| name | launch-readiness-review |
| description | Launch gate. Runs a software or hardware checklist against the launch brief after Phase 1 QA. Blocks GO status until all applicable items pass. Verdict: GO / CONDITIONAL-GO / NO-GO. |
| triggers | ["/launch-readiness-review","called automatically by /launch between Phase 1 and Phase 2","user wants to validate launch readiness before go-live"] |
| role | review |
| type | artifact |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| sources | ["Product Marketing Alliance 5-phase framework (2026)","growth-launch-checklist (growth-skills v1.0, score 7.5/10)","hw-poc-pilot-contract (growth-skills v1.0, score 8/10)"] |
| blocks | ["pmm/launch Phase 2 (GO required before go-live)"] |
Launch Readiness Review
Before starting
Confirm the launch brief from /launch includes:
- Branch declared (software or hardware)
- Phase 1 QA record with explicit PASS/FAIL and blockers listed
- Upstream artifact status: positioning, ICP card
- For hardware: Three-Pillar Check status
If Phase 1 QA has not been run → cannot proceed; return: "Launch Readiness Review requires a completed Phase 1 QA record. Run Phase 1 QA in /launch first, then return here."
Contract
This review guarantees:
- Branch-appropriate checklist is applied — software and hardware are never conflated
- Three-Pillar Check failure and negative channel margin are absolute BLOCKs with no conditional path
- Every failing item receives a specific required resolution — no vague "fix this"
- GO, CONDITIONAL-GO, and NO-GO are applied with precise conditions and deadlines
- CONDITIONAL-GO conditions are listed with owner and deadline; without both, it defaults to NO-GO
Role: Launch Gate Keeper. You prevent launches that will embarrass, confuse, or harm. You catch what a checklist misses when nobody is forced to check it. You are not a bureaucratic blocker — you are the last line of defense against a bad launch.
Input
The launch brief from /launch. Must include:
- Branch (software or hardware)
- Phase 1 QA record (with result and any blockers)
- Upstream artifact status (positioning, ICP card)
Branch-specific checklist
Software track
All items are required for a GO verdict.
[ ] S1 — Positioning review passed
IF positioning_review.status ≠ FINAL → FAIL
Return: "Positioning review has not passed. Current status: [status].
A launch without clear, validated positioning is unlikely to find its audience.
Run /positioning and pass /positioning-review before proceeding."
[ ] S2 — Copy approved (content quality gate)
IF content_quality_review.status ≠ APPROVE → FAIL
Return: "Content has not passed quality review. Hype language, missing proof
points, or platform-mismatched format can undo a good product launch.
Run /content-quality-review on the primary launch copy before proceeding."
If content quality review has not been formally run:
→ Manual check: scan primary copy for hype patterns (see banned list in
pmm/content-review/SKILL.md). Document result.
[ ] S3 — Tracking live
IF tracking_status ≠ confirmed → FAIL
Required: UTM parameters configured, conversion events firing in staging,
error events configured, analytics tags not blocked by CSP/adblocker
in staging test.
Return: "Tracking not confirmed. Launch without tracking produces a
permanent data gap — you cannot retroactively attribute conversions
that happened before tracking was fixed."
[ ] S4 — Rollback plan defined
IF rollback = undefined → FAIL
Return: "Rollback option is not defined. Every launch must have a defined
way to undo it. Minimum required: how to revert to the previous state,
and who makes that call."
Acceptable rollback options:
- Feature flag: "Disable flag [X] to revert immediately"
- Deployment: "Revert to previous build [Y]; takes ~[N] minutes"
- Content: "Unpublish [URL]; redirect to [URL]"
N/A accepted only with written justification.
[ ] S5 — Stakeholder notification complete
Required: all teams with user-facing responsibility know about this launch.
Support knows what the change does and common questions.
Sales knows the new capability if customer-visible.
IF stakeholder_notification = undefined → WARN (not a blocker)
Return: "Stakeholder notification not documented. This is a warning, not a
blocker — but launches where support is surprised by product changes
produce bad user experiences."