observation-checklist

Observation readiness validation uses a structured checklist covering six failure modes: specification logs, clean builds with type checks and lint, boundary and property tests, dependency vulnerability and secret scans, and operational observability. This checklist surfaces critical gaps at minimal cost during project initiation, pre-release checks, and quality retros.

A baseline observation assessment enforces five core requirements: specification logs, clean builds with type checks and linting, boundary and property tests, dependency vulnerability scanning and secret detection, and operational observability setup. Optional concurrency monitoring extends coverage for specialized contexts.

Use observation checklists during project initiation to establish baselines, before releases to catch gaps, during quality improvement retros to identify weaknesses, and in ongoing assessments to maintain coverage. Early application prevents expensive observability rework later.

The observation assessment generates three outputs: observation-checklist.md documenting current coverage, observation-gap-report.md identifying unmet requirements, and observation-roadmap.md outlining remediation steps and priorities.

The observation checklist provides a universal five-point baseline applicable across contexts, with optional concurrency monitoring for specialized needs. The gap report and roadmap support tailoring to your project's constraints and risk profile.