Can I use this skill for non-technical projects?

Yes, while designed with technical implementations in mind, the core framework of specification, risk assessment, and metric-based tracking is applicable to any strategic business initiative.

What is the 'premortem' technique used in this skill?

A premortem is a strategy exercise where you imagine a project has failed in the future and work backward to identify the causes, allowing you to build mitigations into your plan today.

When should I use Chain Spec & Risk Metrics instead of a standard PRD?

Use this skill for high-stakes or high-complexity initiatives where the cost of failure is high and you need explicit risk documentation and measurable success guardrails.

What are counter-metrics?

Counter-metrics are indicators of things you are NOT willing to sacrifice for success, such as ensuring that increasing deployment frequency doesn't decrease system stability or team morale.

Chain Spec & Risk Metrics

Name: Chain Spec & Risk Metrics
Author: lyndonkl

bylyndonkl

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Collaboration Tools

Automates the creation of comprehensive project plans by integrating detailed specifications, proactive risk assessments, and measurable success criteria.

About

This skill facilitates high-stakes planning for migrations, launches, and strategic changes by chaining together three vital components: clear specifications, proactive risk identification via premortems, and quantifiable success metrics. It helps project leads and developers anticipate failure modes before they occur, establish objective tracking mechanisms, and ensure all stakeholders are aligned on scope and accountability. Whether you're moving from a monolith to microservices or launching a new product feature, this skill provides a structured framework to mitigate risks and validate outcomes through leading and lagging indicators.

Key Features

Standardized planning workflows with validation rubrics to ensure artifact completeness.
Comprehensive Specification framework covering scope, requirements, and dependencies.
Structured Risk Register generation with likelihood, impact, and mitigation strategies.
Automated Premortem Analysis for proactive risk identification and failure mode brainstorming.
Multi-dimensional Success Metrics including leading, lagging, and counter-metrics.
8 GitHub stars

Use Cases

Planning complex infrastructure or system migrations, such as moving from monolith to microservices.
Developing launch strategies for high-impact product features that require cross-functional alignment.
Conducting strategic risk assessments to identify and mitigate potential project blockers before they happen.

About

Key Features

Standardized planning workflows with validation rubrics to ensure artifact completeness.
Comprehensive Specification framework covering scope, requirements, and dependencies.
Structured Risk Register generation with likelihood, impact, and mitigation strategies.
Automated Premortem Analysis for proactive risk identification and failure mode brainstorming.
Multi-dimensional Success Metrics including leading, lagging, and counter-metrics.
8 GitHub stars

Use Cases

Planning complex infrastructure or system migrations, such as moving from monolith to microservices.
Developing launch strategies for high-impact product features that require cross-functional alignment.
Conducting strategic risk assessments to identify and mitigate potential project blockers before they happen.