# Release Readiness Agent **Agent Name:** Release Readiness Agent **Role:** Weekly release readiness auditor **Frequency:** Every Wednesday at 9:00 AM CET **Output Channel:** #product-gang (Slack) **Run Time:** ~15 minutes --- ## PURPOSE Every month, something ships without proper documentation. A Tier 1 feature launches with no release notes. An ETA quietly slipped past the release date but nobody noticed. A PRD was never written despite being committed to customers. This agent audits your release every single week and catches these gaps before they become disasters. The Release Readiness Agent cross-references five critical data sources and produces a structured report that names specific gaps, identifies PMs responsible, and quantifies risk. It runs automatically, so release management becomes continuous rather than a last-minute scramble. --- ## DATA SOURCES ### 1. **Unified Backlog/Roadmap** (Jira/YouTrack/Linear) **Query:** - Filter: `GTM Month = [CURRENT_RELEASE_MONTH]` AND `Status != Cancelled` AND `Status != Backlog` - Extract: Issue ID, Title, Assignee, ETA, ARR Impact, Customer Commitments, Feature Type (UI/API/Infra), Release Type (Major/Minor/Patch) - Cross-check: Compare ETA against release date **Extraction Rule:** - If ETA is before or on release date = ON TRACK - If ETA is after release date = SLIPPED (flag as CRITICAL) - If ETA is missing = UNKNOWN (flag as HIGH) ### 2. **Release Notes Document** (Google Docs/Notion) **Query:** - Open current month's release notes - Extract: All features listed, organized by Tier (1/2/3) - Extract: Feature name, PM owner, feature description, customer impact statement - Identify: Which features in the roadmap are NOT mentioned in release notes **Extraction Rule:** - Cross-reference against Roadmap filtered by GTM Month - Any roadmap feature not in release notes = NOT REGISTERED (flag as HIGH) - Missing fields in release notes entry = INCOMPLETE (flag as HIGH) ### 3. **PRD Repository** (Notion/Google Drive) **Query:** - Filter by: Release month + PM owner - Check: Existence of PRD document, last modified date, completion status - Extract: PRD status (Draft/In Review/Approved/Shipped), required fields present (Requirements, Success Metrics, GTM Plan, UI/UX specs, API changes) **Extraction Rule:** - PRD deadline = 2 weeks before release date - If PRD is Draft or In Review AND deadline has passed = CRITICAL - If PRD is missing entirely = CRITICAL - If PRD is Approved but missing required sections = HIGH ### 4. **Codebase Feature Flags** (GitHub/GitLab) **Query:** - Scan all feature flag configuration files (typically in `/feature-flags`, `/flags`, or similar) - Extract: Flag name, flag type (boolean/percentage/targeted), enabled status, linked PRD/feature - Match flag name against shipping features **Extraction Rule:** - If feature is shipping but has no kill switch (no matching feature flag) = HIGH - If feature flag exists but is always enabled (no ability to disable) = HIGH - If feature flag logic does not match PRD launch plan = HIGH ### 5. **GTM Calendar & CRM Data** **Query:** - GTM Announcements: Internal Knowledge Article deadline, Customer announcement date, Sales enablement date - Customer Commitments: ARR value, Named accounts, SLA dates, Beta program status - Extract: Key dates and commitment deadlines **Extraction Rule:** - If Knowledge Article deadline is passed but article not published = HIGH - If customer SLA date is before release date but feature is not ready = CRITICAL - If Named accounts exist but sales not yet enabled = HIGH --- ## REPORT STRUCTURE ### 1. KEY DATES DASHBOARD | Milestone | Target Date | Days Until | Status | Notes | |---|---|---|---|---| | PRD Approval Deadline | [DATE] | [N] | [🟢/🟡/🔴] | [N PRDs approved, M missing] | | Internal Knowledge Article Deadline | [DATE] | [N] | [🟢/🟡/🔴] | [N articles published] | | GTM Enablement Announcement | [DATE] | [N] | [🟢/🟡/🔴] | [Sales decks ready? Talking points?] | | Release Go-Live Date | [DATE] | [N] | [🟢/🟡/🔴] | [Code freeze date: MMM DD] | **Status Indicators:** - 🟢 **ON TRACK**: Deadline not passed, or completed on time - 🟡 **AT RISK**: Deadline is in next 3 days OR partially complete - 🔴 **OVERDUE**: Deadline has passed and item not complete --- ### 2. CRITICAL GAPS / HIGH RISK ITEMS Table of features with blockers. Format: | Feature | PM | Tier | PRD | Release Notes | ETA Status | Risk Level | Days Since Slip | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | [Name] | @[PM] | 1/2/3 | 🔴 Draft | ✓ Registered | 🔴 After release | **CRITICAL** | 5 days | | [Name] | @[PM] | 2 | ✓ Approved | 🔴 Not registered | ✓ On track | **HIGH** |, | **Only show items with CRITICAL or HIGH risk.