diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 75fab68..30d17d9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ The following `config.toml` fields populate `<meta>` tags in `index.html` at bui
 
 `index.html` is rendered from [`python/contributor_network/templates/index.html.j2`](./python/contributor_network/templates/index.html.j2) by `contributor-network build` and is gitignored. To change page structure, edit the template (not the generated file). Forks can override the meta-tag values without modifying the template.
 
+`contributor-network build` writes `index.html` and `public/data/` relative to the current working directory (pass `--directory <path>` to relocate the data files). This lets downstream consumers (e.g. site forks) install the package and run the build from any working tree.
+
 ## Branding
 
 This visualization uses the Development Seed brand colors:
diff --git a/python/contributor_network/cli.py b/python/contributor_network/cli.py
index d6a9f00..ffa8f49 100644
--- a/python/contributor_network/cli.py
+++ b/python/contributor_network/cli.py
@@ -32,13 +32,12 @@ def render_index_html(config: Config) -> str:
     )
 
 
-ROOT = Path(__file__).absolute().parents[2]
 DEFAULT_CONFIG_PATH = "config.toml"
 directory = click.option(
     "--directory",
     type=click.Path(path_type=Path),
-    default=ROOT / "public" / "data",
-    help="The data directory",
+    default=Path("public") / "data",
+    help="The data directory (resolved against cwd if relative)",
 )
 config = click.option(
     "-c",
@@ -174,8 +173,9 @@ def build(directory: Path, config_path: str | None, all_contributors: bool) -> N
     )
     print(f"Generated config.json in {directory}")
 
-    (ROOT / "index.html").write_text(render_index_html(config))
-    print(f"Generated index.html at {ROOT / 'index.html'}")
+    index_html = Path("index.html")
+    index_html.write_text(render_index_html(config))
+    print(f"Generated index.html at {index_html}")
 
 
 @main.command()