Preflight Skill

Pre-delivery validation checklist. Run before every implementation task.

Checklist

Context

• corrections.md reviewed for relevant past mistakes
• patterns.md reviewed for applicable patterns
• Current diamond phase is Develop or Deliver
• Acceptance criteria are clear and measurable
• Scenarios linked: canvas/scenarios.yml has scenarios for this solution, and acceptance criteria trace back to scenario success/failure states (Hoskins)

Scope

• This is the smallest vertical slice that delivers value
• Scope is explicitly bounded (what is NOT included)
• No speculative features (YAGNI check)
• Dependencies identified and available

Technical / Production Readiness

Software/AI tool:

• Tech stack detected and understood
• Build/test/lint commands confirmed working
• Development environment functional
• Existing code patterns reviewed

Content:

• Production tools ready (editor, recording, hosting)
• Style guide / editorial standards available
• Existing content patterns reviewed

Service:

• Delivery tools ready (templates, scheduling, communication)
• Existing service patterns reviewed

Security (software, ai_tool, service with digital infra)

• Data classification understood for this feature
• Security requirements identified (auth, input validation, etc.)
• No secrets will be hardcoded
• Dependencies checked for known vulnerabilities

Accessibility

Software:

• Accessibility requirements identified
• Semantic HTML approach planned
• Keyboard interaction model defined
• Color contrast requirements noted

Content:

• Captions/transcripts planned for audio/video
• Alt text planned for images
• Readable typography confirmed

Validation Strategy

Software: Test approach defined (unit, integration, e2e), edge cases and error scenarios identified. Content: Review process defined (SME, self-checklist, fact-check), learning objectives mapped. AI tool: Eval test cases defined, red-team scenarios planned, bias testing approach chosen. Service: Walkthrough planned, client feedback mechanism defined.

Definition of Done

• DoD criteria reviewed and understood
• All criteria are achievable within this task

If Any Item Fails

Do not proceed to implementation. Instead:

1. Document what is missing.
2. Determine the fastest path to readiness.
3. Address the gap before starting delivery work.

Theory Citations

• Smart: BVSSH (Sooner -- avoid rework by preparing)
• Forsgren: Accelerate (reduce lead time by removing blockers early)