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Prerequisites Content Guidelines

Overview​

These guidelines ensure consistent, professional, and comprehensive prerequisites documentation across all scenarios. Prerequisites documents must provide clear, actionable guidance for successful scenario implementation while maintaining technical authority and professional tone.

Writing Style Standards​

Technical Authority Voice​

  • Use definitive, confident language backed by technical expertise
  • Provide specific, quantifiable requirements rather than vague recommendations
  • Focus on implementation realities and practical considerations
  • Avoid marketing language or overselling capabilities

Professional Directness​

  • Be clear and direct about what is required for success
  • Explicitly state risks and mitigation strategies
  • Provide honest assessments of complexity and resource requirements
  • Use clear, unambiguous language for all requirements

Implementation Focus​

  • Emphasize practical implementation steps and validation approaches
  • Provide realistic timelines and resource requirements
  • Include specific testing and validation methodologies
  • Focus on operational readiness and long-term success

Content Structure Standards​

Prerequisites Overview Section​

Purpose: Establish context, critical success factors, and assessment approach

Required Elements:

  • Critical Success Factors: 2-3 most important prerequisites that determine success/failure
  • Risk Mitigation: How proper prerequisites address implementation risks
  • Assessment Approach: Specific methodology for evaluating prerequisite fulfillment
  • Classification System: Clear distinction between Mandatory and Recommended

Content Guidelines:

  • Lead with scenario-specific challenges and requirements
  • Be explicit about what causes implementations to fail
  • Provide actionable assessment guidance, not generic advice
  • Use scenario-specific language and context

Platform Capabilities Section​

Purpose: Map required platform capabilities to scenario implementation

Required Elements:

  • Core Scenario Capabilities: Essential capabilities unique to or central to scenario
  • Edge Capabilities: Edge platform requirements for scenario processing
  • Cloud Platform Capabilities: Cloud services required for scenario operation
  • Integration Capabilities: Integration and workflow automation requirements

Content Guidelines:

  • Group capabilities logically by function and criticality
  • Use consistent capability naming that matches documented capabilities
  • Explain the specific role each capability plays in scenario success
  • Distinguish between mandatory and recommended capabilities clearly

Technical Infrastructure Section​

Purpose: Define comprehensive technical requirements with validation approaches

Required Elements:

  • Edge Infrastructure Requirements: Hardware, OS, connectivity, security
  • Cloud Infrastructure Requirements: Compute, storage, AI/ML, integration services
  • Scenario-Specific Components: Domain-specific technical requirements
  • Validation Approaches: Specific testing and verification methodologies

Content Guidelines:

  • Provide quantifiable specifications (not just "high-performance")
  • Include environmental and operational requirements
  • Specify validation methods that can be practically executed
  • Address both initial setup and ongoing operational requirements

Platform Capability Prerequisites Section​

Purpose: Deep dive into scenario-specific capability requirements

Required Elements:

  • Primary Capability Areas: Detailed requirements for core scenario capabilities
  • Performance Requirements: Quantitative performance specifications
  • Integration Requirements: System integration and workflow requirements
  • Validation Approaches: Capability-specific testing methodologies

Content Guidelines:

  • Focus on scenario-specific capability requirements, not generic descriptions
  • Provide measurable success criteria and performance thresholds
  • Include both technical and operational validation approaches
  • Address capability maturity and evolution requirements

Organizational Readiness Section​

Purpose: Define team capabilities and change management requirements

Required Elements:

  • Team Capabilities: Skills, knowledge, and experience requirements
  • Process Readiness: Workflow adaptation and process integration requirements
  • Technology Adoption: Change management and training requirements
  • Support Capabilities: Ongoing operational and technical support requirements

Content Guidelines:

  • Be specific about required skills and experience levels
  • Address both technical and business process readiness
  • Include change management and training considerations
  • Provide realistic timelines for organizational capability development

Regulatory & Compliance Section​

Purpose: Address compliance, governance, and regulatory requirements

Required Elements:

  • Industry Compliance: Scenario-specific regulatory requirements
  • Data Governance: Data protection, privacy, and governance requirements
  • Validation Protocols: Compliance validation and documentation requirements
  • Risk Management: Risk assessment and mitigation frameworks

Content Guidelines:

  • Address scenario-specific regulatory challenges
  • Include both current compliance and ongoing governance requirements
  • Provide specific validation and documentation guidance
  • Address international and multi-jurisdictional requirements where applicable

Implementation Phase Prerequisites Section​

Purpose: Phase-specific requirement progression from PoC to Production

Required Elements:

  • PoC Phase Prerequisites: Minimum requirements for proof of concept
  • PoV Phase Prerequisites: Pilot implementation requirements
  • Production Phase Prerequisites: Full enterprise deployment requirements

Content Guidelines:

  • Show clear progression and build-up of requirements across phases
  • Include both technical and organizational scaling requirements
  • Provide realistic timelines and resource allocation guidance
  • Address risk mitigation and contingency planning for each phase

