diff --git a/example/README.md b/example/README.md
index 97a5846..8065e6b 100644
--- a/example/README.md
+++ b/example/README.md
@@ -1,5 +1,30 @@
 # Examples
 
-Shows how to consume the provided components. Run `kustomize build` to see the
-result in both [controplane](./controlplane) and [dataplane](./dataplane)
-directories to see the imported resources, and the applied sync-wave annotations.
+Sample overlays that consume this repository’s Kustomize components. Directory names match
+the **###** headings under *Application responsibilities and content* in the root
+`README.md`.
+
+Run `kustomize build` in each directory to render manifests (and sync-wave annotations
+where the overlay includes `components/argocd/annotations`).
+
+## Applications (per root README)
+
+| Directory | Role |
+| --------- | ---- |
+| [openstack-operator](./openstack-operator/) | Foundational OpenStack operators, namespaces, subscription, install-plan approval (placeholder until a component exists). |
+| [openstack-operator-cr](./openstack-operator-cr/) | Main OpenStack custom resource (placeholder until a component exists). |
+| [openstack-networks](./openstack-networks/) | Underlying networks: NNCP, NAD, NetConfig, MetalLB pools / advertisements, etc. |
+| [openstack-controlplane](./openstack-controlplane/) | `OpenStackControlPlane` and optional watcher service (networking is a separate overlay). |
+| [openstack-dataplane](./openstack-dataplane/) | Data plane node set and deployment. |
+
+## Prerequisites (not named in *Application responsibilities*)
+
+These are called out separately in the root `README.md` (for example *What’s NOT covered
+by ArgoCD applications yet* or operator install procedures).
+
+| Directory | Role |
+| --------- | ---- |
+| [dependencies](./dependencies/) | OLM-related dependencies from the architecture repo (MetalLB, NMState, cert-manager, etc. are not modeled as Argo CD Applications here yet). |
+
+To deploy the Vault Secrets Operator via Argo CD, see the root `README.md` and
+`applications/vault-secrets-operator.yaml`.
diff --git a/example/controlplane/kustomization.yaml b/example/openstack-controlplane/kustomization.yaml
similarity index 85%
rename from example/controlplane/kustomization.yaml
rename to example/openstack-controlplane/kustomization.yaml
index f22e2c1..3b512fd 100644
--- a/example/controlplane/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/example/openstack-controlplane/kustomization.yaml
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@ kind: Kustomization
 components:
   # Remote refs (for CI/ArgoCD):
   - https://github.com/openstack-k8s-operators/gitops/components/argocd/annotations?ref=v0.1.0
-  - https://github.com/openstack-k8s-operators/gitops/components/rhoso/controlplane?ref=v0.1.0
+  - https://github.com/openstack-k8s-operators/gitops/components/rhoso/controlplane/controlplane?ref=v0.1.0
   - https://github.com/openstack-k8s-operators/gitops/components/rhoso/controlplane/services/watcher?ref=v0.1.0
   # Local paths (for "kustomize build" testing):
   # - ../../components/argocd/annotations
-  # - ../../components/rhoso/controlplane
+  # - ../../components/rhoso/controlplane/controlplane
   # - ../../components/rhoso/controlplane/services/watcher
 
 # Add needed patches according to your infrastructure
diff --git a/example/dataplane/kustomization.yaml b/example/openstack-dataplane/kustomization.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from example/dataplane/kustomization.yaml
rename to example/openstack-dataplane/kustomization.yaml
diff --git a/example/openstack-networks/kustomization.yaml b/example/openstack-networks/kustomization.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..40a5f9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example/openstack-networks/kustomization.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+
+components:
+  # Remote refs (for CI/ArgoCD):
+  - https://github.com/openstack-k8s-operators/gitops/components/argocd/annotations?ref=v0.1.0
+  - https://github.com/openstack-k8s-operators/gitops/components/rhoso/controlplane/networking?ref=v0.1.0
+  # Local paths (for "kustomize build" testing):
+  # - ../../components/argocd/annotations
+  # - ../../components/rhoso/controlplane/networking
+
+# Add needed patches according to your infrastructure
diff --git a/example/openstack-operator-cr/README.md b/example/openstack-operator-cr/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98023d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example/openstack-operator-cr/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# openstack-operator-cr
+
+Placeholder overlay for the **openstack-operator-cr** application described in the root
+`README.md` (*Application responsibilities and content*).
+
+There is no matching component under `components/rhoso/` yet. Replace this directory's
+`kustomization.yaml` with real `components` / `resources` when a slice is added.
+
+Upstream context: main OpenStack custom resource in the `openstack-operators`
+namespace.
diff --git a/example/openstack-operator-cr/kustomization.yaml b/example/openstack-operator-cr/kustomization.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bc75526
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example/openstack-operator-cr/kustomization.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+
+resources: []
+
+# No gitops component yet for this slice. See README.md.
+# Future: add components (remote refs and local paths), for example:
+# components:
+#   - https://github.com/openstack-k8s-operators/gitops/components/argocd/annotations?ref=TAG
+#   - https://github.com/openstack-k8s-operators/gitops/components/rhoso/...?ref=TAG
+# Local paths (for "kustomize build" testing):
+#   - ../../components/argocd/annotations
diff --git a/example/openstack-operator/README.md b/example/openstack-operator/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d8208e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example/openstack-operator/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# openstack-operator
+
+Placeholder overlay for the **openstack-operator** application described in the root
+`README.md` (*Application responsibilities and content*).
+
+There is no matching component under `components/rhoso/` yet. Replace this directory's
+`kustomization.yaml` with real `components` / `resources` when a slice is added.
+
+Upstream context: Red Hat documentation *Installing and preparing the OpenStack
+operator* (namespaces, subscription, install-plan approval job).
diff --git a/example/openstack-operator/kustomization.yaml b/example/openstack-operator/kustomization.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bc75526
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example/openstack-operator/kustomization.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+
+resources: []
+
+# No gitops component yet for this slice. See README.md.
+# Future: add components (remote refs and local paths), for example:
+# components:
+#   - https://github.com/openstack-k8s-operators/gitops/components/argocd/annotations?ref=TAG
+#   - https://github.com/openstack-k8s-operators/gitops/components/rhoso/...?ref=TAG
+# Local paths (for "kustomize build" testing):
+#   - ../../components/argocd/annotations