story-readiness

Validate story files for implementation readiness and return READY, NEEDS WORK, or BLOCKED.

1|Updated May 15, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/dnkrow/skill --skill story-readiness-dnkrow
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: story-readiness
Source: https://github.com/dnkrow/skill/tree/main/claude-global/story-readiness
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/dnkrow/skill --skill story-readiness-dnkrow

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

This Skill prevents mid-sprint surprises by validating whether a story is fully implementation-ready, with clear, testable acceptance criteria and required architecture context.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Implementation-ready validation: Checks GDD requirement references, acceptance criteria testability, and scope clarity so developers can start without guessing.
  • Architecture/traceability checks: Verifies referenced ADR status, TR-ID validity, and control manifest version currency when available.
  • Dependency and risk gating: Detects missing or DRAFT dependency stories and flags unresolved design questions as blockers.
  • Asset existence verification: Scans for referenced assets and confirms they exist (or reports missing paths).
  • Actionable output: Produces READY / NEEDS WORK / BLOCKED with specific gaps or blockers per story.

Quick Start

Run this skill on a single story file to receive a readiness verdict and a concrete list of what must be fixed before implementation.

Frequently Asked Questions about story-readiness

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I check if a story is ready for implementation before sprint planning?

Story readiness validation checks GDD requirement references, acceptance criteria testability, and architecture traceability to return a READY, NEEDS WORK, or BLOCKED verdict with precise gaps. This prevents mid-sprint surprises by ensuring developers start without guessing.

What makes acceptance criteria testable for story validation?

Testable acceptance criteria require clear scope and explicit test evidence expectations without unresolved design questions. Story validation assesses criteria quality by parsing GDD-linked requirements and verifying scope clarity to ensure implementation can proceed without ambiguity.

How do I verify ADR traceability and TR-ID registry entries for a story?

ADR traceability verification checks the status of referenced Architecture Decision Records and validates TR-ID registry entries within the story file. Readiness gating confirms these architecture references are current and valid before assigning implementation work to developers.

Can I validate all stories in a sprint or epic at once?

Sprint and epic story validation supports checking one story path, all stories in the current sprint, all production epic stories, or stories for a specific epic. The readiness gate returns individual verdicts and gaps for each validated story.

What happens if a story has missing or DRAFT dependency stories?

Dependency and risk gating detects missing or DRAFT dependency stories and flags unresolved design questions as blockers. The validation returns a BLOCKED status with specific gaps, ensuring these dependencies are resolved before implementation begins.