What’s inside

One SKILL.md (the playbook) + one starter template. A preview:

Cycle Build and Close

When to use

• A process repeats — a feedback loop, a flywheel, a lifecycle — and a linear list would lie about its shape
• A strategy or product story needs the audience to feel "this feeds back into itself"
• An explainer must show 3–6 stages where the last stage leads back to the first
• A lifecycle, season, or iteration story needs a visual that says "it starts again"
• A pitch needs the flywheel moment: growth feeding growth, visibly
• You have 3–6 stages that form a loop, and the loop closing is the point

Workflow

1. Define the stages and the loop (input: your process → output: cycle plan)
   List 3–6 stages, each in ≤5 words ("Collect feedback", "Ship fix", "Measure again"). Order them in true sequence — the last stage must genuinely lead back to the first, or the pattern is a lie. Write the loop's one-line meaning: what repeats, and what changes each time around ("Each loop, the product gets one fix better"). If the last stage does not feed the first, use a linear pattern instead — forcing a loop onto a straight-line process misleads the audience.
2. Design the circle layout (input: cycle plan → output: layout)
   The circle sits centre-screen, taking 55–70% of frame height. Stages sit as evenly spaced nodes on the ring (3 stages at 120° apart, 4 at 90°, and so on), each node a labelled dot or short chip with an arrowhead pointing to the next stage. The centre stays empty or holds one word — the loop's name or its output ("Growth", "Iteration"). Direction matters: clockwise is the default reading; counter-clockwise needs a reason. Draw a faint full-circle guide ring at 15–20% opacity so the audience senses the loop's shape before any segment arrives.
3. Choreograph the segment-by-segment build (input: layout → output: timing map)
   Total duration 5–8 seconds. Segments build one at a time, in sequence: each arc segment draws on over 450–600ms (stroke-dashoffset or trim-paths), then its node pops in (scale 0 → 1.2 → 1.0 over 200ms) and its label fades up over 250ms. A 150ms pause between segments keeps the build readable. The first segment starts at 12 o'clock — the top is where the eye starts, and starting anywhere else feels off-balance.

Template preview

Cycle Build and Close — Starter Template

Fill in every {placeholder}. The last stage must genuinely feed the first — otherwise use a linear pattern.

Cycle plan

• Loop name / centre word: {one word, e.g. Iteration}
• Loop meaning (one line): {what repeats + what changes each time around}
• Stages (3–6, ≤5 words each, true sequence):
• Loop truth check: [ ] Last stage genuinely leads back to Stage 1

Layout

• Circle size: {55–70%} of frame height, centre-screen
• Nodes: {evenly spaced, degrees apart: 360 / stage count}
• Arrows: {arrowhead after each node, pointing to next stage}
• Direction: {clockwise (default) / counter-clockwise + reason}

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