diff --git a/enhancements/update/cluster-profiles.md b/enhancements/update/cluster-profiles.md
index edff0aa62e..bcda653c2e 100644
--- a/enhancements/update/cluster-profiles.md
+++ b/enhancements/update/cluster-profiles.md
@@ -72,26 +72,13 @@ worker nodes instead of master nodes.
 
 ### Design
 
-A cluster profile is specified to the CVO as an identifier in an environment
-variable. For a given cluster, only one CVO profile may be in effect.
-
-NOTE: The mechanism by which the environment variable is set on the CVO deployment is 
-out of the scope of this design.
-
-```
-CLUSTER_PROFILE=[identifier]
-```
-This environment variable would have to be specified in the CVO deployment. When
-no `CLUSTER_PROFILE=[identifier]` variable is specified, the `default` cluster profile
-is in effect.
+#### Cluster profile annotation
 
 The following annotation may be used to include manifests for a given profile:
 
 ```
 include.release.openshift.io/[identifier]=true
 ```
-This would make the CVO render this manifest only when `CLUSTER_PROFILE=[identifier]`
-has been specified. 
 
 Manifests may support inclusion in multiple profiles by including as many of these annotations
 as needed.
@@ -105,6 +92,80 @@ the required manifests while keeping a single master source.
 The current installation profile is called `self-managed-high-availability`. All current
 manifests must specify it. Future profiles may choose.
 
+#### Design
+
+A cluster profile is specified to the CVO as an identifier an environment variable.
+
+```
+CLUSTER_PROFILE=[identifier]
+```
+
+For a given cluster, only one cluster profile may be in effect.
+
+The profile is a set-once property and cannot be changed once the cluster has started.
+
+The cluster-version-operator picks the value for the cluster profile according to this order:
+* if it is defined and not empty, the environment variable,
+* otherwise, the default profile `self-managed-high-availability`.
+
+Clusters in a version unaware of the cluster profile must upgrade to the `self-managed-high-availability` profile.
+
+When upgrading, outgoing CVO will forward the cluster profile information to the incoming CVO with the environment variable.
+
+`include.release.openshift.io/[identifier]=true` would make the CVO render this manifest only when `CLUSTER_PROFILE=[identifier]`
+has been specified. 
+
+##### Usage
+
+###### Without the installer
+
+IBM Cloud and others platforms that are managing their own deployment of the CVO should pass the env. variable. 
+For instance, IBM Cloud already uses `EXCLUDE_MANIFESTS` env. variable. Cluster profile will be set like this env. variable.
+
+Upgrade will have to preserve the initial cluster profile.
+
+###### With the installer
+
+This method will be used by CodeReady Containers and single-node production edge clusters.
+
+Users must set `OPENSHIFT_INSTALL_EXPERIMENTAL_CLUSTER_PROFILE` env. variable in their shell before running the installer if they want to use non-default profile.
+
+Example: 
+```
+$ OPENSHIFT_INSTALL_EXPERIMENTAL_CLUSTER_PROFILE=single-node-developer openshift-install create manifest
+$ OPENSHIFT_INSTALL_EXPERIMENTAL_CLUSTER_PROFILE=single-node-developer openshift-install create cluster
+```
+
+##### Release phases
+
+The `CLUSTER_PROFILE` env. variable will break the upgrade as this new template variable in CVO manifests is not known by outgoing CVO.
+This requires to deploy cluster profile in 2 phases.
+
+```
+apiVersion: v1
+kind: Pod
+metadata:
+  name: bootstrap-cluster-version-operator
+  namespace: openshift-cluster-version
+...
+    env:
+      - name: CLUSTER_PROFILE
+        value: "{{.ClusterProfile}}"
+```
+
+###### Phase 1
+
+* Add the cluster profile `ClusterProfile` in the [`manifestRenderConfig`](https://github.com/openshift/cluster-version-operator/blob/b59561c40240d2a52048923b1b94ed7385cab957/pkg/payload/render.go#L104) object used to render all manifests (esp. CVO manifests).
+* Read the env. variable and select manifests with the right include property `include.release.openshift.io/[identifier]=true`.
+  It will default to `self-managed-high-availability` in this phase. 
+
+This will probably need to be backported.
+
+###### Phase 2
+
+* Add the cluster profile env. variable in CVO manifests,
+* Operators can add manifests for the non-default profile.
+
 ## Implementation History
 
 * Teach cluster-version operator about profiles, [cvo#404](https://github.com/openshift/cluster-version-operator/pull/404), in flight.