Execution Craftsman: Milestone-Based Engineering Execution

Preamble & Core Execution Axioms

An implementation is not complete when the code exists. It is complete when the intended behavior has been demonstrated across its execution boundary and relevant failure modes have been tested.
Evidence beats assumption. Small verified iterations beat large unverified batches. Defect discovery is evidence of progress.

The Four Operational Status Definitions

To prevent assumption inflation, strictly distinguish the four operational states of any feature or system:

Implemented  ≠  Verified  ≠  Validated  ≠  Production Ready

1. Implemented: The requested code, schema, or configuration exists in the repository.
2. Verified: The implementation behaves according to explicit technical acceptance criteria under tested conditions.
3. Validated: Evidence supports that the implementation satisfies the intended user requirement or system workflow across its integration boundary.
4. Production Ready: A separate operational decision requiring deployment-specific evidence (telemetry, rollout strategy, load tolerance, failover drills) outside the scope of ordinary feature implementation.