ES-101 Readiness Gate¶
Purpose¶
This readiness gate verifies that ES-101 is complete and ES-102 can begin responsibly.
ES-102 will define requirements and constraints. That work should not begin until the vision evidence is clear enough to guide it.
Completion standard¶
You are ready to continue when each gate is satisfied.
If a gate is not satisfied, return to the relevant artifact and revise it.
Gate 1 — Problem clarity¶
Can a reviewer understand the problem without knowing the proposed solution?
docs/vision/problem_statement.md
Gate 2 — Vision usefulness¶
Does the vision statement provide enough direction to guide requirements and scope decisions?
docs/vision/vision_statement.md
Gate 3 — Stakeholder coverage¶
Have primary users, affected parties, operators, maintainers, reviewers, and governance stakeholders been considered?
docs/vision/stakeholders.md
Gate 4 — Scope boundary¶
Is it clear what is in scope, out of scope, deferred, or prohibited?
docs/vision/scope.md
Gate 5 — Assumption visibility¶
Are material assumptions visible and reviewable?
docs/vision/assumptions.md
Gate 6 — Success criteria¶
Are success metrics specific enough to influence requirements, testing, release readiness, or stewardship?
docs/vision/success_metrics.md
Gate 7 — Evidence consistency¶
Do the ES-101 artifacts reinforce one another without major contradiction?
docs/vision/problem_statement.md
docs/vision/vision_statement.md
docs/vision/stakeholders.md
docs/vision/scope.md
docs/vision/assumptions.md
docs/vision/success_metrics.md
Gate 8 — Transition readiness¶
Does the readiness summary explain why ES-102 can begin?
docs/vision/vision_readiness_summary.md
Gate 9 — AI verification¶
If AI assistance materially shaped ES-101 artifacts, has the team reviewed and accepted responsibility for the final content?
AI-use statement in the relevant artifact, or an AI-use record if the repository uses one.
Exit criteria¶
ES-101 is complete when:
- all required artifacts exist under
docs/vision/; - the problem is clear;
- the vision provides direction;
- stakeholders are identified;
- scope is bounded;
- assumptions are visible;
- success metrics are usable;
- the readiness summary supports transition to ES-102.
If you are not ready¶
Do not proceed to requirements just to maintain momentum.
Requirements built on unclear vision create downstream rework.
Resolve the vision defect now.
Common pitfall¶
Do not accept vague success metrics because the project is early.
Early metrics can be revised later, but they must be meaningful enough to guide engineering now.
Engineering insight¶
A readiness gate protects the next stage from inherited ambiguity.