Validation Checklist

Purpose

Frame exit gate that verifies completeness, consistency, traceability, evidence, stakeholder review, and readiness to enter Design.

Example

Show a worked example of this artifact

---
ddx:
  id: example.validation-checklist.depositmatch
  depends_on:
    - example.prd.depositmatch
    - example.pr-faq.depositmatch
    - example.feature-registry.depositmatch
    - example.research-plan.depositmatch
    - example.risk-register.depositmatch
    - example.security-requirements.depositmatch
    - example.threat-model.depositmatch
    - example.stakeholder-map.depositmatch
---

# Frame Activity Validation Checklist

**Status**: [ ] Not Started | [ ] In Progress | [x] Complete
**Validated By**: Product Lead
**Date**: 2026-05-12
**Result**: [ ] Pass | [x] Conditional Pass | [ ] Fail

## Go / No-Go Gates

| Gate | Status | Evidence | Blocking Gap |
|------|--------|----------|--------------|
| Problem, goals, and success metrics are clear enough to judge outcomes | Pass | Product Vision, Opportunity Canvas, PR-FAQ | None |
| P0 scope is identified, prioritized, and separated from non-goals | Pass | PRD, Feature Registry, Parking Lot | None |
| Features and stories are traceable through IDs and links | Conditional | Feature Registry links FEAT-001; later features are pending | Complete trace links for FEAT-002 through FEAT-004 before design approval |
| Acceptance criteria are testable | Conditional | PRD and Security Requirements | Add story-level acceptance criteria for FEAT-002 and FEAT-003 before build |
| Major risks, dependencies, and external constraints are explicit | Pass | Risk Register, Compliance Requirements, Feasibility Study | None |
| Frame artifacts do not contradict each other | Pass | Parking Lot aligns with PRD non-goals and PR-FAQ v1 scope | None |
| Required stakeholders have reviewed the plan | Conditional | Stakeholder Map identifies required reviewers | Compliance/Legal signoff required before live-data design approval |

## Result

- [ ] **PASS**: Ready for Design activity
- [x] **CONDITIONAL PASS**: Proceed with noted conditions
- [ ] **FAIL**: Address blocking issues first

**Conditions/Notes**:
DepositMatch is ready to begin Design for the CSV-first pilot because the
customer problem, P0 scope, risks, security requirements, and deferred work are
clear. Design must not approve live-data onboarding until compliance/legal
review is complete, and build must not start for FEAT-002/FEAT-003 until their
story-level acceptance criteria are complete.

## Required Follow-Up

| Item | Owner | Due | Required Before |
|------|-------|-----|-----------------|
| Complete compliance/legal applicability review for live financial data | Compliance Officer / Legal Counsel | Before live-data design approval | Design approval |
| Complete trace links for FEAT-002, FEAT-003, and FEAT-004 | Product Lead | Before design approval | Design approval |
| Add story-level acceptance criteria for match review and exception queue | Product Lead | Before build planning | Build start |
| Confirm research plan recruiting and sample CSV intake path | Product Lead | Before design assumptions freeze | Design approval |

Reference

Activity Frame — Define what the system should do, for whom, and how success will be measured.

Default location docs/helix/01-frame/validation-checklist.md

Requires None

Enables None

Generation prompt

Show the full generation prompt

# Validation Checklist Generation Prompt
Create the checklist that decides whether Frame is ready to move forward.
Reference Anchors
    
Use this local resource summary as grounding:

docs/resources/ibm-requirements-management.md grounds traceability,
validation, verification, and change management expectations.

Focus
    

Check only the gates that matter: completeness, consistency, traceability, and stakeholder approval.
Keep the pass/fail criteria concrete.
Avoid duplicating the content already covered by source artifacts.
Cite evidence or the missing artifact for every conditional or failed gate.

Role Boundary
    
Validation Checklist is not a replacement for PRD review, risk review, or
stakeholder review. It is the final Frame activity gate: it records whether the
required artifacts are coherent enough for Design and what conditions remain.
Completion Criteria
    
The checklist is short and actionable.
Blocking gaps are easy to spot.
Cross-references are verified.
Result is Pass, Conditional Pass, or Fail with named conditions.

Template

Show the template structure

---
ddx:
  id: validation-checklist
---
Frame Activity Validation Checklist
Status: [ ] Not Started | [ ] In Progress | [ ] Complete
Validated By: [Name]
Date: [Date]
Result: [ ] Pass | [ ] Conditional Pass | [ ] Fail
Go / No-Go Gates
    

  
      
          Gate
          Status
          Evidence
          Blocking Gap
      
  
  
      
          Problem, goals, and success metrics are clear enough to judge outcomes
          Pass / Conditional / Fail
          [Artifact/link]
          [Gap or None]
      
      
          P0 scope is identified, prioritized, and separated from non-goals
          Pass / Conditional / Fail
          [Artifact/link]
          [Gap or None]
      
      
          Features and stories are traceable through IDs and links
          Pass / Conditional / Fail
          [Artifact/link]
          [Gap or None]
      
      
          Acceptance criteria are testable
          Pass / Conditional / Fail
          [Artifact/link]
          [Gap or None]
      
      
          Major risks, dependencies, and external constraints are explicit
          Pass / Conditional / Fail
          [Artifact/link]
          [Gap or None]
      
      
          Frame artifacts do not contradict each other
          Pass / Conditional / Fail
          [Artifact/link]
          [Gap or None]
      
      
          Required stakeholders have reviewed the plan
          Pass / Conditional / Fail
          [Artifact/link]
          [Gap or None]
      
  

Result
    

 PASS: Ready for Design activity
 CONDITIONAL PASS: Proceed with noted conditions
 FAIL: Address blocking issues first

Conditions/Notes:
[Assessment and any conditions]
Required Follow-Up
    

  
      
          Item
          Owner
          Due
          Required Before
      
  
  
      
          [Condition]
          [Owner]
          [Date]
          [Design start / design approval / build start]