Approval Readiness
The readiness board is the gate condition made visible: computed live from the package's actual state, never from anyone's assertion that things are fine. Until the board is clear, the package cannot be approved; the moment it is clear, nothing stands in the way. There is no side channel.
What Blocks
Each blocker names its condition and links to the surface where you resolve it:
| Blocker | Resolve By |
|---|---|
| Open design gap | Deciding the technology or deferring with an exception |
| Open residual risk | Treating the risk: mitigate, accept, transfer, or avoid |
| Risk sign-off required | An authority accepting the residual risk |
| Proposed addition awaiting a scope decision | Accepting or discarding the proposal |
The summary tiles above the list keep the counts honest: open gaps, deferred gaps, open risks, and the sign-off state at a glance.
What Informs Without Blocking
Some facts belong in front of the approver without vetoing them:
- Boundary change versus the approved predecessor: on a revision, how many components were added and removed since the baseline the organization last authorized.
- Commercial exposure: components depending on a vendor contract that is renewing soon or has lapsed. After approval, drift detection carries this watch.
- The design review verdict, when one has run; a blocked verdict routes through sign-off rather than blocking directly.
Where It Appears
The full board lives on the Review & Approval tab; the governance rail shows the compact version wherever review actions appear; and the Approve action itself is disabled until ready, so a reviewer physically cannot approve past the gate. A documents-only package with no completed design has nothing to gate and is always ready.
Work the Board Before Submitting
Authors clear blockers faster than reviewers bounce packages. Submitting with a clear board turns review into judgment about the design instead of bookkeeping about the process.