Validation & Assessment Checklist Section​

Purpose: Comprehensive checklist for prerequisite validation

Required Elements:

  • Technical Validation Checklist: Technical requirement verification
  • Organizational Readiness Checklist: Team and process readiness verification
  • Success Criteria Validation: Overall success criteria and acceptance testing

Content Guidelines:

  • Provide actionable, testable checklist items
  • Include both verification methods and acceptance criteria
  • Cover all prerequisite areas comprehensively
  • Enable systematic prerequisite assessment and sign-off

Validation Approach Standards​

Technical Validation Requirements​

  • Every technical requirement must include a specific validation approach
  • Validation approaches must be practically executable with available tools/methods
  • Include both functional testing and performance validation where applicable
  • Specify acceptance criteria and success thresholds

Assessment Methodology Requirements​

  • Provide clear, step-by-step assessment procedures
  • Include both technical assessment and organizational readiness evaluation
  • Specify required documentation and evidence for prerequisite fulfillment
  • Address ongoing monitoring and reassessment requirements

Success Criteria Definition​

  • Define measurable, objective success criteria for all prerequisite areas
  • Include both minimum acceptable thresholds and optimal target values
  • Address both initial validation and ongoing operational requirements
  • Provide clear pass/fail criteria for prerequisite assessment

Language and Terminology Standards​

Required Language Patterns​

  • Mandatory vs Recommended: Use consistent classification throughout
  • Validation Approach: Every major requirement includes validation methodology
  • Assessment Approach: Provide specific assessment guidance, not generic advice
  • Success Criteria: Define objective, measurable criteria for all areas

Prohibited Language Patterns​

  • Avoid vague requirements like "adequate", "sufficient", "appropriate"
  • Don't use marketing language or oversell capabilities
  • Avoid unrealistic timelines or resource requirements
  • Don't provide generic advice that could apply to any scenario
  • Never include monetary values, cost estimates, or financial projections
  • Never include ROI calculations or budget requirements
  • Never link to non-existent articles or placeholder content

Business Value Expression Standards​

Instead of monetary values, use these approved frameworks:

Resource Intensity Metrics:

  • Low/Medium/High resource intensity classifications
  • Resource consumption profiles and scaling requirements
  • Implementation complexity and effort estimates

Business Value Frameworks:

  • Operational efficiency improvements
  • Quality enhancement metrics
  • Process optimization indicators
  • Risk reduction and mitigation benefits
  • Capability enhancement and competitive advantages

Performance Indicators:

  • Time reduction percentages
  • Quality improvement metrics
  • Process efficiency gains
  • Accuracy and reliability improvements
  • Scalability and flexibility enhancements

Technical Precision Requirements​

  • Use specific product versions, specifications, and configurations
  • Provide quantitative requirements where applicable (bandwidth, latency, accuracy)
  • Include environmental and operational constraints
  • Address both normal and peak load requirements

Mandatory Link Validation:

  • All internal links must point to existing content within the repository
  • Cross-reference all capability links against the actual capability documentation
  • Verify that linked articles, documents, and resources are available and accessible
  • Test all reference-style links to ensure proper resolution

Prohibited Link Practices:

  • Never create links to non-existent articles or placeholder content
  • Never include TODO links or "coming soon" references
  • Never link to draft or unpublished content in production documentation
  • Never include broken internal references or invalid anchors

Link Remediation Guidelines:

  • Remove links that point to non-existent content rather than creating placeholder articles
  • Convert broken links to plain text with descriptive content
  • Replace invalid references with existing, relevant documentation links
  • Provide alternative resources or guidance when removing broken links

Quality Assurance Standards​

Content Completeness Checklist​

  • All 8 major sections included with required subsections
  • Every technical requirement includes validation approach
  • Organizational readiness comprehensively addressed
  • Phase progression clearly defined with realistic timelines
  • Compliance and regulatory requirements scenario-specific
  • Assessment checklist covers all prerequisite areas

Content Quality Checklist​

  • Technical authority voice maintained throughout
  • Implementation focus with practical, actionable guidance
  • Scenario-specific content, not generic templates
  • Realistic resource and timeline requirements
  • Clear risk identification and mitigation strategies
  • Professional directness without marketing language
  • No monetary values, cost estimates, or financial projections included
  • Business value expressed using approved resource intensity and performance frameworks
  • All links validated to point to existing content only

Validation & Testing Checklist​

  • All capability references validated against actual documentation
  • Technical specifications verified for accuracy and feasibility
  • Assessment procedures tested for practicality and completeness
  • Success criteria validated as measurable and objective
  • Compliance requirements verified against applicable standards
  • Cross-references and links validated for accuracy
  • All monetary values and cost estimates removed and replaced with resource intensity metrics
  • All links verified to point to existing content - no broken or placeholder links
  • Business value sections updated to use approved frameworks only