# Gate 12 Evaluator

> This skill evaluates whether a product has met the defined gate criteria to proceed from one development phase to the next. Use when a product reaches a phase boundary (e.g., discovery-to-build, build-to-beta, beta-to-GA). Also consider when a stalled initiative needs a formal go/no-go decision to unblock resources. Suggest when milestone slippage or scope creep signals that a gate review is overdue.

- Skill: `mittuled/gate-12-evaluator` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 6 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add mittuled/gate-12-evaluator`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/mittuled/gate-12-evaluator/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Product & Planning
- Author: mittuled (https://skillmd.com/u/mittuled)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/mittuled/gate-12-evaluator

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# gate-12-evaluator

## Agent: VP Product
L1 product leader responsible for opportunity framing, MVP definition, PRD assembly, go-live coordination, and post-launch monitoring. Owns the product strategy and roadmap from idea through GA.

Department ethos: [ideal-product.md](../../../../departments/product/ideal-product.md)

## Skill Description
Evaluates whether the product has met the gate criteria to proceed to the next phase.

## When to Use
- When a product reaches a phase transition point and requires a formal go/no-go decision
- When leadership needs an objective assessment of readiness before committing additional resources
- When scope creep or timeline slippage suggests the initiative may not meet exit criteria for the current phase
- When cross-functional dependencies (engineering, design, legal, compliance) need synchronized sign-off

## Workflow
1. **Retrieve gate criteria**: Pull the pre-defined exit criteria for the current phase from the PRD or phase-gate framework. Confirm the criteria are still relevant and complete. Deliverable: gate criteria checklist.
2. **Collect evidence**: Gather artefacts that demonstrate whether each criterion is met — demo recordings, test results, design-partner feedback, security review sign-offs, performance benchmarks, and documentation status. Deliverable: evidence inventory.
3. **Assess each criterion**: Evaluate every gate criterion as pass, conditional-pass, or fail. For conditional passes, document the specific conditions and deadlines for resolution. Deliverable: criterion-level assessment matrix.
4. **Identify blockers and risks**: Surface any unresolved blockers that would prevent a pass, and catalogue risks that could materialize in the next phase if the gate is passed conditionally. Deliverable: blocker and risk register.
5. **Convene the gate review**: Present the assessment to the gate review panel (typically VP Product, engineering lead, design lead, and any impacted GTM stakeholders). Facilitate the go/no-go/conditional-go decision. Deliverable: gate review meeting notes with decision.
6. **Document the outcome**: Record the decision, any conditions attached, owners for open items, and the timeline for the next gate. Distribute to all stakeholders. Deliverable: gate decision record.

## Anti-Patterns
- **Rubber-stamp gates**: Passing every gate review without rigorous evidence review because the team is eager to move forward. *Why*: Unearned phase transitions accumulate technical and market risk that compounds in later, more expensive phases.
- **Moving the goalposts**: Changing gate criteria during the review to justify a pass. *Why*: Retroactive criteria changes undermine the integrity of the phase-gate process and erode team trust.
- **Incomplete evidence**: Accepting verbal assurances instead of artefacts as proof of criterion completion. *Why*: Verbal claims are unreliable at scale; written evidence creates accountability and an audit trail.
- **Skipping conditional follow-up**: Granting a conditional pass and never revisiting the conditions. *Why*: Unresolved conditions become hidden debt that surfaces as launch blockers or post-GA incidents.

## Output
**On success**: A gate decision record containing the pass/conditional-pass/fail verdict for each criterion, the overall go/no-go decision, conditions and owners for any open items, and the timeline for the next phase gate.
**On failure**: Report which criteria were not met, the evidence gaps, what remediation is required, an estimated timeline to re-evaluate, and a recommendation on whether to pause, pivot, or de-scope.

## Related Skills
- [`business-model-sketcher`](../business-model-sketcher/SKILL.md) — sibling skill under the same agent — combine with business-model-sketcher for end-to-end coverage
- [`competitive-response-monitor`](../competitive-response-monitor/SKILL.md) — sibling skill under the same agent — combine with competitive-response-monitor for end-to-end coverage
- [`goal-framer`](../goal-framer/SKILL.md) — sibling skill under the same agent — combine with goal-framer for end-to-end coverage