skills/arckit-adm-preliminary/SKILL.md
Set ADM scope, architecture vision, drivers, constraints, and success criteria
npx skillsauth add tractorjuice/arckit-codex arckit-adm-preliminaryInstall this skill globally with one command. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and Windsurf.
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You are helping an enterprise architect create an Architecture Vision document for the Preliminary phase of the TOGAF Architecture Development Method (ADM). This document defines the scope, drivers, constraints, and success criteria that will guide all subsequent ADM phases.
$ARGUMENTS
Note: Before generating, scan
projects/for existing project directories. For each project, list allARC-*.mdartifacts, checkexternal/for reference documents, and check000-global/for cross-project policies. If no external docs exist but they would improve output, ask the user.
MANDATORY (warn if missing):
$arckit-principles first. The Preliminary ADM must be grounded in architecture principles.RECOMMENDED (read if available, note if missing):
external/ files) — extract existing vision documents, strategic plans, enterprise architecture mandatesprojects/000-global/external/ — extract architecture vision statements, enterprise transformation plans, cross-project alignment documentsprojects/{project-dir}/external/ and re-run, or skip.".arckit/references/citation-instructions.md. Place inline citation markers (e.g., [PP-C1]) next to findings informed by source documents and populate the "External References" section in the template.Identify the target project from the hook context. If the user specifies a project that doesn't exist yet, create a new project:
projects/*/ directories and find the highest NNN-* number (or start at 001 if none exist)002)projects/{NNN}-{slug}/README.md with the project name, ID, and date — the Write tool will create all parent directories automaticallyprojects/{NNN}-{slug}/external/README.md with a note to place external reference documents herePROJECT_ID = the 3-digit number, PROJECT_PATH = the new directory pathRead the template (with user override support):
.arckit/templates-custom/adm-preliminary-template.md exists in the project root.arckit/templates/adm-preliminary-template.md (default)Tip: Users can customise templates with
$arckit-customize adm-preliminary
Before generating the document, ask the user about the scope of this ADM engagement:
direct user question: "What is the scope of this ADM engagement?"
Enterprise-wide | Business Unit | Project-specificBusiness UnitCreate the Architecture Vision document following the template structure. Populate all sections with content derived from the available artifacts.
ARC-{P}-ADMP-v1.0 (for filename: ARC-{P}-ADMP-v1.0.md)If the user indicates this is a UK Government project, include:
If this is a Ministry of Defence project, include:
Read .arckit/skills/mermaid-syntax/references/flowchart.md for official Mermaid syntax — node shapes, edge labels, and styling options for C4 Context diagrams.
Before writing the file, read .arckit/references/quality-checklist.md and verify all Common Checks plus the ADMP per-type checks pass. Fix any failures before proceeding.
IMPORTANT: The Architecture Vision document will be a substantial document (typically 200-350 lines). You MUST use the Write tool to create the file, NOT output the full content in chat.
Create the file at:
projects/{P}/ARC-{P}-ADMP-v1.0.md
Use the Write tool with the complete content following the template structure.
After writing the file, show a concise summary (NOT the full document):
## Architecture Vision Created
**Document**: `projects/{P}/ARC-{P}-ADMP-v1.0.md`
**Document ID**: ARC-{P}-ADMP-v1.0
### Vision Scope
- **Scope**: [Enterprise-wide / Business Unit / Project-specific]
- **In Scope**: [N] areas
- **Out of Scope**: [N] areas explicitly excluded
### Drivers & Constraints
- **Drivers**: [N] drivers identified ([strategic] strategic, [operational] operational, [compliance] compliance, [technology] technology)
- **Constraints**: [N] constraints ([budget] budget, [timeline] timeline, [regulatory] regulatory, [technical] technical)
### Success Criteria
| # | Criterion | Target |
|---|-----------|--------|
| 1 | [Criterion 1] | [Target 1] |
| 2 | [Criterion 2] | [Target 2] |
| 3 | [Criterion 3] | [Target 3] |
### ADM Scope
- **In scope phases**: [List phases marked as in scope]
- **Out of scope phases**: [List phases marked as out of scope]
### Synthesised From
- ✅ Architecture Principles: ARC-000-PRIN-v[N].md
- [✅/⚠️] Stakeholder Analysis: ARC-{P}-STKE-v[N].md
- [✅/⚠️] Architecture Strategy: ARC-{P}-STRAT-v[N].md
### Next Steps
1. Review Architecture Vision with Architecture Board / Sponsor
2. Validate scope boundaries with key stakeholders
3. Begin Phase A (Architecture Vision refinement): `$arckit-business-capability-map`
4. Perform gap analysis: `$arckit-gap-analysis`
### Traceability
- Aligns to [N] architecture principles
- Addresses [N] stakeholder drivers
- Defines [N] success criteria
**File location**: `projects/{P}/ARC-{P}-ADMP-v1.0.md`
Technology-Agnostic: This document must remain technology-agnostic at this stage. Specific technology decisions belong in later ADM phases (Phases B, C, D). The Preliminary phase sets the vision, not the technical solution.
Traceability is Critical: Every driver, constraint, and success criterion must trace back to source documents (PRIN, STKE, STRAT). This ensures the vision is grounded in agreed artifacts, not assumptions.
Mandatory Prerequisites: The Preliminary ADM requires PRIN (principles) as a mandatory prerequisite. STKE and STRAT are strongly recommended but the command can proceed with warnings if missing.
Executive Audience: The Architecture Vision is intended for executive stakeholders and governance bodies. Use appropriate language and focus on business outcomes rather than technical details.
Scope Boundaries: Be explicit about what is out of scope. Ambiguous scope boundaries are the most common cause of ADM engagement failure.
Version Management: If an Architecture Vision already exists (ARC-*-ADMP-v*.md), create a new version (v2.0) rather than overwriting. Architecture visions should be versioned to track evolution across ADM cycles.
Integration with Other Commands:
$arckit-business-capability-map (Phase A — Business Architecture), $arckit-gap-analysis (Phase E — Opportunities & Solutions)$arckit-principles, $arckit-stakeholders, $arckit-strategyTOGAF Alignment: This document maps to TOGAF ADM Preliminary Phase outputs: Architecture Principles, Architecture Repository, Architecture Capability, ADM Scope & Tailoring, and Architecture Vision.
Markdown escaping: When writing less-than or greater-than comparisons, always include a space after < or > (e.g., < 3 seconds, > 99.9% uptime) to prevent markdown renderers from interpreting them as HTML tags or emoji
After completing this command, consider running:
$arckit-business-capability-map -- Map business capabilities within the defined scope$arckit-gap-analysis -- Perform gap analysis based on scope and visiondatabases
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