---
name: cohort-program
description: "Designs cohort-based learning programs with weekly structure, peer interaction, accountability systems, and graduation criteria."
allowed-tools: Read Write Glob
metadata:
  author: matthewhitcham
  version: "1.0"
---

# Cohort Program

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:
- Design a cohort-based learning program with structured weekly progression
- Create a group learning experience with peer interaction and accountability
- Build a multi-week program with graduation milestones and community elements
- Structure a paid or free cohort with clear outcomes and engagement systems

**DO NOT** use this skill for self-paced courses, one-off workshops, or content-only programs without a group element. This is for time-bound, group-based learning with accountability built in.

---

## Core Principle

A COHORT PROGRAM IS NOT A COURSE WITH A START DATE — IT IS A TRANSFORMATION CONTAINER WHERE PEER PRESSURE, STRUCTURED DEADLINES, AND GROUP ACCOUNTABILITY PRODUCE RESULTS THAT SELF-PACED LEARNING CANNOT.

---

## Phase 1: Brief

Gather the inputs that define the cohort experience.

### Required Inputs

| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|-------|------------|---------|
| **Program topic** | "What transformation or skill does this cohort deliver?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Duration** | "How many weeks will the cohort run?" | 6 weeks |
| **Cohort size** | "How many participants per cohort?" | 20-30 |
| **Delivery format** | "Live calls, async content, or hybrid?" | Hybrid (weekly live call + async lessons) |
| **Price point** | "What will you charge per participant?" | $497 |
| **Target outcome** | "What specific result should graduates achieve?" | No default — must be provided |

### Brief Template

```
## Cohort Program Brief

**Program:** [Name]
**Transformation:** [From X to Y in Z weeks]
**Duration:** 6 weeks
**Cohort size:** 25 participants
**Format:** Weekly 90-min live call + async lessons + community
**Price:** $497
**Graduation criteria:** [Specific deliverable or milestone]
```

**GATE: Do not proceed until the user confirms the brief.**

---

## Phase 2: Program Architecture

Design the weekly structure, interaction systems, and accountability framework.

### Weekly Structure Template

Each week follows this rhythm:

```
## Week [N]: [Theme]
**Learning objective:** [One clear outcome]
**Async content:** [Lesson topic, estimated time]
**Live call agenda:**
  - Hot seat (15 min)
  - Teaching segment (30 min)
  - Breakout exercise (20 min)
  - Q&A (15 min)
  - Week preview + homework (10 min)
**Homework:** [Specific deliverable]
**Peer activity:** [What participants do together]
```

### Accountability Systems

Build at least three of these into the program:
1. **Accountability pods** — groups of 3-5 who check in weekly
2. **Homework deadlines** — specific due dates with public sharing
3. **Progress tracker** — visible dashboard showing completion
4. **Hot seats** — live coaching slots that require preparation
5. **Peer review** — participants give feedback on each other's work

### Graduation Criteria

Define exactly what "completing" means:
- Minimum attendance (e.g., 4 of 6 live calls)
- Homework completion (e.g., 5 of 6 assignments submitted)
- Final project or deliverable submitted
- Optional: peer feedback given on at least 3 classmates' work

**GATE: Present the full program architecture and wait for approval.**

---

## Phase 3: Build

Create the complete program documentation including all weekly content outlines, facilitation guides, and participant materials.

### Deliverables to Create

1. **Program overview page** — what participants get, weekly topics, outcomes, logistics
2. **Week-by-week content outline** — lesson topics, key teaching points, exercises
3. **Live call facilitation guide** — agenda, timing, transition scripts, breakout prompts
4. **Participant welcome packet** — expectations, tools needed, community guidelines, schedule
5. **Accountability pod guide** — how pods work, meeting template, check-in prompts
6. **Homework assignments** — one per week with clear instructions and submission format
7. **Graduation requirements** — checklist of completion criteria

### Community Guidelines

Include rules for the cohort community space:
- Introduce yourself using the provided template
- Share wins and lessons weekly
- Give feedback when asked (use the SBI framework: Situation, Behavior, Impact)
- No pitching or selling to other participants
- What is shared in the cohort stays in the cohort

---

## Phase 4: Polish

### 1. Engagement Calendar

Create a visual calendar showing every touchpoint:

```
## 6-Week Engagement Calendar

Week 1: Welcome email → Lesson 1 → Pod assignment → Live call → Homework 1
Week 2: Lesson 2 → Pod check-in → Live call → Homework 2 → Midweek prompt
...
```

### 2. Facilitator Prep Checklist

```
## Pre-Cohort Launch Checklist
- [ ] Community space set up with channels
- [ ] All 6 lessons drafted and scheduled
- [ ] Live call links created and calendar invites sent
- [ ] Accountability pods assigned
- [ ] Welcome packet sent to all participants
- [ ] Homework submission system ready
- [ ] Graduation criteria communicated
```

### 3. Post-Cohort Plan

- Graduation celebration (live call or async thread)
- Feedback survey (link to student-feedback-form skill)
- Alumni community or next-step offer
- Testimonial collection sequence

---

## Example 1: "Launch Your First Digital Product" (6 Weeks)

```
Week 1: Idea Validation — validate your product idea with 10 real conversations
Week 2: Minimum Viable Product — build the simplest version that delivers value
Week 3: Sales Page — write copy that converts using the PAS framework
Week 4: Launch Sequence — build a 5-email launch sequence
Week 5: Launch Week — execute your launch with daily action items
Week 6: Post-Launch — analyze results, collect testimonials, plan next steps
```

## Example 2: "Content Marketing Mastery" (4 Weeks)

```
Week 1: Content Strategy — define pillars, audience, and publishing cadence
Week 2: Writing Systems — create templates and workflows for consistent output
Week 3: Distribution — build a repurposing and distribution engine
Week 4: Measurement — track what matters and double down on winners
```

---

## Anti-Patterns

- **Content dump without interaction** — a cohort without peer elements is just a course with a deadline. Build in pods, breakouts, and peer review.
- **Too much content per week** — participants have businesses to run. Cap async content at 60 minutes per week.
- **No graduation criteria** — without clear completion standards, engagement drops after week 2.
- **Cohort too large** — beyond 40 participants, individual attention disappears. Keep it intimate.
- **No async backup** — life happens. Record live calls and provide async alternatives for every synchronous activity.
- **Skipping the welcome packet** — participants who do not know what to expect disengage fast.

---

## Recovery

- **User has no community platform:** Recommend Slack (free), Circle, or a private Facebook group. Provide setup instructions for each.
- **User wants a 12-week cohort:** Warn about fatigue. Suggest splitting into two 6-week levels or adding a mid-program break at week 6.
- **User has never facilitated live:** Provide a simplified facilitation script with exact timing and transition phrases.
- **Cohort size under 10:** Adjust — skip breakout rooms, use full-group discussion instead. Pods of 2-3 instead of 4-5.
- **No clear transformation outcome:** Ask "What will participants be able to do after this program that they cannot do today?" Press until the answer is specific and measurable.
