gaca

name	gaca
description	Convert gates from yes/no vibe checks into explicit, checkable claim-interfaces.
output	{"format":"prose"}

Gate As Claim Audit

Input: $ARGUMENTS

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Overview

Convert gates from "yes/no vibe checks" into explicit, checkable claim-interfaces. A gate that can be passed by saying "yes, looks good" is not a gate — it's a suggestion. Real gates require evidence.

Steps

Step 1: Extract Gate Claims

For each gate in the target:

1. List the gate ID/name
2. List the question or criterion
3. List the evaluation criteria and pass/fail branches
4. Identify which field is the actual decision hook (what determines pass/fail)

Step 2: Classify Answer-Interface

For each gate entry, classify what kind of answer it actually requires:

Interface Type	Definition	Example	Checkable?
Definition	What does term X mean?	"Is the goal clear?"	Only if "clear" is defined
Observation	What do you see?	"Are tests passing?"	Yes — look at test results
Provenance	What source supports this?	"Is the claim verified?"	Only if verification source specified
Measurement	What metric and value?	"Is performance adequate?"	Only if metric and threshold defined
Decision	What choice was made and why?	"Was the approach selected?"	Only if selection criteria exist

Step 3: Identify Vibe-Check Gates

Flag gates that can be passed WITHOUT substantive content:

Vibe-check indicators:

Indicator	Example	Problem
"Does the [document] exist?"	"Is there a risk assessment?"	Existence ≠ quality
"Was [process] done?"	"Was the design reviewed?"	Process ≠ outcome
"Is [quality] adequate?"	"Is the plan complete?"	No standard for "adequate"
Binary on continuous	"Yes/no on a spectrum question"	Loses nuance
Self-certification	"Do you believe...?"	Fox guarding henhouse

Step 4: Convert to Claim-Interfaces

For each vibe-check gate, rewrite as explicit claims:

Before: "Is the risk assessment complete?" After:

Gate: Risk Assessment Completeness
Claims:
1. "At least 5 risks are identified" — check: count entries
2. "Each risk has likelihood AND severity score" — check: inspect each entry
3. "Top 3 risks have mitigation plans" — check: verify plans exist with specific actions
4. "No category from the standard risk taxonomy is unrepresented" — check: compare against taxonomy

Each claim should be:

• Specific (not vague)
• Observable (can be checked by looking at artifacts)
• Binary per claim (each claim is clearly true or false)
• Independent (one claim failing doesn't affect others)

Step 5: Design Minimum Checks

For each converted gate, define the minimum check that ensures content (not just format):

GATE: [name]
Pass requires ALL of:
1. [claim] — verified by: [how to check]
2. [claim] — verified by: [how to check]
3. [claim] — verified by: [how to check]

Evidence required: [what must exist, not just what must be claimed]
Verifier: [who checks — must be someone other than the creator]

Step 6: Identify Passable-Without-Content Gates

The most dangerous gates: ones that can be satisfied by formatting alone.

Gate	Can Be Gamed By	Fix
[gate]	[how to pass without substance]	[what would prevent gaming]

Step 7: Report

GATE AS CLAIM AUDIT:
Gates audited: [N]

| Gate | Current Type | Vibe Check? | Claims After Conversion |
|------|-------------|------------|----------------------|
| [gate] | [interface type] | Y/N | [N claims] |

Vibe-check gates found: [N] of [total]
Passable-without-content: [N] — CRITICAL to fix

Conversion queue:
1. [gate] — [why priority] — [N claims needed]

Total claims produced: [N] (replacing [N] vague questions)

When to Use

• When a gate is used as a pass/fail decision point
• When gate questions feel interpretable or "easy to say yes to"
• When a gate is satisfied by formatting rather than content
• → INVOKE: /gee (gate execution engine) for running converted gates
• → INVOKE: /sapea (executability audit) for checking converted gates work

Verification

• All gates extracted with decision hooks identified
• Answer-interface classified for each gate
• Vibe-check gates identified honestly
• Claims are specific, observable, binary, and independent
• Passable-without-content gates flagged as critical
• Each converted gate has a defined verification method