dfg-inc/praxis-architect/intake-audit

Intake Audit

Gate that decides whether Architect may start design work on a BA work package. Three axes only: completeness, contradictions, feasibility. Do not invent missing requirements; do not “fix” product scope in this skill.

When to use

• Immediately after receiving ba.architect.handoff (or an equivalent WP path from BA).
• Before context-map, divergence-points, or any design artifact.
• Re-run after BA returns a repaired package.

Do not use to shape requirements (BA owns that) or to record ADRs.

Inputs

Steps

1. Locate + validate handoff schema

Prefer the machine file from BA approval:

wp/<workPackageId>/handoffs/ba-architect.handoff.json

Parse against BaToArchitectHandoffSchema. Required: contract: "ba.architect.handoff", version, workPackageId, workPackagePath, non-empty requirementIds, visionConfirmed, readinessChecks[]. Missing file or schema fail → severity block, stop; ask BA to re-run wp approve-plan (or tools/emit-architect-handoff.mjs). Do not invent fields. Markdown WP alone is not a substitute for the machine handoff.

1. Resolve files

Read workPackagePath. For each requirementId, open the canon page (FR/NFR/BR). If a path cannot be resolved → block finding missing-artifact.

1. Axis A — Completeness

For every scoped requirement:

• ≥1 acceptance criterion in scenario form (Given/When/Then or project-equivalent).
• Observable outcome (not “implement X”).
• Scope in/out or epic boundary visible from WP ## Scope / epic index.
• Stakeholders / actors named or linked from project layer.

Missing AC or empty Delivers list → block. Soft gaps (stakeholder unspecified but inferable) → warn.

1. Axis B — Contradictions

Pairwise scan FR↔FR, FR↔NFR, FR↔BR, NFR↔NFR:

• Incompatible observable behaviors.
• Mutually exclusive invariants.
• NFR numbers that make an FR impossible.

Every contradiction finding must name both ids (WBS 4.1.2). Severity block.

1. Axis C — Feasibility skim (architecture-shaped, not a full design)

Flag:

• Unknown / unnamed platforms or integrations with no owner.
• NFR thresholds with no measurement method and no plausible system.
• Dependencies on retired decisions or unavailable systems.

Mark block when clearly impossible given known platform facts; warn + needs-human when uncertain.

1. Aggregate verdict

• Any block → overall fail.
• Only warn → pass-with-warnings (Architect may proceed after human acknowledge).
• Clean → pass.

1. Write audit artifact

Create directory if needed: architecture/audits/. Write:

architecture/audits/<workPackageId>-intake-audit.md

Required sections:

• Frontmatter: workPackageId, date, verdict: pass|pass-with-warnings|fail, handoffVersion
• ## Completeness / ## Contradictions / ## Feasibility — findings table (id, severity, axis, detail, refs)
• ## Verdict — one paragraph + next action
• On fail: ## Return to BA — concrete repair list (what to add/fix; which ids conflict)

1. On fail — return package

Do not start context-map. Present the audit path and repair list to the human/BA channel. Status remains “Architect waiting on BA”. Re-entry = this skill again on the new handoff.

1. On pass

Announce audit path; proceed to context-map.

Human gates

Never invent AC or “assume” vision confirmed when visionConfirmed: false.

Done when

• Audit file exists at architecture/audits/<workPackageId>-intake-audit.md.
• Verdict is explicit on all three axes.
• On fail: package returned to BA with both-id contradictions (if any) and a repair list; no downstream Architect skills started.
• On pass / acknowledged pass-with-warnings: handoff is eligible for context-map.

Failure modes