chaussky/ainalyst/requirements-approve

SKILL: BABOK 5.5 — Approve Requirements

When to use this skill

Use this skill when:

• Requirements have been verified (passed 7.2 mark_req_verified) and are ready for formal

sign-off. This is reported, not enforced: prepare_approval_package warns about unverified requirements and create_requirements_baseline records them in the Approval Record, but neither blocks — the decision stays with the BA

• Stakeholder approval is needed before handoff to development
• An official Requirements Baseline needs to be created
• A stakeholder issued a conditional approval and the condition needs to be closed
• The readiness of a requirements package for baseline needs to be checked

Input information

Task pipeline

prepare_approval_package → record_approval_decision (×N stakeholders)
  → [close_approval_condition (for Conditional)]
  → check_approval_status
  → create_requirements_baseline

MCP tools

1. prepare_approval_package

When: Before starting an approval session. Assembles a requirements package for stakeholders.

What it does:

• Pulls requirements from the 5.1 repository by req_ids or package
• Reads each requirement's statement and acceptance criteria from its 7.1 spec

file (the graph node holds only metadata) — the stakeholder signs readable text

• Adds the traceability matrix, priorities (5.3), CR Decision Records (5.4)
• Generates a Markdown document tailored to the audience

Parameters:

• project_name — project name
• package_id — unique package ID (APKG-001)
• req_ids_json — JSON list of requirement IDs for the package
• approach — predictive or agile. Here it selects the approval ceremony: the

formal per-requirement decision menu with a response deadline, or the Sprint Planning wording. May be omitted: it then resolves from the 3.1 BA plan in this order — (1) a regulated hybrid (Hybrid (Agile + compliance gates) or Hybrid (with strengthened governance), both produced only when regulatory_need=True) means formal sign-off for audit, so it resolves to predictive whatever its cadence; (2) the planned timing form from plan_ba_activities; (3) the recommended approach label. A plain Hybrid resolves to neither value, so there approach must be stated explicitly, or plan_ba_activities must declare a timing_form.

• audience — business / developer / regulator / all
• package_title — package title (e.g., "Feature: User Onboarding")
• sprint_number — sprint number (agile only)

2. record_approval_decision

When: After receiving a response from each stakeholder. Called once per stakeholder (analogous to add_stakeholder_scores in 5.3).

What it does:

• Records the decision: approved / conditional / rejected / abstained
• For conditional — records the condition, deadline, and owner
• For rejected — analyzes context from 5.3/5.4 and flags conflicts
• Updates requirement status in the 5.1 repository

Parameters:

• project_name, package_id
• stakeholder_name — stakeholder name
• stakeholder_raci — accountable / responsible / consulted
• decision — approved / conditional / rejected / abstained
• req_decisions_json — JSON: decisions for individual requirements in the package.

Format: [{"req_id": "FR-001", "decision": "approved"}, {"req_id": "FR-002", "decision": "conditional", "condition_text": "...", "condition_deadline": "2026-04-01", "condition_owner": "Smith"}] If empty ([]) — the decision applies to all requirements in the package as a whole.

• rejection_reason — required when decision=rejected
• comment — any comment from the stakeholder

3. close_approval_condition

When: After a condition on a Conditional approval has been satisfied.

What it does:

• Finds the open condition by package, requirement, and stakeholder
• Records that the condition has been satisfied (with date and description)
• Updates the requirement status to approved

Parameters:

• project_name, package_id
• req_id — requirement with the condition
• stakeholder_name — who set the condition
• resolution_notes — how the condition was closed

4. check_approval_status

When: At any point, to check whether the package is ready for baseline.

What it does:

• Computes statistics: approved / conditional / rejected / pending / abstained
• Identifies overdue conditionals and stakeholders without a response
• Flags rejections from Accountable stakeholders (blockers)
• Gives a verdict: ready / not ready for baseline, with reasons

Parameters:

• project_name, package_id

5. create_requirements_baseline

When: Once the package is ready for baseline (check_approval_status = ✅).

What it does:

• Creates a package snapshot in {project}_approval_history.json
• Updates the status of approved requirements in the 5.1 repository
• Generates an Approval Record (Markdown) via save_artifact
• This artifact feeds → 4.4 (communication) and Chapter 6 (input for development)

Parameters:

• project_name, package_id
• baseline_version — baseline version (e.g., v1.0, v1.1, sprint-5)
• decided_by — who confirms creation of the baseline (sponsor / PO)
• force — true to create the baseline even with warnings present

(rejected from Consulted, open conditions). Defaults to false.

BA workflow

Scenario 1: Predictive — baseline at the end of the phase

1. Get the list of requirements verified in 7.2 (get_verification_report)
2. `prepare_approval_package` — assemble the package, approach=predictive, audience=all
3. Send the package to stakeholders (via 4.4 prepare_communication_package)
4. After each response: `record_approval_decision`
5. If Conditional: agree on the changes, then `close_approval_condition`
6. `check_approval_status` — check readiness
7. `create_requirements_baseline` — record baseline v1.0

Scenario 2: Agile — Sprint Backlog Baseline

1. Select requirements for the next sprint
2. `prepare_approval_package` — approach=agile, sprint_number=N
3. Sprint Planning: Product Owner reviews the package
4. `record_approval_decision` — record the PO's decision
5. `create_requirements_baseline` — baseline sprint-N

Scenario 3: Conflict during the approval stage

1. `record_approval_decision` — a stakeholder rejected a requirement
2. The system automatically surfaces a conflict with 5.3 / 5.4
3. The BA analyzes: is this an Accountable or a Consulted stakeholder?

• Consulted: document the risk, baseline is still possible
• Accountable: the conflict must be resolved before baseline

1. If the requirement needs to change → 5.2 update_requirement, then repeat from step 2
2. If a new CR is needed → 5.4 open_cr, then repeat the approval process

Requirement statuses in the 5.1 repository

Relationship to other tasks

Depends on:

• 3.1 → the methodology, read automatically from plan_ba_activities' timing form (or the

recommended approach) when approach is left empty

• 7.2 → verification evidence (req_verified in the repository history) — reported, not mandatory
• 4.3 → confirmed elicitation results (context)
• 5.1 → traceability repository
• 5.2 → requirement statuses and versions
• 5.3 → priorities (context for conflict analysis)
• 5.4 → CR Decision Records (context on changes)

Provides:

• 4.4 → Approval Record for communication
• Chapter 6 → approved requirements as input for solution development

Reference materials

Read as needed:

• references/approval_guide.md — full reference: roles, statuses, baseline,

Predictive vs Agile, common mistakes