v1
3Layer 3 · Profiles

Profiles: named document-set expectations.

A profile is a named bundle of expectations for a project: which document kinds it must carry, which are merely recommended, and how strict the gate is. Point a project at one, and its status page tells you what's still missing.

Profiles are to this standard what distributions are to a kernel: the principles hold still while implementations diverge.

What a profile is.

A small YAML file that lists the kinds a project is expected to carry, at two levels, required and recommended. A project opts in with one line of frontmatter.

profiles/regulated-industry.yaml
name: regulated-industryenforce_when: active          # gaps block CI only once the project is activeexpects:required:    [charter, business-case, brd, prd, frnfr, test-cases, risk-register, raci-stakeholder, qa-test-plan]recommended: [adr, runbook, status-report, benefits-realization]
documents/PRJ-001-AUR/project.md
kind: projectid: PRJ-001-AURstatus: activeprofile: regulated-industry   # opt in
Complete · incomplete · missing
The project page classifies each expected kind: complete (present, approved, passing), incomplete (present but still draft), or missing. A missing required kind blocks the merge once the project reaches its enforce_when stage. Before that, a proposed project shows the same gaps as advisory amber.

The profiles that ship.

Four profiles live in the reference library today. Point a project at one, or copy it as a starting point.

regulated-industry
The full governance spine for finance, healthcare, or government.
requiredcharter, business-case, brd, prd, frnfr, test-cases, risk-register, raci-stakeholder, qa-test-plan
recommendedadr, runbook, status-report, benefits-realization
lean-startup
The minimum spine. Gaps stay advisory until the project goes active, so a small team is never blocked for unfinished docs.
requiredcharter, brd, prd, test-cases
recommendedrisk-register
agile-delivery
Story-led: every story traces to a product requirement, every acceptance criterion to a test.
requiredcharter, prd, user-story, test-cases
recommendedbrd, risk-register
operations
Period-chartered keep-the-lights-on: a governed service catalog with a review date that turns derived status amber by itself when it lapses.
requiredoperations
recommendedrisk-register, runbook

Author your own.

Drop a new file in profiles/ and point projects at it. For deeper changes, such as extra required sections or stricter checks, edit the criteria/ trio the kinds share.

profiles/our-org.yaml
name: our-orgenforce_when: activeexpects:required:    [charter, brd, prd, test-cases, risk-register]recommended: [adr, runbook]

Then profile: our-org in each project's project.md. A CI check flags an unknown profile, so a typo can't slip through.