niko-qa

name	niko-qa
description	Niko Memory Bank System - QA Phase - Post-Implementation Semantic Review

QA Phase - Post-Implementation Semantic Review

This command performs a structured semantic review of the code just implemented against the original plan. It catches over-engineering, incomplete implementations, pattern violations, and implementation debris that mechanical checks (lint/build/test) cannot detect.

Step 1: Load Memory Bank Files

Read:

• memory-bank/active/tasks.md
• memory-bank/active/projectbrief.md
• memory-bank/systemPatterns.md
• memory-bank/active/activeContext.md
• memory-bank/active/progress.md
• memory-bank/active/creative/

Step 2: QA Workflow

1. Verify Prerequisites

   • Check memory-bank/active/tasks.md for build phase completion
   • Read the original implementation plan to establish the review baseline
   • For Level 3-4: Read creative phase documents for design intent

2. Review the code just implemented against the original plan. Judge only — do not edit the implementation under review. Flag violations of:

   • KISS: Over-engineered logic, unnecessary abstractions, or indirection that a simpler construct would replace.
   • DRY: Duplicate code, boilerplate, or reinvented utilities the codebase already provides.
   • YAGNI: Speculative code, unused parameters, or features not required by the plan.
   • Completeness: Requirements stubbed, TODO'd, commented-as-pseudocode, or otherwise not actually implemented.
   • Regression: Broken naming, structure, error-handling, or other established patterns across affected projects; code that accretes rather than extends the architecture.
   • Integrity: Hardcoded shortcuts, magic numbers, placeholder strings, or debug artifacts left from scaffolding.
   • Documentation: Project docs that should have been updated with the code changes and were not.

3. Judge, Do Not Fix

   • Surface and judge. Never modify the work under review.
   • Allowed writes only: memory-bank/active/.qa-validation-status, QA findings in tasks.md / progress.md, and (at Step 4) the **Phase:** field in activeContext.md.
   • Record every issue as a finding. FAIL when something must change before acceptance; PASS only when the implementation is acceptable as-is (advisories allowed).

4. Generate QA Report

   • Summarize findings
   • Write validation status to memory-bank/active/.qa-validation-status
   • Update memory-bank/active/tasks.md with QA results

5. Handle Results

   • On PASS: Good job!
   • On FAIL (issues requiring build changes): Record that Build must rerun to fix the issues.
   • On FAIL (fundamental plan issue discovered): Record that Plan must rerun to revise the plan.

Step 3: Log Progress

🚨 Printing this notice is NOT the end of this phase. After printing, continue immediately to the next step - do not stop.

Update memory-bank/active/progress.md to record completion of the QA phase.

When QA review is complete, print:

PASS

# QA Result

✅ PASS

1. **Findings** - bulleted list of each semantic finding and why it does or does not block

FAIL

# QA Result

❌ FAIL

1. **Findings** - bulleted list of each semantic finding and why it blocks

## Next Steps

(the next command, if any, based on the current complexity-level's workflow & QA result)

Step 4: End of Verification

Update memory-bank/active/activeContext.md so **Phase:** records this phase complete with PASS or FAIL (e.g. **Phase:** PREFLIGHT - COMPLETE (PASS) / **Phase:** QA - COMPLETE (FAIL)). Do not load a level workflow or begin another phase. Stop.