fnd-validating-gates

name	fnd-validating-gates
description	Validates phase transition requirements for Canvas population. Checks G0-G4 gates to determine if prerequisites are met before advancing phases. Use when checking readiness, validating gates, or assessing Canvas completion status.
allowed-tools	Read, Grep, Glob
license	Complete terms in LICENSE.txt

Gate Validating

Validate Canvas phase transitions and assess readiness.

Phase Definitions

Phase	Focus	Canvas Sections	Gate Out
0. Mode	Business model choice	00	G0
1. Discovery	Market understanding	01-06	G1
2. Definition	Value & business model	07-09, 12-14	G2
3. Validation	Assumption testing	10	G3
4. Launch	Market entry	11, 15	G4
5. Execution	Live operations	-	-

---

Process

Step 1: Identify Current Phase

Read existing Canvas files in strategy/canvas/. Determine current phase based on which sections exist and are populated.

Step 2: Identify Target Gate

From request, determine which gate to validate:

• "Ready for definition?" → Check G1
• "Ready for validation?" → Check G2
• "Ready for launch?" → Check G3
• "Ready for execution?" → Check G4

Step 3: Check Gate Requirements

Load gate requirements (below). For each criterion:

1. Read specified Canvas section
2. Apply check logic
3. Record PASS or FAIL

Step 4: Report Results

Generate gate check report with status, blockers, and recommendations.

---

Gate Requirements

G0: Mode Selection → Discovery

Requirement	Section	Check
Required
Mode declared	00.mode	Contains VENTURE, BOOTSTRAP, or HYBRID

G1: Discovery → Definition

Requirement	Section	Check
Required
Segment defined	04.segments	At least 1 segment with 2+ filterable criteria
Problems ranked	05.problem	Top 3 problems with severity scores
Competition mapped	06.competitive	Direct + indirect competitors listed
Soft Required
Context captured	01.context	File exists with content
Market sized	03.opportunity	TAM/SAM/SOM estimated

G2: Definition → Validation

Requirement	Section	Check
Required
UVP articulated	07.uvp	Single sentence value prop exists
Solution defined	09.solution	Feature list tied to problems + growth model
Pricing set	12.revenue	At least 1 pricing tier defined
Unit economics	13.metrics	CAC, LTV, LTV:CAC present
Soft Required
Defensibility	08.unfair	Moat identified
Cost structure	14.costs	Costs outlined

G3: Validation → Launch

Requirement	Section	Check
Required
Assumptions documented	10.assumptions	Prioritized list exists
Critical identified	10.assumptions	P0 assumptions marked
Soft Required
High-risk validated	10.assumptions	>50% P1 validated

G4: Launch → Execution

Requirement	Section	Check
Required
Channels selected	11.channels	Primary channel with CAC estimate
Motion defined	15.gtm	Motion type declared with rationale
Launch sequence	15.gtm	At least 2 phases defined
Soft Required
First customers	-	Identified or acquired

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Output Format

## Gate Check: [G0/G1/G2/G3/G4]

**Transition:** [Phase] → [Phase]
**Status:** [PASS | FAIL]

### Required Criteria

| Section | Criteria | Status |
|---------|----------|--------|
| [section] | [criteria] | ✅/❌ |

### Soft Required

| Section | Criteria | Status |
|---------|----------|--------|
| [section] | [criteria] | ✅/⚠️ |

### Blockers (if FAIL)

- [Specific missing element]
- [What needs to be done]

### Recommendations

- [Suggested next steps]

---

Bypass Rules

Gates can be bypassed with explicit acknowledgment:

## Gate Bypass

**Gate:** [G#]
**Missing:** [criteria]
**Reason:** [justification]
**Risk accepted:** [what could go wrong]
**Mitigation:** [how to handle if it fails]

⚠️ Proceeding with incomplete prerequisites

Document bypass in strategy/canvas/00.mode.md under a Bypasses section.

---

Quick Reference

Want To	Must Pass	Key Requirements
Define value prop	G1	Segments + Problems
Set pricing	G2	UVP + Solution + Growth model
Plan channels	G2	Pricing + Unit economics
Plan GTM	G3	Assumptions + Channels
Launch	G4	Channels + GTM motion

---

Canvas Completion Status

For overall status check:

## Canvas Status

### Phase Completion

| Phase | Status | Sections |
|-------|--------|----------|
| Mode | ✅/❌ | 00 |
| Discovery | ✅/❌ | 01-06 |
| Definition | ✅/❌ | 07-09, 12-14 |
| Validation | ✅/❌ | 10 |
| Launch | ✅/❌ | 11, 15 |

### Section Detail

| Section | Exists | Complete |
|---------|--------|----------|
| 00.mode | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ |
| 01.context | ✅/❌ | ✅/⚠️/❌ |
| ... | | |

### Next Gate: [G#]
**Status:** [X/Y required passing]
**Blockers:** [List]

Boundaries

• Does NOT fix issues (reports only)
• Does NOT assess business viability or strategy quality
• Does NOT bypass gates without explicit user acknowledgment
• Validates structural completeness, not content quality
• Gate pass does not guarantee business success
• Bypass documentation required for any gate skip
• Does NOT validate external market conditions