Proofmark — Template Guide
A guide built from the system — not a brochure about it.
This page shows how Proofmark actually works: the four proof surfaces, every reusable section and component you can inspect before editing, the real CMS model, and the exact order to replace demo content without weakening the evidence structure.
System Map
Four surfaces carry the whole template. Each one does a different job.
01 / Fast scan
Signal Ledger
A homepage proof strip for impact, scale, ownership, constraints, and domain.
Use it when a visitor needs credibility before they need the full story.
02 / Deep proof
Case Files
Project detail pages built from context, decisions, evidence, results, and reflection.
Use it for the projects that carry the most weight in hiring or consulting.
03 / Visible thinking
Field Notes
A writing surface for process notes, NDA-safe explanation, principles, and teardowns.
Use it when a full case study isn’t possible, or the thinking is the proof.
04 / Fit layer
About + Fit
A qualification layer for role fit, availability, work modes, location, and range.
Use it to remove back-and-forth before a recruiter or client reaches out.
Section Library
Reusable canvas sections and components. Duplicate what you need, then replace the proof.
Component / Signal Ledger
Use it on the homepage to turn scattered strengths into scannable, inspectable proof.
Trial-to-paid conversion
Improved conversion by rebuilding how trial behavior was reviewed and acted on.
Reusable onboarding system
Shipped a shared onboarding pattern adopted across product, support, and operations.
Design system foundation
Defined interaction logic, component rules, and rollout sequencing for a new product surface.
Regulatory review workflow
Delivered a review system under compliance pressure without delaying launch.
Edit rule: one concrete signal per row. No vague traits like “passionate” or “strategic” without evidence.
Component / Core Signals
Use it near the hero or on About to show role, focus, capability, and proof context before a visitor reads deeper.
Edit rule: keep the labels concrete. Use this for role-fit and proof context, not random personality traits.
Section / Featured Case
Use it when one project needs more weight than a standard list row — usually near the top of Home or Work.
Product Review Dashboard
Redesigned a product-review workflow so teams could compare research, metrics, ownership, and launch risk before committing roadmap scope.
Edit rule: lead with the decision, constraint, or outcome. Do not make this a decorative project card.
Component / Index Row
Use it for Work, Field Notes, related projects, and any compact proof list.
Essay
Why process is not proof
↗
A note on turning project write-ups into evidence a reviewer can actually inspect.
Edit rule: one row should answer what it is, why it matters, and where it leads. Open the component controls to change density, dividers, and arrow visibility.
Component / Fit Grid
Use it to make availability, location, work mode, domains, and hiring fit scannable — on About or Resume.
Edit rule: keep this factual. This section is for qualification, not biography. Open the controls for preset, columns, and density.
Section / CTA Band
Use it at the end of Work, Notes, About, Resume, or any custom page to give the visitor one clear next step.
Have a problem worth proving?
A single, specific invitation — review selected work, read the resume, or start a conversation.
Edit rule: give each page one next step. Resume, email, contact, or selected work — not all at once.
CMS Map
Two collections. No fake enterprise schema. Work carries case studies, Field Notes carries thinking.
Projects
8 entries · /work · /work/:Projects
Case files, featured work, and project detail pages. The deep-proof surface.
Identity
Title, Slug, Work Type, Primary Capability
Headline
Kicker, Featured Headline, One-Line Summary, Evidence Line
Meta
Client / Organization, Role / Scope, Timeframe, Cover Image
Flags
Featured, Confidential
Body
Section 1–4 — Title, Subtitle, Body, Gallery
Convert
CTA Label, CTA URL
SEO
SEO Title, SEO Description, Social Image
Field Notes
8 entries · /field-notes · /field-notes/:Field Notes
Essays, memos, principles, and NDA-safe thinking. The visible-thinking surface.
Identity
Title, Slug, Note Type, Featured
Meta
Publish Date, Short Summary
Body
Article Body (rich text)
SEO
SEO Title, SEO Description
Rule
Don’t add collections for testimonials, services, or clients in the default file. That creates complexity before it creates value.
Page Anatomy
What goes into a case study and a field note, top to bottom. Structure, not styling.
Case Page
Hero summary
Meta rail
Executive summary
Core shift
Evidence sections
Outcomes
Reflection
Next project
Edit rule: the case page should show what changed, what decisions mattered, and what proof supports the story.
Field Note
Title
Dek
Date / type
Body
Key takeaway
Related work
Next note
Edit rule: field notes should prove thinking in smaller, publishable slices.
Responsive Rule
How the rail system behaves across breakpoints.
Desktop uses the left rail system — sticky labels beside the content column.
Tablet compresses spacing and narrows the rail, keeping the two-column relationship.
Phone stacks the rail above the content so sections read top to bottom.
Edit rule: change phone layouts intentionally. Do not assume desktop spacing will survive on mobile.
Writing Prompts
The buyer doesn’t need prettier filler. They need sharper questions for each case.
Role
What did you personally own?
Owned discovery synthesis, IA, prototype direction, stakeholder reviews, and handoff logic.
Constraint
What made this hard?
Legacy permissions, partial analytics, compliance review, and a six-week release window.
Decision
What did you choose, reject, or simplify?
Cut the comparison table and moved users into a guided sequence with fewer failure paths.
Evidence
What proves the work happened or mattered?
Annotated flows, support-ticket themes, test notes, a rollout memo, and shipped interface states.
Outcome
What changed after the work shipped?
Reduced handoff ambiguity, shortened review cycles, and improved adoption across two internal teams.
Setup Order
Replace content in this order. Most people break premium templates by styling too early.
01
Replace the identity layer
Update hero copy, name, footer, socials, resume link, and email before touching any styling.
02
Add two to four Projects
Start with fewer, stronger case files. Fill summary, role, capability, timeframe, and cover media first.
03
Rewrite the Signal Ledger
Turn vague strengths into inspectable proof: ownership, constraint, scale, shipped work, or recognition.
04
Build the case skim layer
Each project should expose what changed, what you owned, why it was hard, and what evidence supports it.
05
Add Field Notes only where useful
Use notes for judgment, NDA-safe thinking, or operating principles. Don’t add blog filler.
06
Update About and Fit
Make fit easy to inspect: location, timezone, work modes, target roles, authorization, and availability.
07
Remove Guide from the public nav
Keep this page for marketplace preview and buyer onboarding. Remove it before publishing the final personal site.
Do Not Break
The few things that quietly break the system if you remove them.
Do not delete CMS bindings unless you are replacing them.
Do not detach code components unless you are customizing deeply.
Do not rename CMS fields without checking the connected layers.
Do not remove the footer reveal spacer unless you are rebuilding the footer.
Do not leave this Guide page in public navigation unless you want visitors to see it.
Before Publish
The final QA pass is not optional. These are the things buyers forget.
Replace every demo name, link, email, and resume file.
Confirm Projects and Field Notes slugs are clean and human-readable.
Check desktop, tablet, and phone — especially nav, sticky rails, and list rows.
Swap placeholder images for artifacts that match the work category.
Test all CTA links, mailto links, social links, and downloadable files.
Confirm every page has one clear H1 and no broken CMS fallbacks.
Remove this Guide page from the nav before publishing the buyer’s final site.
Final instruction
Keep the structure. Replace the proof.
Proofmark isn’t trying to make every portfolio sound the same. It gives the work a stronger grammar: context, decision, evidence, outcome, and fit. Fill that in honestly and the template does the rest.