# Stage Transition Templates ## Overview These templates help you transition smoothly between the four development stages: Exploration → Prototype → Development → Production. Each transition requires careful assessment and knowledge consolidation. ## Template 1: Exploration → Prototype Transition ### Readiness Assessment ``` Stage transition readiness: Exploration → Prototype ## 🎯 EXPLORATION COMPLETION CHECKLIST **Concept Validation (Must Complete All):** - [ ] Core game mechanic proven feasible - [ ] Technology stack tested and confirmed - [ ] User need validated through research/testing - [ ] Performance targets achievable with chosen approach - [ ] Key technical risks identified and mitigated **Research Documentation:** - [ ] Technology comparison documented - [ ] Architecture decisions recorded with rationale - [ ] Performance benchmarks established - [ ] User research findings captured - [ ] Competitive analysis completed ## 📊 TRANSITION READINESS SCORE: ___/10 **Missing Elements (if score <8):** - [ ] Item 1: [What needs completion] - [ ] Item 2: [What needs completion] ## 🚀 PROTOTYPE STAGE PREPARATION **Updated Project Description:** ```markdown **STAGE:** Prototype Development **VALIDATED CONCEPT:** [Proven concept from exploration] **EXPLORATION FINDINGS:** - ✓ [Key technical validation] - ✓ [User need confirmation] - ✓ [Performance feasibility] **PROTOTYPE SCOPE:** - **Core Feature:** [Single most important feature to prove] - **Success Metric:** [Measurable goal for prototype] - **Non-Goals:** [What we're deliberately NOT building] **TECHNOLOGY STACK:** - **Primary:** [Main technologies with rationale] - **Architecture:** [High-level approach] - **Performance Target:** [Specific benchmarks] ``` **Updated Project Instructions:** ``` DEVELOPMENT STAGE: Prototype Development PROJECT FOCUS: Building proof-of-concept with core functionality **PROTOTYPE PRIORITIES:** - Prioritize working functionality over code perfection - Use established patterns from exploration phase - Focus on proving core user-facing features - Document shortcuts taken for future cleanup ``` ## 🧠 KNOWLEDGE CONSOLIDATION **Archive from Exploration:** - Move research documents to `archive/exploration/` - Preserve decision rationale for future reference - Extract patterns for reuse in future projects **Carry Forward to Prototype:** - Core architectural decisions - Performance benchmarks and targets - Key learnings about user needs - Technology constraints and capabilities ``` ## Template 2: Prototype → Development Transition ### Readiness Assessment ``` Stage transition readiness: Prototype → Development ## 🎯 PROTOTYPE COMPLETION CHECKLIST **Core Functionality (Must Complete All):** - [ ] Primary feature working as intended - [ ] User interface proves usability - [ ] Performance targets achieved in testing - [ ] Technology stack handles requirements - [ ] Architecture scales to full feature set **Validation Documentation:** - [ ] User testing completed with positive results - [ ] Performance benchmarks documented - [ ] Architecture stress-tested with realistic data - [ ] Code quality assessment completed - [ ] Technical debt inventory created ## 📊 TRANSITION READINESS SCORE: ___/10 **Prototype Lessons Learned:** - **What Worked:** [Successful patterns to continue] - **What Didn't:** [Approaches to avoid in development] - **Surprises:** [Unexpected discoveries or challenges] ## 🏗️ DEVELOPMENT STAGE PREPARATION **Updated Project Description:** ```markdown **STAGE:** Active Development **PROVEN PROTOTYPE:** [What the prototype successfully demonstrated] **VALIDATED ARCHITECTURE:** - **Frontend:** [Confirmed approach and patterns] - **Backend:** [If applicable - confirmed stack] - **Performance:** [Achieved benchmarks] **DEVELOPMENT SCOPE:** - **Feature Set:** [Complete list of planned features] - **Quality Standards:** [Code quality, testing, documentation requirements] - **Timeline:** [Estimated completion timeframe] **SUCCESS CRITERIA:** - All features implemented and tested - Production-ready code quality - Comprehensive documentation - Deployment pipeline established ``` **Updated Project Instructions:** ``` DEVELOPMENT STAGE: Active Development PROJECT FOCUS: Building production-quality features and architecture **PRODUCTION QUALITY STANDARDS:** - Follow established architectural patterns strictly - Implement comprehensive error handling and validation - Write maintainable, well-documented code - Consider security implications for all features - Optimize for performance and scalability ``` ## 🔄 PROTOTYPE TO DEVELOPMENT HANDOFF **Code Quality Upgrade:** - [ ] Refactor prototype shortcuts - [ ] Implement proper error handling - [ ] Add comprehensive commenting - [ ] Establish testing framework - [ ] Set up linting and formatting **Architecture Refinement:** - [ ] Finalize component structure - [ ] Establish coding standards - [ ] Define API contracts - [ ] Plan database schema (if applicable) - [ ] Design deployment architecture ``` ## Template 3: Development → Production Transition ### Readiness Assessment ``` Stage transition