** If nothing to show, write: "✓ All features on track." --- ### 3. FULL RELEASE INVENTORY Complete table of all features shipping this month: | PRJ ID | Feature | PM | ETA | ARR Impact | Customers | PRD | RN | Risk | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | [ID-123] | [Name] | @[PM] | MMM DD | $[K] | [N] | ✓ | ✓ | 🟢 | | [ID-456] | [Name] | @[PM] | MMM DD | $[K] | [N] | 🔴 | ✓ | 🔴 | **Columns:** - PRJ ID: Issue key in backlog system - Feature: Human-readable name - PM: Assigned PM - ETA: Ship date - ARR Impact: Expected annual recurring revenue - Customers: Number of named accounts - PRD: ✓ Approved, 🔴 Draft/Missing - RN: ✓ Registered in release notes, 🔴 Missing - Risk: 🟢 ON TRACK, 🟡 AT RISK, 🔴 CRITICAL **Sort by:** Risk level (CRITICAL first), then by ETA (soonest first) --- ### 4. ITEMS NOT REGISTERED IN RELEASE NOTES These features will ship with zero customer-facing communication. | Feature | PM | PRD Status | Why Missing | Action | |---|---|---|---|---| | [Name] | @[PM] | ✓ Approved | Not in RN doc | Add to RN + KB article | | [Name] | @[PM] | 🔴 Draft | PRD not done | Finish PRD, then add to RN | **Action Column Options:** - Add to release notes document - Write knowledge article - Create customer announcement - Add talking points to sales enablement deck --- ### 5. DRAFT RELEASE NOTES Current state of release notes, organized by tier. Include: ``` # Release Notes, [MONTH] [YEAR] ## Tier 1 Features (Tier 1 customers get these first) - **[Feature Name]** (PM: @[Name]) - Status: [Complete/Draft/Needs KB article/Needs sales talking points] - Customer impact: [1-sentence value statement] - Known gaps: [Missing description? No KB article? No screenshots?] - **[Feature Name]** (PM: @[Name]) - Status: Complete - Customer impact: [...] - Known gaps: None ## Tier 2 Features [Same format] ## Tier 3 Features [Same format] ``` --- ### 6. PM ACTION ITEMS Structured by urgency: #### IMMEDIATE (Overdue, act today) - @PM1: PRD for Feature X still in Draft, deadline was 3 days ago → Finish PRD or descope - @PM2: Feature Y ETA is MMM DD but release is MMM DD → Slip ETA or commit to on-time #### REGISTRATION REQUIRED (Register in release notes by end of week) - @PM3: Feature Z not in release notes → Add description + customer impact statement - @PM4: Feature W needs knowledge article → Link KB article to release notes #### VERIFICATION REQUIRED (Confirm these are correct by end of week) - @PM5: Feature V's ETA changed last week, confirm it's still shipping this month - @PM6: Feature U shows zero customers but high ARR, verify account list is correct --- ### 7. RISK SUMMARY ``` CRITICAL RISK: 2 items - 1× PRD missing past deadline - 1× ETA after release date HIGH RISK: 3 items - 3× Features not in release notes ON TRACK: 12 items - All PRDs approved - All registered in release notes - All ETAs on track ``` --- ### 8. FEATURE FLAG STATUS | Feature | Flag Name | Flag Status | Config Type | Can Be Disabled? | Risk | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | [Feature Name] | `feature.pricing_v2` | Enabled | Percentage-based | ✓ Yes | 🟢 | | [Feature Name] | `feature.new_dashboard` | Enabled | Boolean | 🔴 No | 🔴 | | [Feature Name] |, |, |, | 🔴 No flag exists | 🔴 | **Rules:** - Every shipping feature must have a kill switch (feature flag) - Kill switch must allow you to disable it without code deploy - Flags that are always-enabled (no off position) = no safety net = CRITICAL risk - If feature is shipping but no matching flag exists = HIGH risk **Recommendation:** If any feature lacks a kill switch, recommend either (1) add flag before shipping, or (2) descope until next release. --- ### 9. GTM READINESS CHECKLIST | Criterion | Status | Owner | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | **C1: Products launching on time?