Gate As Claim Audit
Input: $ARGUMENTS
Overview
Convert gates from “yes/no vibe checks” into explicit, checkable claim-interfaces. A gate that can be passed by saying “yes, looks good” is not a gate — it’s a suggestion. Real gates require evidence.
Steps
Step 1: Extract Gate Claims
For each gate in the target:
- List the gate ID/name
- List the question or criterion
- List the evaluation criteria and pass/fail branches
- Identify which field is the actual decision hook (what determines pass/fail)
Step 2: Classify Answer-Interface
For each gate entry, classify what kind of answer it actually requires:
| Interface Type | Definition | Example | Checkable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definition | What does term X mean? | ”Is the goal clear?” | Only if “clear” is defined |
| Observation | What do you see? | ”Are tests passing?” | Yes — look at test results |
| Provenance | What source supports this? | ”Is the claim verified?” | Only if verification source specified |
| Measurement | What metric and value? | ”Is performance adequate?” | Only if metric and threshold defined |
| Decision | What choice was made and why? | ”Was the approach selected?” | Only if selection criteria exist |
Step 3: Identify Vibe-Check Gates
Flag gates that can be passed WITHOUT substantive content:
Vibe-check indicators:
| Indicator | Example | Problem |
|---|---|---|
| ”Does the [document] exist?" | "Is there a risk assessment?” | Existence ≠ quality |
| ”Was [process] done?" | "Was the design reviewed?” | Process ≠ outcome |
| ”Is [quality] adequate?" | "Is the plan complete?” | No standard for “adequate” |
| Binary on continuous | ”Yes/no on a spectrum question” | Loses nuance |
| Self-certification | ”Do you believe…?” | Fox guarding henhouse |
Step 4: Convert to Claim-Interfaces
For each vibe-check gate, rewrite as explicit claims:
Before: “Is the risk assessment complete?” After:
Gate: Risk Assessment Completeness
Claims:
1. "At least 5 risks are identified" — check: count entries
2. "Each risk has likelihood AND severity score" — check: inspect each entry
3. "Top 3 risks have mitigation plans" — check: verify plans exist with specific actions
4. "No category from the standard risk taxonomy is unrepresented" — check: compare against taxonomy
Each claim should be:
- Specific (not vague)
- Observable (can be checked by looking at artifacts)
- Binary per claim (each claim is clearly true or false)
- Independent (one claim failing doesn’t affect others)
Step 5: Design Minimum Checks
For each converted gate, define the minimum check that ensures content (not just format):
GATE: [name]
Pass requires ALL of:
1. [claim] — verified by: [how to check]
2. [claim] — verified by: [how to check]
3. [claim] — verified by: [how to check]
Evidence required: [what must exist, not just what must be claimed]
Verifier: [who checks — must be someone other than the creator]
Step 6: Identify Passable-Without-Content Gates
The most dangerous gates: ones that can be satisfied by formatting alone.
| Gate | Can Be Gamed By | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| [gate] | [how to pass without substance] | [what would prevent gaming] |
Step 7: Report
GATE AS CLAIM AUDIT:
Gates audited: [N]
| Gate | Current Type | Vibe Check? | Claims After Conversion |
|------|-------------|------------|----------------------|
| [gate] | [interface type] | Y/N | [N claims] |
Vibe-check gates found: [N] of [total]
Passable-without-content: [N] — CRITICAL to fix
Conversion queue:
1. [gate] — [why priority] — [N claims needed]
Total claims produced: [N] (replacing [N] vague questions)
When to Use
- When a gate is used as a pass/fail decision point
- When gate questions feel interpretable or “easy to say yes to”
- When a gate is satisfied by formatting rather than content
- → INVOKE: /gee (gate execution engine) for running converted gates
- → INVOKE: /sapea (executability audit) for checking converted gates work
Verification
- All gates extracted with decision hooks identified
- Answer-interface classified for each gate
- Vibe-check gates identified honestly
- Claims are specific, observable, binary, and independent
- Passable-without-content gates flagged as critical
- Each converted gate has a defined verification method