---
name: ghm-gate-check-beab4fc29e44
description: >
  Validates gate criteria before PRD lifecycle advancement by delegating to
  the readiness scoring pipeline (scripts/readiness.py). Returns a graduated
  PASS / WARN / BLOCK verdict with top blockers and their causal chain.
  Triggers before advancing from v0.X to v0.Y or explicit `/ghm-gate-check`.
context: inline
allowed-tools:
  - Bash
  - Read
  - Glob
  - Grep
---

# Gate Check

Validate whether the PRD stage is ready to advance to the next version. Delegates to the three-layer readiness scorer — SoT files → EPICs → stage — then surfaces the leverage view (what to fix first, and which EPICs it unblocks).

## Workflow Overview

1. **Compute** → run `scripts/readiness.py run --quiet` to refresh `status/readiness.json`
2. **Read** → parse `status/readiness.json`
3. **Report** → PASS / WARN / BLOCK verdict with top blockers and causal links
4. **Recommend** → actionable next steps (always highest-leverage first)

## Authority

`references/gate-criteria.md` remains the canonical source of mandatory artifacts per gate. The scorer's `GATE_REQUIREMENTS` table mirrors it. Do not hand-roll checklists here — the scoring engine is the single source of truth.

## Step 1: Compute

Run the orchestrator. It runs SoT → EPIC → stage in dependency order and writes `status/readiness.json`.

```bash
python scripts/readiness.py run --quiet
# exit 0 = all pass, 1 = warn, 2 = block, 3 = error
```

If the exit code is `3`, report a runtime error and stop. If `0/1/2`, proceed to Step 2.

### Fallback: no scripts available

If `scripts/readiness.py` is missing or Python is unavailable, fall back to reading `status/readiness.json` directly. If that's also absent, report: "Readiness not yet computed — install scripts/requirements.txt and run `python scripts/readiness.py run`."

## Step 2: Read

```bash
cat status/readiness.json
```

Extract:
- `summary.current_stage` — the gate being evaluated and its score
- `summary.top_blockers` — ranked SoT files blocking progress
- `stages.{target}` — detailed stage block (dimensions, unmet_criteria, caps)
- `epics.{id}` — per-EPIC scores (cite the lowest ones)

## Step 3: Report

Use this template. Fill every field from the JSON — do not improvise scores.

```markdown
## Gate Check Report: {stage.gate_description}

**Verdict**: [PASS | WARN | BLOCK]
**Stage Score**: {stage.score} / 100  (warn < {threshold_warn}, block < {threshold_block})
**Date**: {now}

### Stage Dimensions

| Dimension | Score | Weight |
|-----------|-------|--------|
| required_ids_present | {score} | {weight} |
| relevant_sot_readiness | {score} | {weight} |
| cross_ref_integrity | {score} | {weight} |
| downstream_epic_readiness | {score or "n/a"} | {weight or "—"} |

### Top Blockers (leverage view)

1. **{file}** (score {score}) — blocks {N} EPICs: {EPIC-XX, …} — impact {impact}
2. …

### Unmet Criteria (high severity first)

- [high] {ref}: {reason}
- [medium] {ref}: {reason}

### Recommendation

**If PASS**: Advance to {next_version}. Run `ghm-status-sync` to update the README dashboard.

**If WARN / BLOCK**: Do not advance. Address top blockers in order — fixing the highest-impact SoT file cascades up the graph.

**Next action**: {top_blockers[0] → concrete fix}
```

### Verdict bands

| Stage score | Verdict | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ≥ 70 | PASS | Safe to advance |
| 50–69 | WARN | Advance with documented risk; log in PRD change log |
| < 50 | BLOCK | Cannot advance — per rule 05-lifecycle-gates, update the EPIC and STOP |

## Step 4: Recommend

Always prioritize by `impact = (100 − score) × #EPICs blocked`. The top blocker is the single highest-leverage fix; cite its `blocking_epics` list so the human understands what unblocks.

## Quality Gates

- [ ] Stage score cited from JSON, not estimated
- [ ] Top blockers include their consumer EPICs
- [ ] Recommendation is actionable (specific file, specific action)
- [ ] Verdict matches the score band exactly (don't round up)

## Anti-Patterns

| Pattern | Example | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Ignoring the score | "Feels ready; pass" | Cite `stage.score` verbatim |
| Skipping blockers | "Minor stuff, advance anyway" | Block if score < 50; warn if < 70 |
| Hand-rolling criteria | Re-checking IDs manually | Trust the scorer; if wrong, fix `GATE_REQUIREMENTS` in `_readiness/stage.py` |
| Forcing PASS | Overriding the verdict | Never override; the score is the contract |

## Boundaries

**DO**:
- Delegate computation to `readiness.py`
- Cite specific scores, files, and EPICs from the JSON
- Surface the `top_blockers` leverage view

**DON'T**:
- Modify `status/readiness.json` directly — it's computed output
- Create missing artifacts inside this skill (that's the author's job)
- Override PASS/BLOCK verdicts subjectively

## Handoff

After a report:
- **PASS**: Trigger `ghm-status-sync`; the gate advancement updates the README dashboard
- **WARN**: Same as PASS but note the risks in the PRD change log
- **BLOCK**: Return control to the human. The `top_blockers[0]` fix is the single most important next action

## References

- `references/gate-criteria.md` — canonical gate requirements (consumed by scorer)
- `references/examples.md` — pass/warn/block report examples
- `.claude/rules/07-readiness-protocol.md` — the discipline rule
- `docs/READINESS_PROTOCOL.md` — full schema


---
Source attribution: mattgierhart
Original project: https://github.com/mattgierhart/PRD-driven-context-engineering/blob/30ed1b07c9945fc66a18d03fdf5bb870293bee3f/.claude/skills/ghm-gate-check/SKILL.md
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Mega AI Hub.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2025 Matt Gierhart

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.


# Mega AI Hub resource metadata

Creator / publisher: mattgierhart
Original project: https://github.com/mattgierhart/PRD-driven-context-engineering/blob/30ed1b07c9945fc66a18d03fdf5bb870293bee3f/.claude/skills/ghm-gate-check/SKILL.md
Attribution basis: Source repository record

Fields of work: Product Management, Project & Program Management
Roles: Product Manager, Project Manager, Technical Product Manager
Specialties: Backend
Tools: Bash, Python
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: 47ed402e225687a2451b2e8806d35246a82fe2bab90a45b5f4edc59ca7a99225