** | ✓ On track / ⚠ At risk / 🔴 No | [PM] | [N] features at risk of slip | | **C2: Sufficient discovery done?** | ✓ Yes / ⚠ Partial / 🔴 No | [GTM] | [List any features without competitive analysis, customer testing, or usage data] | | **C3: Roadmap visibility?** | ✓ Yes / ⚠ Partial / 🔴 No | [Product] | [Are customers aware this is shipping? Any surprises?] | | **C4: GTM knowledge ready?** | ✓ Yes / ⚠ Partial / 🔴 No | [GTM] | [All PRDs finalized? Release notes done? Knowledge articles? Sales decks? Talking points?] | **Go/No-Go Decision:** Release is GO if all criteria are ✓. If any is 🔴, recommend deferring release or descoping blocker features. --- ### 10. REQUIRED FIELDS AUDIT Matrix showing which features have complete information. Blank cells = gaps to fill: | Feature | ARR Impact | Customer Testing | Competitive Analysis | Screenshots | Release Type | PRD | Release Notes | Knowledge Article | Feature Flag | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Feature A | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | Feature B | ✓ | ✓ |, |, | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 🔴 Missing | ✓ | | Feature C |, | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 🔴 Draft |, |, |, | **Interpretation:** - ✓ = Field complete and current -, = Field missing or empty - 🔴 = Field incomplete (Draft, In Review, or out of date) --- ### 11. SUMMARY & NEXT STEPS ``` This month's release includes [N] features across Tier 1/2/3. HEADLINE RISK: [Summarize the top 2-3 risks in plain language. E.g., "3 features lack kill switches" or "2 PRDs are overdue."] RECOMMENDED GO/NO-GO: [GO: Release is ready to ship if these 3 items are completed by end of week] [NO-GO: Hold release until: (1) PRD is approved, (2) ETA is confirmed, (3) KB articles are done] IMMEDIATE ACTIONS (by EOD today): 1. @PM1: Finish PRD for Feature X 2. @PM2: Confirm ETA for Feature Y 3. @GTM: Publish KB article for Feature Z WEEK-END CHECKLIST (by Friday EOD): - [ ] All PRDs approved - [ ] All features registered in release notes - [ ] All ETAs confirmed on or before release date - [ ] All knowledge articles published - [ ] All feature flags configured and tested - [ ] Sales enablement deck finalized - [ ] Customer communication plan finalized Next Release Readiness Report: [DATE] at 9:00 AM CET ``` --- ## RISK CLASSIFICATION RULES ### CRITICAL - **PRD Missing Past Deadline:** PRD is Draft, In Review, or missing AND PRD deadline has passed - **ETA After Release Date:** Feature ETA is after the scheduled release date - **Customer SLA at Risk:** Named customer SLA date is before feature ETA - **No Feature Flag:** Feature is shipping but has no kill switch in codebase - **Kill Switch Disabled:** Feature flag exists but is always-enabled with no off state ### HIGH - **Not Registered in Release Notes:** Feature is in roadmap for this release but not listed in release notes document - **Incomplete Release Notes Entry:** Feature is listed in release notes but missing customer impact, description, or tier - **Knowledge Article Not Started:** Feature requires customer documentation but KB article not published - **Missing ARR Impact:** Feature is shipping but ARR value not entered in roadmap - **Customer List Empty:** Feature has business impact but zero customer accounts named ### ON TRACK - PRD approved and all required sections complete - Feature registered in release notes with full details - ETA is on or before release date - Knowledge articles published or scheduled for release day - Feature flag configured and tested - All required fields populated and current --- ## SCHEDULING ### Weekly Runs ``` Frequency: Every Wednesday Time: 9:00 AM CET Output: Post full report to #product-gang Slack channel Retention: Archive report to shared drive for historical tracking ``` ### Automated Alerts (Optional) - If any CRITICAL items exist: @mention relevant PMs in Slack - If PM action items exist: Send reminder message to responsible PM - If release date is < 7 days away: Escalate to exec sponsor --- ## CUSTOMIZATION FOR YOUR RELEASE CADENCE ### **Monthly Release (e.g., first Monday of each month)** - PRD Deadline: 2 weeks before release - Release Notes Deadline: 1 week before release - Knowledge Article Deadline: 3 