Five Archetypes: Role-Evolution Evaluation
Role-Evolution Evaluation Suite

The Five Archetypes

In June 2026, Boris Cherny: the engineer who built Claude Code at Anthropic: observed that the future of technology roles may not look like job titles. It may look like five working modes: the ones who prototype, build, sweep, grow, and maintain. His post reached 2.9 million people in 72 hours. The reason it landed: as AI makes implementation cheap, what differentiates people is not what they can produce: it is how they think, what draws their energy, and where they bring real judgment.

The five working modes:

People are not a single archetype. But everyone has a working mode they gravitate toward, one that energizes them, one that defines how they show up when a problem needs solving. This evaluation helps you find yours.

You will follow one initiative through five stages, from an undefined problem through to a running system. At each stage, you will make one or two decisions. Choose the response closest to what you would actually do, not what you think you should do.

12 to 15 minutes. No login required. Your free result is shown at the end.

Your responses are used only to generate your results. No personally identifiable information is collected during the evaluation itself. SPG Research Group.

Stage 1 of 5

The Undefined Problem

Leadership has handed you a mandate: "We need to respond to what is happening in the sector. Figure out what we should build."

No team confirmed. No budget approved. No success criteria defined. You have two weeks before you are expected to report back.
What do you do in the first 48 hours?
A
I identify the two or three most critical assumptions buried in the mandate and design a quick way to test each one this week.
B
I talk to the five to eight people closest to the problem to understand what is actually happening before forming any view.
C
I draft a project plan with phases, milestones, and resource requirements so I have something concrete to bring back.
D
I research the sector context thoroughly so I understand the landscape before I propose anything.
E
I go back to leadership to get more specific guidance on what success would actually look like.
Stage 2 of 5

Build It

The initial direction has been validated. Your team is assembled. The mandate is clear: build a production-ready version that can handle real load and scrutiny. This needs to work reliably when people depend on it.
Before your team produces anything, what do you focus on first?
A
I design the overall structure: how the parts fit together, where the seams are, and where future extension will need to happen.
B
I define the core requirements and acceptance criteria so the team has a clear target from day one.
C
I identify the riskiest assumptions still buried in the direction and make sure we test those first before building much.
D
I get the team started quickly to build momentum and we figure out the structure as we go.
E
I establish the governance rules for the build: standards, review gates, and documentation requirements.
Stage 3 of 5

Something Is Broken

Six months after launch, things are drifting. Technical and process debt has accumulated. There are contradictions in how different teams are using the system. A recent review flagged three critical issues.
Where do you start?
A
I trace each issue to its root cause before touching anything. I want to understand what the system is actually doing before I change it.
B
I build a map of all the debt and contradictions first so I can prioritize intelligently, then act.
C
I address the three flagged issues immediately. They are already identified and already critical.
D
I fix the most visible and high-impact issue first to demonstrate progress and buy goodwill.
E
I convene the relevant teams to agree on what "fixed" looks like before anyone starts acting.
Stage 4 of 5

Make It Matter

The platform works and is technically sound. But adoption is limited to the original team. The rest of the organization, or the market, barely knows it exists. Your job now is to make it matter to more people.
What is your first move?
A
I define the frame first: the specific problem this solves, why this solution is the right one, and why now. Then I do outreach.
B
I build a structured rollout plan: target audience, channels, milestones, and a clear metric for what adoption looks like.
C
I identify the five people most likely to adopt it and concentrate my energy on getting them to a first result.
D
I create visibility by demonstrating the platform's value in a meeting where key stakeholders are present.
E
I rely on early adopters to spread the word. Word of mouth from real users is the most credible signal.
Stage 5 of 5

Keep It Running

The platform is now widely depended upon. Your job has shifted. Building is done. The focus now is ensuring the platform stays reliable, coherent, and trustworthy over time, under pressure.
Three months in, you notice a slow drift: standards are slipping in small ways, teams are using the system inconsistently, and no one is formally monitoring this.
A
I design a lightweight monitoring and standards enforcement system before the drift compounds into something harder to address.
B
I address the specific inconsistencies I have noticed and put a regular review process in place.
C
I bring the relevant teams together to agree on the standards that should apply going forward.
D
I document what I have observed and flag it at the next team meeting for discussion.
E
I keep an eye on the situation and act if it gets noticeably worse.
Your results

Your Archetype Profile

Your primary archetype
Where you come alive:
Full profile

See your complete archetype map

Your free result shows your primary archetype and energy signature. The full report unlocks:

Radar chart across all five dimensions, showing Capability, Drive, and Exposure as three overlaid shapes
Your shadow archetype: the mode you are least developed in and what that costs you
Energy signature: where you are most alive versus most competent, and the burnout indicator if applicable
Exposure gap: modes you can do well and enjoy but tend to hide from public judgment
Development read: one paragraph on the growth edge implied by your profile

$97 CAD. One-time purchase. Delivered immediately.

This is a directional indicator based on your behavioral choices in a scenario-based evaluation. It reflects patterns in how you responded, not a validated psychometric measurement. SPG Research Group.