readiness: Development → Production ## 🎯 DEVELOPMENT COMPLETION CHECKLIST **Feature Completion (Must Complete All):** - [ ] All planned features implemented - [ ] Comprehensive testing completed (unit, integration, E2E) - [ ] User acceptance testing passed - [ ] Performance optimization completed - [ ] Security audit completed **Production Readiness:** - [ ] Deployment pipeline established and tested - [ ] Monitoring and analytics implemented - [ ] Error tracking and logging configured - [ ] Backup and recovery procedures tested - [ ] Documentation complete and current **Quality Assurance:** - [ ] Code review process completed - [ ] Load testing passed - [ ] Cross-platform compatibility verified - [ ] Accessibility requirements met - [ ] Legal and compliance requirements satisfied ## 📊 TRANSITION READINESS SCORE: ___/10 **Pre-Launch Checklist:** - [ ] Domain and hosting configured - [ ] SSL certificates installed - [ ] CDN and caching configured - [ ] Database optimization completed - [ ] Backup systems verified ## 🚀 PRODUCTION STAGE PREPARATION **Updated Project Description:** ```markdown **STAGE:** Production & Maintenance **DEPLOYMENT STATUS:** [Live URL and current status] **PRODUCTION METRICS:** - **Users:** [Current active user count] - **Performance:** [Key metrics and targets] - **Uptime:** [Target and monitoring setup] **MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE:** - **Daily:** [Monitoring and health checks] - **Weekly:** [Performance review and optimization] - **Monthly:** [Feature planning and user feedback review] **ENHANCEMENT PIPELINE:** - **Priority 1:** [Next features based on user feedback] - **Priority 2:** [Performance and scaling improvements] - **Priority 3:** [Long-term strategic enhancements] ``` **Updated Project Instructions:** ``` DEVELOPMENT STAGE: Production & Maintenance PROJECT FOCUS: Maintaining live application and planning enhancements **PRODUCTION MAINTENANCE:** - Prioritize stability and backward compatibility - Consider impact on existing users for all changes - Implement gradual rollouts for significant changes - Maintain comprehensive monitoring and logging - Plan for rollback scenarios on all deployments ``` ## 🎯 PRODUCTION LAUNCH PREPARATION **Launch Strategy:** - [ ] Soft launch with limited users - [ ] Monitor system performance under real load - [ ] Gather initial user feedback - [ ] Address any critical issues - [ ] Plan full public launch **Post-Launch Monitoring:** - [ ] Set up automated alerts for critical issues - [ ] Establish user feedback collection channels - [ ] Plan regular performance reviews - [ ] Schedule security audits - [ ] Define success metrics and tracking ``` ## Template 4: Production → Next Project Transition ### Knowledge Extraction ``` Project completion and knowledge extraction ## 📚 PROJECT RETROSPECTIVE **Overall Success Assessment:** - **Goals Achieved:** [Original objectives met] - **User Impact:** [Actual user adoption and satisfaction] - **Technical Success:** [Performance and reliability metrics] - **Business Success:** [Revenue, growth, or other business metrics] **Key Learnings:** - **Technical:** [Architecture patterns, technology choices, performance optimization] - **Process:** [Development workflow, team collaboration, project management] - **User Experience:** [Interface design, user behavior, feedback patterns] ## 🔄 REUSABLE PATTERNS **Extract for Future Projects:** - [ ] Successful architectural patterns - [ ] Effective development workflows - [ ] User research methodologies - [ ] Testing and quality assurance processes - [ ] Deployment and operations procedures **Template Creation:** - [ ] Create project template from successful patterns - [ ] Document decision frameworks - [ ] Package reusable code components - [ ] Create process documentation templates ## 🎯 NEXT PROJECT PREPARATION **Apply Learnings:** - Use successful patterns as starting point - Avoid repeated mistakes - Leverage proven technology choices - Apply refined development processes **Knowledge Transfer:** - Archive complete project documentation - Create summary for stakeholders - Prepare handoff documentation if needed - Update personal/team knowledge base ``` ## Usage Guidelines ### When to Use These Templates - **Monthly reviews** - Assess readiness for transition - **Milestone completion** - Formal stage evaluation - **Project planning** - Understand what each stage requires - **Team handoffs** - Ensure complete knowledge transfer ### Customization Tips - Adapt checklists to your specific project type - Add domain-specific requirements - Include team-specific processes - Adjust timeline expectations based on project scope ### Success Metrics - **Smooth transitions** - No lost context or momentum - **Quality maintenance** - Each stage builds on previous properly - **Knowledge retention** - Decisions and learnings preserved - **Stakeholder confidence** - Clear progress and communication Remember: Stage transitions are investment opportunities. Spend the time to consolidate knowledge properly, and future stages will be much more efficient.