Frame
Define what the system should do, for whom, and how success will be measured.
Core Artifacts
Product-scope authority document that translates vision into prioritized, measurable requirements, success metrics, non-goals, assumptions, and acceptance sket…
Cross-cutting design principles that guide judgment calls across all HELIX activities. They are not requirements, concerns, ADRs, workflow rules, or process en…
Declares the project’s active cross-cutting concerns: technology stacks, quality attributes, data rules, security posture, UX conventions, operating practices,…
Feature-level authority document that translates PRD requirements into precise behavior, boundaries, functional areas, non-functional expectations, acceptance…
Stable design artifacts defining vertical user journeys through feature behavior. Each story traces one persona from trigger to outcome, references parent feat…
Supporting Artifacts
Obligation-to-control map for applicable regulations, standards, contractual duties, data handling, owners, evidence, and validation.
Pre-commitment viability assessment across technical, business, operational, resource, schedule, compliance, risk, and alternative dimensions.
Compact source of truth for feature IDs, names, status, priority, owner, dependencies, and artifact trace links.
Registry for deferred or future work that should remain visible but outside current scope until a specific revisit trigger is met.
Working-backwards launch narrative and internal FAQ that test customer outcome, mechanism, autonomy boundary, feasibility, economics, and scope.
Time-boxed plan for answering specific uncertainty before requirements, design, or investment decisions harden.
Action register for uncertain events that could change project outcome, scored with probability, impact, owner, trigger, response, and review cadence.
Testable security requirements for authentication, authorization, data protection, privacy, validation, logging, compliance, and risk controls.
Stakeholder and decision-rights map for roles, interests, influence, engagement, RACI ownership, communication cadence, and escalation paths.
Structured analysis of assets, data flows, trust boundaries, STRIDE threats, risk, mitigations, owners, and verification hooks.
Frame exit gate that verifies completeness, consistency, traceability, evidence, stakeholder review, and readiness to enter Design.