# Kickoff

> Freeze goal, path, execution, and acceptance before non-trivial implementation or agent dispatch. Use when requirements hide assumptions, multiple implementation paths exist, feasibility needs research/prototyping, work spans modules or agents, or the user asks to align requirements before building. Produces an accepted, versioned Kickoff Contract.

- Skill: `luw2007/kickoff` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 4 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add luw2007/kickoff`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/luw2007/kickoff/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: luw2007 (https://skillmd.com/u/luw2007)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/luw2007/kickoff

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# Kickoff

Turn intent into an accepted build contract before execution. Do not replace repository evidence with interview questions, and do not force ceremony onto trivial, fully specified changes.

## Gate

Kickoff is required before non-trivial implementation or agent dispatch when any applies:

- product behavior, failure semantics, boundaries, or acceptance remain implicit;
- more than one materially different path is plausible;
- feasibility depends on unknown code, runtime, library, API, cost, or permission facts;
- work spans modules, agents, phases, or durable checkpoints;
- changing direction after implementation would be costly.

Skip only for trivial, reversible, fully specified work with one evident path and direct verification. Record why the gate was skipped when an orchestration skill consumes the task.

## Workflow

Read [workflow](references/workflow.md) and [contract schema](references/contract-schema.md).

1. Derive repository/runtime facts first. Ask only for material product or risk decisions tools cannot resolve.
2. Freeze **goal**: problem, outcome, non-goals, invariants, user journeys, and observable acceptance.
3. Freeze **path**: constraints, candidate routes, probes, selected route, rejected routes, decisions, consequences, and revalidation triggers.
4. Freeze **execution**: accepted base, dependency nodes, exclusive scope, required evidence, minimal E2E smoke, and change-control triggers.
5. Build traceability from every required goal/invariant to decision, execution node, and evidence producer. Reject or remove orphan nodes.
6. Persist exact contract bytes in an owner-controlled artifact. Set `status: accepted` only after the user or authorized owner accepts every material decision; clear, already-authorized intent with no material unresolved choice may be owner-accepted without another prompt.
7. Pin `contract_id`, `version`, and SHA-256 digest at dispatch. Workers receive read-only projections and cannot amend or accept the contract.

Unresolved material decisions mean `needs-decision`, never `accepted`. Execution discoveries that invalidate goal, path, scope, or acceptance stop affected nodes, create impact analysis, increment the version, and require renewed acceptance. Evidence may satisfy a contract; it cannot silently rewrite one.