Implementation Playbook Builder

implementation-playbook-builder

Agent: Implementation Lead

L1 implementation lead (1x) reporting to the COO, responsible for implementation playbook and integration catalogue. Bridges signed deals and live customers through operational delivery.

Department ethos: ideal-implementation.md Tool policy: allowed-tools.yaml

Skill Description

The implementation playbook builder creates the standardised implementation methodology covering project phases, milestones, deliverables, customer responsibilities, and success criteria so every customer deployment follows a predictable, repeatable process.

When to Use

• When the company is onboarding its first enterprise customers and needs a structured implementation process.
• When implementation timelines and outcomes vary widely across customers, indicating a lack of process standardisation.
• When a new product or product tier requires a distinct implementation track.
• When the implementation team is growing and new engineers need a repeatable process to follow.

Workflow

1. Define project phases: Establish the implementation phases (e.g., discovery, configuration, integration, testing, go-live, hypercare). Deliverable: phase definitions with entry/exit criteria.
2. Set milestones and timelines: Define milestones within each phase with target durations based on implementation complexity tiers. Deliverable: milestone timeline template.
3. Document deliverables: Specify what the implementation team delivers at each phase and what the customer is responsible for. Deliverable: RACI matrix per phase.
4. Create templates: Build reusable templates for kickoff decks, requirements documents, status reports, and sign-off forms. Deliverable: implementation template library.
5. Define success criteria: Establish measurable go-live criteria that must be met before the customer is transitioned to steady-state support. Deliverable: go-live checklist.
6. Review and publish: Walk through the playbook with the implementation team and incorporate feedback. Deliverable: published implementation playbook.

Anti-Patterns

• One-size-fits-all playbook: Using the same implementation process for a self-serve SMB and a complex enterprise deployment. Why: over-engineering small implementations wastes time; under-engineering complex ones causes failures. Tier the playbook by complexity.
• Playbook without customer responsibilities: Defining only the implementation team's work without specifying what the customer must provide and by when. Why: unspecified customer dependencies are the top cause of implementation delays.
• No go-live criteria: Declaring implementation "done" based on timeline rather than measurable readiness. Why: premature go-live generates support tickets and damages the customer's first impression.

Output

On success: A published implementation playbook with tiered phase definitions, milestone timelines, RACI matrices, reusable templates, and measurable go-live criteria.

On failure: Report which playbook sections are incomplete (e.g., complexity tiers not yet defined, templates not reviewed), what was drafted, and provide a completion timeline.

Related Skills

• integration-catalogue-builder -- the integration catalogue informs which integrations the playbook must account for.
• implementation-requirements-extractor -- requirements extraction is the first phase the playbook defines.
• technical-onboarding-runner -- onboarding runners execute the playbook with each customer.