things we never do.

### Don’t skip steps
Some of the steps may feel superfluous sometimes, but the work is better when we stick to them. So stick to them.

### Don’t ship to partners without peer-review
We’re only human: sometimes a second pair of eyes can be invaluable in spotting things you became blind to due to exposure to the work. Have someone peer-review it, to where they put their name to the deliverable’s quality too. Two sets of eyes committed to the work are better than one.

### Don’t assume others know what you’re thinking
Design should feel obvious, but it feels most obvious to the designer. What happens when I click that? What happens when that opens up? Obvious to the designer, in their mind’s eye, intuiting each user interaction. Not obvious to others, unless it’s either visualized or written up. So check user interaction intents throughout the work. Leave no space for assumptions.

### Don’t miss deadlines
If we have deadlines, do not miss them. That means proactive communication around your work to ensure you have everything you need in good time, managing your schedule to comfortably meet the deadlines even if multiple rounds of revisions show up, and over-communicating about how things are going on your side of things, so that everybody can see movement and not
worry about whether or not you dropped the ball. If a deadline is under threat, communicate it as early as possible—as soon as you suspect it may be. That gives the team time to assess what to do about that: let a partner know if there is one, cut scope to make it fit, increase support on the project so there are more hands working on it, or simply resolve to push through and find
the time to make it work if the scope nor the budget can shift, and there is no one else who can jump in to support.

### Don’t work in chaos
The development process can be messy at times. But a craftsman always leaves his desk in order. Your code should be neatly formatted and well-documented, so that anyone who uses it in future can easily find what they’re looking for. Files should be grouped and named for easy reuse in the future. Any requests you made should have a follow-up scheduled so you don’t forget (either make a to-do for yourself for that, or snooze an email notification about it, whatever works best for you) so nothing slips through the cracks. Stay organized, so you (or worse, others) don’t have to work in chaos.