launch-readiness

Launch Readiness Skill

Ensure nothing falls through the cracks before launch by systematically checking readiness across every function — and producing a clear, evidenced go/no-go recommendation.

Required Inputs

Ask the user for these if not provided:

• Launch name and target date
• Launch tier (Tier 1 = major launch / Tier 2 = significant feature / Tier 3 = incremental update)
• Completed checklist items or self-assessment (even partial is fine — we'll surface gaps)
• Team and role names (to assign owners to blockers)

Readiness Checklist by Function

Product & Engineering

• Feature complete against launch spec
• Performance benchmarks met
• Accessibility standards checked
• Edge cases documented and handled
• Rollback plan defined and tested

Marketing & Comms

• Launch messaging approved
• Blog post / press release drafted
• Social content prepared
• Email campaigns scheduled
• Landing page live and tested

Support & Success

• Support team trained on new feature
• FAQ and help docs published
• Escalation path defined for launch issues
• Customer success briefed (if enterprise)

Sales & Partnerships

• Sales enablement materials ready
• Pricing confirmed and communicated
• Partner comms sent (if applicable)

Data & Analytics

• Tracking events implemented and verified
• Launch metrics dashboard live
• Baseline metrics captured pre-launch

Process

1. Review provided launch brief and checklist responses
2. Flag any incomplete items as blockers (must fix) or risks (monitor)
3. Assess overall readiness and produce go/no-go recommendation with rationale
4. If no-go, specify exactly what must be completed and by when
5. Validate — Confirm every blocker has a named owner and resolution deadline, and that the rollback plan is tested (not just documented)

Output Structure

Launch Readiness Assessment: [Feature/Product Name]

Launch Date: [date] Launch Tier: [1 / 2 / 3] Overall Status: ✅ Go / ⚠️ Conditional Go / 🛑 No-Go

Blockers (must resolve before launch):

• [item + owner + resolution required by]

Risks (monitor closely):

• [item + mitigation plan]

Ready Areas:

• [function]: ✅ Ready

Recommendation: [Clear go/no-go with rationale — 3-5 sentences]

Quality Checks

• Every blocker has a specific owner (not "the team") and a deadline
• Rollback plan is explicitly tested, not just written
• Analytics events are verified in staging, not just implemented
• Go/No-Go decision has a named decision-maker and a cut-off time
• At least one post-launch monitoring check is scheduled (e.g., T+2hr, T+24hr)

Anti-Patterns

• Do not mark a function as "Ready" without evidence — green status must be backed by a completed checklist item, not an assumption
• Do not issue a Conditional Go without specifying exactly what conditions must be met and by when — vague conditions are not conditions
• Do not treat the rollback plan as complete unless it has been tested in staging, not just documented
• Do not assign blockers to "the team" — every blocker must have a single named owner or it will not be resolved before launch
• Do not skip the analytics verification step — unverified tracking events mean the launch will be invisible and cannot be evaluated