Case Study Creation Guide for LLMs

This guide provides comprehensive instructions for creating effective case studies for Barry Hennessy’s consulting website. Use this to understand the context, structure requirements, and quality standards for generating new case study content.

IMPORTANT: Always read content/plans/AGENTS.md FIRST for site-wide guidelines on SEO, tone, quality standards, and brand positioning before using this case study-specific guide.

NEVER edit, remove or rename documents within content/plans or content/case-studies/plans.

🎯 Case Study-Specific Context

Global Context: See content/plans/AGENTS.md for complete site-wide brand positioning, target audiences, content strategy, and business context.

Case Study Purpose

Case studies serve multiple strategic functions:

Credibility Building: Demonstrate real-world results and technical expertise
Lead Generation: Help prospects see themselves in similar situations
Trust Building: Show honest problem-solving and authentic outcomes
SEO Value: Target long-tail keywords around specific solutions and outcomes
Sales Enablement: Provide proof points for sales conversations

Case Study-Specific Audience Focus

Primary: Engineering leaders evaluating consulting services
Secondary: Technical decision-makers researching solutions
Content Goals: Position case studies as proof of expertise and results

🏗️ Case Study Structure & Decisions

Core Decision Framework

1. Case Study Selection

Decisions to Make:

Which engagements have the most compelling outcomes?
What stories best demonstrate unique value?
Which industries or problem types to highlight?
How to balance technical depth with business impact?

High-Level Goals:

Showcase diverse problem-solving capabilities
Demonstrate measurable results
Build trust through authenticity
Appeal to target client profiles

2. Content Structure

Decisions to Make:

How much client detail can be shared?
What level of technical detail is appropriate?
How to balance confidentiality with credibility?
What metrics and outcomes to highlight?

High-Level Goals:

Respect client confidentiality
Provide enough detail to be credible
Focus on outcomes and methodology
Make it relatable to similar prospects

3. Tone & Authenticity

Decisions to Make:

How honest about challenges and setbacks?
What level of technical detail to include?
How to present the client relationship?
What testimonials or quotes to include?

High-Level Goals:

Build trust through honesty
Demonstrate technical depth
Show collaborative approach
Create emotional connection

What Makes an Effective Case Study

1. Results-Focused Structure

Lead with outcomes in the headline (e.g., “85% reduction in downtime”)
Use the Problem → Solution → Results format
Include specific, quantifiable metrics throughout

2. Technical Credibility

Demonstrate deep technical expertise through architecture details
Explain the “why” behind design decisions
Include trade-offs and alternatives considered
Show real challenges encountered (builds trust)

3. Business Impact Focus

Connect technical solutions to business outcomes
Include both quantitative metrics (cost savings, performance) and qualitative benefits (team confidence, faster delivery)
Show ROI clearly

4. Authenticity & Relatability

Use real challenges and honest problem-solving narratives
Include specific technologies and patterns (when possible)
Feature authentic client testimonials focused on outcomes
Make it easy for similar prospects to see themselves in the story

5. Strategic Positioning

Show your unique methodology or approach
Demonstrate thought leadership
Make it clear who else would benefit from this solution
Strong call-to-action at the end

📝 Frontmatter Template

The template file includes complete frontmatter with all required fields.

📋 Case Study Templates

Choose from available templates based on your case study type:

Standard Case Study

File: template-case-study.md Use for: Most case studies following the Problem → Solution → Results format Includes: Result-focused headline, situation/problem framing, approach highlights, technical and business results, client perspective, key insights, architecture patterns, engagement overview, and call-to-action

🎨 Content Quality Standards

Global Standards: See content/plans/AGENTS.md for complete site-wide quality standards including SEO, technical accuracy, and writing excellence.

Case Study-Specific Quality Decisions

Confidentiality & Detail Balance

Decisions to Make:

How much client information can be shared?
What technical details are appropriate?
How to anonymize while maintaining credibility?
What level of specificity in metrics?

Case Study-Specific Goals:

Respect client confidentiality agreements
Provide enough detail to be credible
Focus on methodology and outcomes
Make it useful for similar prospects

Metrics & Results Presentation

Decisions to Make:

Which metrics are most compelling?
How to present before/after comparisons?
What level of precision in numbers?
How to handle qualitative outcomes?

Case Study-Specific Goals:

Use specific, verifiable metrics
Show clear improvement or impact
Balance quantitative and qualitative results
Make outcomes relatable and impressive

Technical Depth vs. Accessibility

Decisions to Make:

How deep should technical details go?
What architecture diagrams or visuals to include?
How to explain complex concepts?
What level of technical expertise to assume?

Case Study-Specific Goals:

Demonstrate deep technical expertise
Make content accessible to decision-makers
Show thought process and trade-offs
Build credibility with technical audience

🔍 SEO Strategy for Case Studies

Keyword Targeting

Primary Keywords:

[Industry] + architecture consulting
[Problem type] + solution
[Technology] + case study
[Outcome] + [industry/technology]

Content Structure:

H1: Result-focused headline with primary keyword
H2: Problem, Solution, Results sections
H3: Specific aspects (Business Impact, Technical Challenges, etc.)
Include long-tail keywords naturally

Meta Optimization

Title: 50-60 characters with key outcome
Description: 150-160 characters highlighting result
Include primary keyword in both
Add compelling outcome in description

📊 Case Study Library Strategy

Diversity Goals

Cover multiple industries
Showcase different problem types
Demonstrate various engagement models
Highlight different technologies and patterns

Update & Maintenance

Review case studies annually for relevance
Update metrics if outcomes have changed
Refresh testimonials when possible
Archive outdated case studies

🚀 Best Practices

Do’s

✅ Lead with compelling outcomes
✅ Be honest about challenges
✅ Include specific metrics
✅ Show your methodology
✅ Make it relatable to prospects
✅ Include client perspective
✅ Focus on business impact
✅ Use clear, scannable structure

Don’ts

❌ Overstate results or outcomes
❌ Reveal confidential client information
❌ Use vague or unverifiable metrics
❌ Make it all about you (focus on client outcomes)
❌ Skip the problem context
❌ Forget the call-to-action
❌ Use marketing hype language
❌ Ignore SEO optimization

Use this guide to create case studies that build credibility, generate leads, and demonstrate the real-world value of Barry’s consulting services.