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

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.