direction-gate

name	direction-gate
description	Structured review before strategic direction changes. Triggers on: 'direction change', 'strategic decision', 'pivot'.

Direction Gate

Evaluate strategic direction changes before execution.

Steps

1. Document current state — Describe the current approach, what works, and what prompted the change request.
2. Analyze alternatives — List at least 2-3 alternatives with pros/cons. Include "do nothing" as an option.
3. Recommend — State the recommended path with rationale. Be explicit about trade-offs and risks.
4. Escalate — Present the analysis to the stakeholder for a decision. Do NOT proceed without explicit approval.

Rules

• Never execute a direction change without stakeholder approval.
• Always include "do nothing" as a baseline option.
• Quantify impact where possible (effort, risk, timeline).
• If the change affects architectural decisions, reference relevant ADRs in docs/architecture/ADR.md.
• Document the final decision for future reference.

Expected Outputs

• Current state summary
• Alternatives table with pros/cons
• Recommendation with rationale
• Stakeholder decision (approved / rejected / deferred)