Implementation Ready Check Workflow
Overview
The Implementation Ready Check workflow provides a systematic validation of all planning and solutioning artifacts before transitioning from Phase 3 (Solutioning) to Phase 4 (Implementation) in the BMad Method. This workflow ensures that PRDs, architecture documents, and story breakdowns are properly aligned with no critical gaps or contradictions.
Purpose
This workflow is designed to:
- Validate Completeness: Ensure all required planning documents exist and are complete
- Verify Alignment: Check that PRD, architecture, and stories are cohesive and aligned
- Identify Gaps: Detect missing stories, unaddressed requirements, or sequencing issues
- Assess Risks: Find contradictions, conflicts, or potential implementation blockers
- Provide Confidence: Give teams confidence that planning is solid before starting development
When to Use
This workflow should be invoked:
- At the end of Phase 3 (Solutioning) for Level 2-4 projects
- Before beginning Phase 4 (Implementation)
- After significant planning updates or architectural changes
- When validating readiness for Level 0-1 projects (simplified validation)
Project Level Adaptations
The workflow adapts its validation based on project level:
Level 0-1 Projects
- Validates tech spec and simple stories only
- Checks internal consistency and basic coverage
- Lighter validation appropriate for simple projects
Level 2 Projects
- Validates PRD, tech spec (with embedded architecture), and stories
- Ensures PRD requirements are fully covered
- Verifies technical approach aligns with business goals
Level 3-4 Projects
- Full validation of PRD, architecture document, and comprehensive stories
- Deep cross-reference checking across all artifacts
- Validates architectural decisions don't introduce scope creep
- Checks UX artifacts if applicable
How to Invoke
Via Scrum Master Agent
*solutioning-gate-check
Direct Workflow Invocation
workflow solutioning-gate-check
Expected Inputs
The workflow will automatically search your project's output folder for:
- Product Requirements Documents (PRD)
- Architecture documents
- Technical Specifications
- Epic and Story breakdowns
- UX artifacts (if applicable)
No manual input file specification needed - the workflow discovers documents automatically.
Generated Output
The workflow produces a comprehensive Implementation Readiness Report containing:
- Executive Summary - Overall readiness status
- Document Inventory - What was found and reviewed
- Alignment Validation - Cross-reference analysis results
- Gap Analysis - Missing items and risks identified
- Findings by Severity - Critical, High, Medium, Low issues
- Recommendations - Specific actions to address issues
- Readiness Decision - Ready, Ready with Conditions, or Not Ready
Output Location: {output_folder}/implementation-readiness-report-{date}.md
Workflow Steps
- Initialize - Get current workflow status and project level
- Document Discovery - Find all planning artifacts
- Deep Analysis - Extract requirements, decisions, and stories
- Cross-Reference Validation - Check alignment between all documents
- Gap and Risk Analysis - Identify issues and conflicts
- UX Validation (optional) - Verify UX concerns are addressed
- Generate Report - Compile comprehensive readiness assessment
- Status Update (optional) - Offer to advance workflow to next phase
Validation Criteria
The workflow uses systematic validation rules adapted to each project level:
- Document completeness and quality
- Requirement to story traceability
- Architecture to implementation alignment
- Story sequencing and dependencies
- Greenfield project setup coverage
- Risk identification and mitigation
For projects using the new architecture workflow (decision-architecture.md), additional validations include:
- Implementation patterns defined for consistency
- Technology versions verified and current
- Starter template initialization as first story
- UX specification alignment (if provided)
Special Features
Intelligent Adaptation
- Automatically adjusts validation based on project level
- Recognizes when UX workflow is active
- Handles greenfield vs. brownfield projects differently
Comprehensive Coverage
- Validates not just presence but quality and alignment
- Checks for both gaps and gold-plating
- Ensures logical story sequencing
Actionable Output
- Provides specific, actionable recommendations
- Categorizes issues by severity
- Includes positive findings and commendations
Integration with BMad Method
This workflow integrates seamlessly with the BMad Method workflow system:
- Uses workflow-status to understand project context
- Can update workflow status to advance to next phase
- Follows standard BMad document naming conventions
- Searches standard output folders automatically
Troubleshooting
Documents Not Found
- Ensure documents are in the configured output folder
- Check that document names follow BMad conventions
- Verify workflow-status is properly configured
Validation Too Strict
- The workflow adapts to project level automatically
- Level 0-1 projects get lighter validation
- Consider if your project level is set correctly
Report Too Long
- Focus on Critical and High priority issues first
- Use the executive summary for quick decisions
- Review detailed findings only for areas of concern
Support
For issues or questions about this workflow:
- Consult the BMad Method documentation
- Check the SM agent for workflow guidance
- Review validation-criteria.yaml for detailed rules
This workflow is part of the BMad Method v6-alpha suite of planning and solutioning tools