---
name: Templates Index
description: Index of all templates in the deployment kit, mapping each template to the localization questions that populate it and the BOOTSTRAP-BRIEF section it operationalizes. The deploy skill reads this index to know which templates to render and in what order.
type: index
---

# Templates Index

- **Last reviewed:** 2026-04-28
- **Review cadence:** on-event (refresh when templates are added, removed, or restructured)
- **Status:** active

This directory contains every populatable template the kit ships. The deploy skill renders templates in dependency order, populating each from the localization answers and from upstream templates already rendered.

## Template list

| Template | Layer / role | Populated from | Renders to (in deployed instance) |
|----------|-------------|---------------|-----------------------------------|
| `L0-strategy.md` | L0 | Q1, Q2 | `policies/strategy.md` |
| `L1-brand-posture.md` | L1 (often N/A) | Q1, Q3 | `policies/brand-posture.md` |
| `L2-philosophy.md` | L2 | Q4, Q3, Q9 | `policies/philosophy.md` |
| `L3-framework-contract.md` | L3 | Q5, Q4, Q9 | `policies/framework-contract.md` |
| `L4-platform-kit.md` | L4 | Q6, Q5 | `kit/PLATFORM-KIT.md` (with branched sub-content) |
| `L5-instance-dossier.md` | L5 (one per platform from Q7) | Q7, Q1, inheritance from L0-L4 | `platforms/{{platform_name}}/dossier.md` |
| `L7-cross-platform-glue.md` | L7 (six concerns) | Q8, Q7 | `cross-platform/L7-glue.md` |
| `inbox-topology.md` | Governance | Q9, Q7, Q8 | `inbox-topology.md` |
| `ADR-template.md` | Per-decision | per-decision; not localization-driven | copy to `decisions/ADR-NNNN-{title}.md` per decision |
| `session-log-template.md` | Per-session | per-session | copy to `sessions/YYYY-MM-DD-{purpose}.md` per session |
| `handoff-template.md` | Repo Custody | Q1, Q7, Q9, Q10 | `HANDOFF.md` |
| `OPERATING-MODEL-template.md` | Root summary | synthesis of Q1, Q2, Q7 + maturity scorecard | `OPERATING-MODEL.md` |
| `MATURITY-SCORECARD-template.md` | Audit output | validate skill (Chunk E) | `MATURITY-SCORECARD.md` |

L6 is intentionally not a separate template. L6 refinement lives inside individual L5 dossiers because polish concerns are specific to one platform; cross-platform polish is L7.

## Question-to-template map (forward)

For each localization question, every template that uses its answer:

| Question | Templates populated |
|----------|---------------------|
| Q1 Function identity | L0, L1, L5, handoff, OPERATING-MODEL |
| Q2 Sponsor and metric | L0, OPERATING-MODEL |
| Q3 Customer / disclosure / voice | L1, L2 (response-shape) |
| Q4 Red lines / PII / HITL | L2, L3 (guardrail layering) |
| Q5 Framework contract | L3, L4 |
| Q6 Platform kit posture | L4 (determines branch A-E) |
| Q7 Instances in scope | L5 (one dossier per instance), inbox-topology, L7, OPERATING-MODEL, handoff |
| Q8 Cross-platform glue | L7, inbox-topology |
| Q9 Compliance / tooling | L2, L3, inbox-topology, handoff |
| Q10 Governance shape | handoff, OPERATING-MODEL, every artifact's frontmatter conventions |

## Template-to-question map (reverse)

Useful for the validate skill: when an artifact is partial, this map names which questions might have weak answers.

| Template | Questions whose answers shape it |
|----------|----------------------------------|
| L0 | Q1, Q2 |
| L1 | Q1, Q3 |
| L2 | Q4, Q3, Q9 |
| L3 | Q5, Q4, Q9 |
| L4 | Q6, Q5 |
| L5 | Q7, Q1, plus L0-L4 inheritance |
| L7 | Q8, Q7 |
| inbox-topology | Q9, Q7, Q8 |
| ADR | per-decision (not Q-driven) |
| session-log | per-session (not Q-driven) |
| handoff | Q1, Q7, Q9, Q10 |
| OPERATING-MODEL | Q1, Q2, Q7 |
| MATURITY-SCORECARD | validate skill output |

## Rendering order (dependency-respecting)

The deploy skill renders templates in this order so each level's outputs are available to the next:

1. **L0-strategy** (no upstream dependencies inside the deployment)
2. **L1-brand-posture** (depends on L0 type)
3. **L2-philosophy** (depends on L0 strategy)
4. **L3-framework-contract** (depends on L2 philosophy)
5. **L4-platform-kit** (depends on L3 contract)
6. **L7-cross-platform-glue** (independent of L0-L5; depends on Q7 instance list and Q8 concerns)
7. **L5-instance-dossier** (one per Q7 platform; depends on L0-L4 + L7 concern participation)
8. **inbox-topology** (depends on L4 mirror posture, L5 instances, L7 concerns)
9. **handoff-template** (depends on L0 + L5 + L7 + Q10 governance shape)
10. **OPERATING-MODEL-template** (depends on every layer's maturity)
11. **MATURITY-SCORECARD-template** (depends on validate skill, run after deploy completes)

ADR-template, session-log-template, and handoff-template can be copied directly into the instance scaffolding at any point; they do not depend on localization answers (handoff aside, which depends on Q-answers for population).

## Placeholder convention

Templates use `{{token_name}}` for substitution points. Tokens are tokenized with semantic flavor (`{{cutting_edge_saas_company}}`, `{{martech_function_name}}`, `{{platform_team_name}}`) where the worked example uses them; instance-specific values (`{{instance_name}}`, `{{owner_name}}`, `{{capture_date}}`) come from localization answers.

The deploy skill does straight substitution; templates should not contain logic beyond placeholder substitution and section selection (e.g., L4's branch-by-posture sections).

## Cross-references inside this kit

- `../BOOTSTRAP-BRIEF.md` - the standard every template implements
- `../QUESTIONS.md` - the localization question set populating these templates
- `../examples/` - worked example showing what fully-populated templates look like (Chunk C)
- `../skills/deploy/` - the deployment skill that renders these templates (Chunk D)
- `../skills/validate/` - the validation skill that audits the rendered output (Chunk E)
