review-engine

---
name: review-engine
description: 5-question review framework (result, execution, plan, strategy, analysis), KPI propagation monitoring with 4-layer anomaly patterns, One-Way/Two-Way Door classification, withdrawal decision protocol, and assumption provenance auditing. Use during periodic reviews, buffer zone changes, or when evaluating why results diverge from expectations.
type: skill
---

# Review Engine

## When to Apply
- After each periodic scan
- When buffer zone changes
- When Actions complete but Goal doesn't progress
- Quarterly strategy reviews
- When the founder asks "why isn't this working?"

## Core Framework

### 5-Question Review (Strict Priority Order)

Start at Question 1. Only proceed deeper if the answer is "yes" (problem isn't at that level):

| Priority | Question | Scope | If "No" |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Has the Goal progressed since last review? | WHERE | Re-run WHERE analysis to locate new gap |
| 2 | Were approved Actions executed as planned? | Execution | Investigate blockers, check relay runner compliance |
| 3 | Was the Action plan well-constructed? | Planning | Review Step breakdown, batch config, template fit |
| 4 | Were the chosen Actions appropriate? | HOW | Re-run 3-option choice with different approaches |
| 5 | Was the root-cause analysis correct? | WHY | Rebuild causal structure diagram from scratch |

This prevents the common trap of never questioning upstream assumptions.

### KPI Propagation Monitoring (4-Layer)

Actions are monitored for whether effects propagate upward through the causal chain:

```
Action: "Post 4 thought-leadership threads per week"
  |
  KPI Layer 1 (Execution): Threads posted per week
  -> "Is the Action being executed?" (target: 4/week)
  |
  KPI Layer 2 (Propagation): Engagement rate per thread
  -> "Is it producing the expected intermediate effect?"
  |
  KPI Layer 3 (Driver metric): Monthly new followers
  -> "Is the Driver metric moving?"
  |
  KGI (Goal metric): Paying customers
  -> "Is it reaching the Goal?"
```

**4-Layer Anomaly Patterns:**

| Pattern | Diagnosis | Response |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1 failing | Action not being executed | Check blockers, re-prioritize, enforce relay runner |
| L1 OK, L2 stalling | Action executed but ineffective | Trigger WHY analysis on L1-L2 gap |
| L1-2 OK, L3 stalling | Intermediate effect not converting | KPI tree may need re-decomposition |
| All layers OK, KGI stalling | Causal model may be wrong | Full review (Question 5) |

**KPI placement rules:**
1. Place on action target and upward propagation path only
2. Closest KPI immediately above action point (fastest feedback)
3. Never place on disproven or uncontrollable nodes
4. Each KPI: quantifiable, measurement frequency, target value, owner

### One-Way Door vs Two-Way Door Classification

Automatically classify every decision:

| Type | Characteristics | Agent Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| **Two-Way Door** | Low cost, reversible, testable | "Reversible. Act at 70% confidence. Move fast." |
| **One-Way Door** | High cost, hard to reverse | "Major commitment. Pre-mortem, assumption audit, founder confirmation required." |

```
Two-Way: "Test LinkedIn DM with 10 prospects" -> Execute quickly
One-Way: "Hire full-time sales rep ($80K/year)" -> Deep analysis first
One-Way: "Pivot from SMB to Enterprise" -> Full Strategy Kernel rebuild
```

Most startup decisions are Two-Way, but founders often treat them as One-Way. Explicitly label reversibility to accelerate decision-making.

### Withdrawal Decision Protocol

Every Goal, Driver, and major Action is created with PRE-COMMITTED stop conditions:

```
WITHDRAWAL PROTOCOL (defined at creation):
  Stop Condition 1 (Quantitative):
    <20 customers after 60% of timeline elapsed
  Stop Condition 2 (Qualitative):
    Retention curve declining to zero after 3 months
  Stop Condition 3 (Temporal):
    No positive growth for 6 consecutive weeks

  Authority: Founder (auto-presented when triggered)
  Process: Present stop conditions + data + 3 options:
    [Continue with modifications] [Pivot to Plan B] [Stop entirely]

  Re-presentation: Every 2 weeks, regardless of performance
```

Stop conditions defined AT LAUNCH, not retroactively. Re-present biweekly to prevent "forgetting" exit criteria.

### Assumption Provenance Auditing

Every load-bearing assumption tracked with source and verification:

```
Assumption: "TAM is $500M"
  Source: Founder estimate from Gartner 2024 report
  Verification: NOT independently verified
  Load-bearing: YES (determines hiring plan + fundraise target)
  Sample size: N/A (third-party estimate)

Assumption: "CTOs are primary buyer persona"
  Source: First 5 customers were CTOs
  Verification: n=5, insufficient sample
  Load-bearing: YES (all outreach targeting CTOs)
```

Each assumption carries: `source`, `verificationStatus` (verified/unverified/disproven), `isLoadBearing`, `sampleSize`.

**Periodic re-audit:** Flag when load-bearing assumptions become stale or when decisions have scaled beyond the evidence base.

## Decision Rules

1. **Questions in strict order** — never skip to Q5 before checking Q1-Q4
2. **Pre-committed stops are binding** — present when triggered, don't negotiate
3. **Re-present biweekly** — withdrawal conditions shown regularly, not just when triggered
4. **One-Way Doors get full analysis** — pre-mortem, assumption audit, confirmation
5. **Two-Way Doors get speed** — act at 70% confidence, adjust later
6. **Unverified load-bearing assumptions are risks** — flag and propose verification

## Anti-Patterns to Detect

| Anti-Pattern | Signal | Response |
|---|---|---|
| Skipping upstream questions | Jumping to "wrong strategy" without checking execution | "Before questioning strategy, confirm: were Actions actually executed as planned?" |
| Missing stop conditions | Goal created without withdrawal protocol | "Define stop conditions now, while judgment is clear. Not after sunk costs accumulate." |
| Stale assumptions | Load-bearing assumption >6 months without verification | "This assumption drives major decisions but hasn't been verified. Time to test." |
| Two-Way paralysis | Extensive analysis on reversible decisions | "This is a Two-Way Door. Reversible. Act at 70% confidence." |
| One-Way rushing | Quick decisions on irreversible commitments | "This is a One-Way Door. Slow down. Pre-mortem and assumption audit required." |
| KPI gap blindness | Action executing but no propagation check | "Layer 1 is fine, but is the effect propagating to the Driver metric?" |

---

## Anticipative Execution Reminder

When applying this framework, produce the FULL output immediately. Do not ask the founder which parts to analyze or which options to consider. Infer from business context, present the complete deliverable, and let the founder react to concrete work — not abstract choices.