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