veripath/docs/project-plan.md

Digital Operations Partner (DOP) - High-Level Project Plan

Last Updated: August 10, 2026
Status: Pre-Build / Blueprint Phase
Current Stage: Foundation Locked, Ready for Blueprinting

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1. Project Objective

To build and launch a differentiated marketing and operating system for Digital Operations Partner (DOP) that solves "Silent Customer Loss" for local businesses. DOP will leverage a "Cold Audit → Threat Diagnosis → Focused PoC → Retainer" commercial motion, combining agent-assisted analysis with strict human oversight to improve upon the narrower, "done-for-you AI search visibility" model seen in competitors like Bizl.com.

2. Core Positioning (Locked)

• The Problem: Silent Customer Loss (Discovery Failure + Customer Path Leakage).
• The Entry Point: Free/Public Cold Audit (Layer 1a).
• The Process: Evidence-first, strictly governed by explicit evidence tiers (Tier 1 verified / Tier 2 indicative), with human approval required for all client-facing findings.
• The Differentiator: Transparency, broader scope (Customer Path Integrity + AEO + Local Competitive Awareness), and human-in-the-loop oversight.
• Target Verticals (Top 5): HVAC, Plumbers, Law Firms, Dentists, Multi-Location.

3. Current State & Baseline

• Complete: Competitive research (Bizl 68+ pages), Positioning & Adaptation mapping, Vertical Prioritization Matrix, Core Homepage Copy (Hero, Problem, How It Works), GTM Outreach Templates (Top 5 verticals), and 5 Live Cold Audits with consolidated proof packs.
• Pending: Website build/deployment, remaining homepage copy, brand/visual identity finalization, tech stack decision, and transformation of the 5 Cold Audits into polished public case studies.

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4. Project Phases

Phase 1: Blueprint & Strategy Lock (Current Phase)

Goal: Finalize the structural framing before any code or complex design work begins.

• Homepage Framing: Draft the remaining homepage sections (e.g., Proof/Social Proof, The DOP Difference/Methodology, Final CTA).
• Asset Strategy: Decide how the 5 completed live Cold Audits will be presented to prospects (e.g., gated PDF reports, interactive web dashboards, or narrative case studies).
• Brand & Identity: Lock down the final brand name confirmation, visual direction, and design system fundamentals.
• Tech Stack Decision: Choose the implementation path (e.g., Next.js/React + Headless CMS, Webflow, Framer, or purely static HTML) that best supports the audit intake mechanism.

Phase 2: Content & Asset Production

Goal: Generate the collateral required for the website and the Go-To-Market (GTM) motion.

• Case Studies: Transform the 5 completed live Cold Audits into polished, client-facing proof assets.
• Website Copy Expansion: Draft all remaining pages (Services/Methodology, About/Trust Model, Contact/Request Audit).
• Audit Workflow Definition: Document the internal operational flow for how a requested Cold Audit is processed, agent-assisted, human-verified, and delivered.

Phase 3: Build & Integration (v1: Static + Tailwind)

Focus: Rapid deployment of the marketing engine and Live Teardowns.

• Scaffold Static Site: Initialize HTML/Tailwind structure (/web directory) with #b8402c brand config.
• Build Homepage: Implement the blueprint sections (Hero, Problem, Proof in Action, 3 Domains, Engagement Ladder).
• Build Live Teardown Pages: Create the interactive scrollable pages for the 5 foundational audits (Gilmore, Martel, CPFD, Gordon, Above the Gate).
• Form & Backend Integration: Wire the Layer 1a Cold Audit intake form to Formspree or the VPS (74.208.111.99) Node/Flask endpoint.
• Deploy: Push to production via the static-site-sandbox-deploy workflow.

Phase 4: Launch & GTM Execution

Goal: Soft launch, execute outreach, and secure initial PoCs/Retainers.

• Soft Launch: Deploy the site to a production environment and conduct final QA.
• Outreach Activation: Launch cold email/LinkedIn outreach using the Top 5 vertical templates, offering the Cold Audit.
• PoC Delivery: Execute the first few Threat Diagnoses and Focused PoCs based on inbound audit requests.
• Feedback Loop: Gather prospect feedback on the audit delivery and website messaging to iterate rapidly.

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5. Evidence Governance & Human Oversight

The DOP trust model — operationalized human supervision over agent-assisted findings.

• The Evidence Hierarchy: All findings are classified as either Tier 1 (Verified) or Tier 2 (Indicative).
• The Fallback Protocol: If a proposed Tier 1 classification is rejected by human review, it automatically defaults to Tier 2, unless the human reviewer explicitly discards the finding as noise or requests more evidence from the agent-assisted backend. No unverified or rejected finding is ever presented to a client as Tier 1.
• Sign-off: Every client-facing finding requires explicit human approval.

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6. Governance & Operational Rules

To maintain the core differentiator, the following rules apply across all phases of build and execution:

1. No "AI Fluff": Every claim on the website and every finding in an audit must map to a specific evidence tier.
2. Human-in-the-Loop: No automated report is sent to a prospect without a human partner reviewing and approving the findings.
3. Audit First: We do not pitch retainers until a Cold Audit has been delivered and a specific threat has been diagnosed.

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7. Next Immediate Actions

1. Commit this plan: Add docs/project-plan.md to the repository to lock the project skeleton.
2. Homepage Blueprint: Begin drafting the copy and structure for the remaining homepage sections (Proof, Differentiators, Footer).
3. Tech Stack Huddle: Evaluate and select the web framework/CMS that best supports the "Cold Audit" intake and delivery mechanism.