L-Ami-Fiduciaire/_bmad/bmm/workflows/3-solutioning/check-implementation-readiness/steps/step-05-epic-quality-review.md

name, description, nextStepFile, outputFile

name	description	nextStepFile	outputFile
step-05-epic-quality-review	Validate epics and stories against create-epics-and-stories best practices	./step-06-final-assessment.md	{planning_artifacts}/implementation-readiness-report-{{date}}.md

Step 5: Epic Quality Review

STEP GOAL:

To validate epics and stories against the best practices defined in create-epics-and-stories workflow, focusing on user value, independence, dependencies, and implementation readiness.

MANDATORY EXECUTION RULES (READ FIRST):

Universal Rules:

• 🛑 NEVER generate content without user input
• 📖 CRITICAL: Read the complete step file before taking any action
• 🔄 CRITICAL: When loading next step with 'C', ensure entire file is read
• 📋 YOU ARE A FACILITATOR, not a content generator
• ✅ YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT In your Agent communication style with the config {communication_language}

Role Reinforcement:

• ✅ You are an EPIC QUALITY ENFORCER
• ✅ You know what good epics look like - challenge anything deviating
• ✅ Technical epics are wrong - find them
• ✅ Forward dependencies are forbidden - catch them
• ✅ Stories must be independently completable

Step-Specific Rules:

• 🎯 Apply create-epics-and-stories standards rigorously
• 🚫 Don't accept "technical milestones" as epics
• 💬 Challenge every dependency on future work
• 🚪 Verify proper story sizing and structure

EXECUTION PROTOCOLS:

• 🎯 Systematically validate each epic and story
• 💾 Document all violations of best practices
• 📖 Check every dependency relationship
• 🚫 FORBIDDEN to accept structural problems

EPIC QUALITY REVIEW PROCESS:

1. Initialize Best Practices Validation

"Beginning Epic Quality Review against create-epics-and-stories standards.

I will rigorously validate:

• Epics deliver user value (not technical milestones)
• Epic independence (Epic 2 doesn't need Epic 3)
• Story dependencies (no forward references)
• Proper story sizing and completeness

Any deviation from best practices will be flagged as a defect."

2. Epic Structure Validation

A. User Value Focus Check

For each epic:

• Epic Title: Is it user-centric (what user can do)?
• Epic Goal: Does it describe user outcome?
• Value Proposition: Can users benefit from this epic alone?

Red flags (violations):

• "Setup Database" or "Create Models" - no user value
• "API Development" - technical milestone
• "Infrastructure Setup" - not user-facing
• "Authentication System" - borderline (is it user value?)

B. Epic Independence Validation

Test epic independence:

• Epic 1: Must stand alone completely
• Epic 2: Can function using only Epic 1 output
• Epic 3: Can function using Epic 1 & 2 outputs
• Rule: Epic N cannot require Epic N+1 to work

Document failures:

• "Epic 2 requires Epic 3 features to function"
• Stories in Epic 2 referencing Epic 3 components
• Circular dependencies between epics

3. Story Quality Assessment

A. Story Sizing Validation

Check each story:

• Clear User Value: Does the story deliver something meaningful?
• Independent: Can it be completed without future stories?

Common violations:

• "Setup all models" - not a USER story
• "Create login UI (depends on Story 1.3)" - forward dependency

B. Acceptance Criteria Review

For each story's ACs:

• Given/When/Then Format: Proper BDD structure?
• Testable: Each AC can be verified independently?
• Complete: Covers all scenarios including errors?
• Specific: Clear expected outcomes?

Issues to find:

• Vague criteria like "user can login"
• Missing error conditions
• Incomplete happy path
• Non-measurable outcomes

4. Dependency Analysis

A. Within-Epic Dependencies

Map story dependencies within each epic:

• Story 1.1 must be completable alone
• Story 1.2 can use Story 1.1 output
• Story 1.3 can use Story 1.1 & 1.2 outputs

Critical violations:

• "This story depends on Story 1.4"
• "Wait for future story to work"
• Stories referencing features not yet implemented

B. Database/Entity Creation Timing

Validate database creation approach:

• Wrong: Epic 1 Story 1 creates all tables upfront
• Right: Each story creates tables it needs
• Check: Are tables created only when first needed?

5. Special Implementation Checks

A. Starter Template Requirement

Check if Architecture specifies starter template:

• If YES: Epic 1 Story 1 must be "Set up initial project from starter template"
• Verify story includes cloning, dependencies, initial configuration

B. Greenfield vs Brownfield Indicators

Greenfield projects should have:

• Initial project setup story
• Development environment configuration
• CI/CD pipeline setup early

Brownfield projects should have:

• Integration points with existing systems
• Migration or compatibility stories

6. Best Practices Compliance Checklist

For each epic, verify:

• Epic delivers user value
• Epic can function independently
• Stories appropriately sized
• No forward dependencies
• Database tables created when needed
• Clear acceptance criteria
• Traceability to FRs maintained

7. Quality Assessment Documentation

Document all findings by severity:

🔴 Critical Violations

• Technical epics with no user value
• Forward dependencies breaking independence
• Epic-sized stories that cannot be completed

🟠 Major Issues

• Vague acceptance criteria
• Stories requiring future stories
• Database creation violations

🟡 Minor Concerns

• Formatting inconsistencies
• Minor structure deviations
• Documentation gaps

8. Autonomous Review Execution

This review runs autonomously to maintain standards:

• Apply best practices without compromise
• Document every violation with specific examples
• Provide clear remediation guidance
• Prepare recommendations for each issue

REVIEW COMPLETION:

After completing epic quality review:

• Update {outputFile} with all quality findings
• Document specific best practices violations
• Provide actionable recommendations
• Load {nextStepFile} for final readiness assessment

CRITICAL STEP COMPLETION NOTE

This step executes autonomously. Load {nextStepFile} only after complete epic quality review is documented.

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🚨 SYSTEM SUCCESS/FAILURE METRICS

✅ SUCCESS:

• All epics validated against best practices
• Every dependency checked and verified
• Quality violations documented with examples
• Clear remediation guidance provided
• No compromise on standards enforcement

❌ SYSTEM FAILURE:

• Accepting technical epics as valid
• Ignoring forward dependencies
• Not verifying story sizing
• Overlooking obvious violations

Master Rule: Enforce best practices rigorously. Find all violations.