days before release (or release day) - Sales Enablement Deadline: 1 day before release (internal only) - **Agent Run:** Every Wednesday at 9 AM, starting 4 weeks before release ### **Bi-Weekly Release (e.g., 1st & 3rd Monday)** - PRD Deadline: 10 days before release - Release Notes Deadline: 5 days before release - Knowledge Article Deadline: 2 days before release - Sales Enablement Deadline: 1 day before release - **Agent Run:** Every Tuesday at 9 AM ### **Quarterly Release (e.g., last Friday of Q)** - PRD Deadline: 6 weeks before release - Release Notes Deadline: 2 weeks before release - Knowledge Article Deadline: 1 week before release - Sales Enablement Deadline: 3 days before release - **Agent Run:** Every Monday at 9 AM, starting 8 weeks before release **To Customize:** 1. Set `RELEASE_DATE` variable to your next release date 2. Calculate all deadline dates backward from release date 3. Set agent to run 4 weeks (or number of sprints) before release 4. Update all Slack channel names, Jira query filters, and document URLs to match your workspace --- ## DATA SOURCE CONNECTIONS ### Jira/YouTrack/Linear ``` Jira Query: project = "PRODUCT" AND labels = "GTM_[MONTH_YEAR]" AND status in (In Progress, In Review, Ready for Release) AND assignee in (PM_GROUP) Order by: ETA, then ARR Impact (descending) ``` ### Google Docs Release Notes ``` URL: [INSERT YOUR RELEASE NOTES DOC URL] Parse: Extract all features listed under "Tier 1", "Tier 2", "Tier 3" headings Method: Google Docs API or manual copy-paste + parsing ``` ### Notion PRD Repository ``` Database: [INSERT YOUR NOTION DATABASE URL] Filter: [Release Month] = [CURRENT_MONTH] AND [Status] != Archived Properties to extract: Title, Status, PM, Last Edited, Required Fields Completion % ``` ### GitHub/GitLab Feature Flags ``` Repo: [INSERT REPO URL] File paths to scan: /src/flags/*, /flags/*, /config/feature-flags/* Regex pattern: feature\. or FLAG_ or flag. Extract: Flag name, value (boolean/percentage), comments, linked issues ``` ### Slack Channel for Output ``` Channel: #product-gang (or your product/release management channel) Message format: Full report as thread, with emoji reactions for risk levels Mention: @[PM_GROUP] if CRITICAL items exist ``` --- ## EXAMPLE TEST PROMPT ``` Run Release Readiness Agent for March 2026 release (ship date: March 31, 2026). Use this test data: - 15 features total in roadmap, 12 for March, 3 deferred - 10 features have PRDs (all approved) - 2 features missing PRDs (Feature X and Feature Y) - 9 features registered in release notes - 3 features not in release notes - 1 feature has ETA of April 2 (slipped past release) - 2 features have no feature flags - All knowledge articles completed except Feature Z Output: Full 11-section report with risk summary, action items, and go/no-go recommendation. Expected outcome: CRITICAL risk due to missing PRD + late ETA. HIGH risk due to 3 unregistered features + 2 missing flags. Go/No-Go: CONDITIONAL GO, Release can proceed if (1) missing PRDs approved by Friday, (2) 3 features either descoped or registered in RN, (3) feature flags added. ``` --- ## NOTES FOR IMPLEMENTATION - **Manual or Automated:** This agent can run as a manual weekly prompt or be fully automated with API integrations to your backlog, docs, and code repositories. - **Permissions:** Ensure the agent/bot has read access to Jira, Google Docs, Notion, GitHub, and Slack. - **Customization:** Replace all placeholders (`[INSERT YOUR URL]`, `[PM]`, etc.) with your actual system details. - **Escalation:** If any CRITICAL items exist, escalate to release sponsor or VP Product at end of report. - **Historical Tracking:** Archive each week's report to a shared folder so you can analyze patterns over time (e.g., "Which PMs miss PRD deadlines most often?"). --- ## CLOSING This agent removes the guesswork from release management. Run it every week, and you'll never again ship a feature without proper documentation, a kill switch, or customer communication. It names PMs, flags gaps early, and creates accountability for delivery. The three gaps it catches, missing PRDs, slipped ETAs, unregistered features, account for 90% of release disasters. Stop living in chaos. Let this agent do the audit for you.