Phase 5 artifacts

Phase 5 produces five artifacts that operate as an integrated system. None has value in isolation — their power lies in the connections between them: Signal Log signals feed the Context Update Record, which documents Context Document changes, which are summarized in the Iteration Brief, which defines the next cycle's focus.

Artifact	Format	Built by
Signal Log	Structured log with template (Google Sheets)	Product Lead + Data Lead
Context Update Record	Chronological log with template (spreadsheet)	Context Engineer
Iteration Brief	Structured document with template (Google Docs)	Product Lead with team input
KPI Dashboard	Dashboard connected to verified sources (Looker, Metabase, Google Sheets)	Data Lead
Context Document (living)	Markdown files (same structure as Phases 3-4)	Context Engineer + Product Lead

Creation sequence

Go-live
  │
  ├─→ KPI Dashboard (day 1)
  ├─→ Signal Log (day 1)
  │
  │   [Weeks 1-4: intensive capture and analysis]
  │
  ├─→ Context Update Record (first update)
  │
  │   [Week 4: first cycle close]
  │
  └─→ First Iteration Brief

After the first cycle, artifacts are continuously fed according to the three iteration cycle loop cadences.

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1. Signal Log

Phase 5's central artifact. It is the market's memory.

• Format: Structured log with template (Google Sheets).
• Built by: Product Lead + Data Lead. Continuous feeding (automatic layer), weekly-monthly (structured and contextual layers).
• When it's created: At measurement system activation (day 1).

Entry structure

## Signal #[NNN] — [Date]

**Observed signal:** [Raw data description, no interpretation]
**Source and method:** [analytics | interview | KPI | ticket | external signal]
**Signal level:** [1-Behavior | 2-KPI | 3-Feedback | 4-Non-usage | 5-External]

**Cause hypothesis:** [Formulated as a verifiable hypothesis]
**Affected Context Document element:**
  [Problem Statement | Solution Brief | Rule | Story File | KPI]

**Urgency:** [Immediate | Normal | Strategic]
**Proposed action:** [Action description and return phase if applicable]

**Status:** [New | Under analysis | Processed → CUR-NNN | Discarded (reason)]

Best practices

• Separate observation from interpretation. The "observed signal" field never contains conclusions.
• Every signal has at least one cause hypothesis, even if preliminary.
• Discarded signals are kept with documented reason — they may be relevant in another cycle.
• Link related signals to detect emerging patterns.

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2. Context Update Record

The traceability between market and context. In twelve months, it allows reconstructing why the Context Document is the way it is.

• Format: Chronological log with template (spreadsheet).
• Built by: Context Engineer. Generated with every Context Document change.
• When it's created: At the first Context Document update.

Entry structure

## CUR-[NNN] — [Date]

**Source signal(s):** Signal Log #[NNN], #[NNN]
**Validated cause hypothesis:** [Description of confirmed root cause]

**Modified element:** [Problem Statement | Solution Brief | Rule | Story File | PRD | KPI]
**Change made:**
  - Before: [Previous state]
  - After: [New state]
  - Justification: [Why this change responds to the signal]

**Approved by:** [Name, role]
**Impact on other elements:** [None | List of affected elements]

Why traceability matters

In six months, new team members can understand why each Rule exists. In regulated environments (banking, healthcare), this traceability is an audit requirement, not an optional best practice.

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3. Iteration Brief

The bridge between cycles. Without it, each cycle starts from zero instead of where the previous one ended.

• Format: Structured document with template (Google Docs).
• Built by: Product Lead with team input. Monthly or quarterly cadence depending on maturity.
• When it's created: At the start of each iteration cycle.

Structure

## Iteration Brief — Cycle [N] → Cycle [N+1]
## Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]

### 1. Previous cycle learnings
[List of significant signals with Signal Log references]
- Confirmed assumptions: [list]
- Refuted assumptions: [list]

### 2. Context Document state
[Update summary with Context Update Record references]
- Modified Rules: [N]
- Adjusted Story Files: [N]
- Problem Statement: [No changes | Minor revision | Major revision]

### 3. Open questions
[Unverified hypotheses, weak signals that could be important]

### 4. Next cycle focus
[What aspect deserves more attention and why]
[Return phase if applicable: Phase 1 / 2 / 3 / 4]

### 5. Priority KPIs
[Indicators to watch and why they're most relevant]

---

4. KPI Dashboard

The continuous window into the system's market state. It's the first place the team looks each morning.

• Format: Dashboard connected to verified sources (Looker, Metabase, Google Sheets).
• Built by: Data Lead. Automatic real-time updates.
• When it's created: At measurement system activation (day 1).

Requirements

Requirement	Description
Connected to verified sources	Each KPI connected to the data source defined in Phase 3's KPI & OKR Register.
Real-time updates	No manual intervention for automatic layer data.
Visible thresholds	Each KPI shows the target, alert threshold, and current state.
Automatic alerts	Notification when a KPI crosses the alert threshold.
Accessible history	Visible trend for detecting gradual movements that don't cross thresholds.

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5. Context Document (living version)

The most valuable asset the system produces. As Phase 5 progresses, it becomes the deepest knowledge available about the problem and solution in their real context.

• Format: Markdown files (same structure as Phases 3-4).
• Built by: Context Engineer + Product Lead. Continuous updates based on market signals.
• When it's created: Inherited from Phases 3 and 4.

Updated components

Component	What gets updated in Phase 5
project-context.md	Rules modified, added, or removed based on market signals.
PRD	Use cases adjusted with real adoption learnings.
Story Files	Skills adjusted or new ones created for emerging needs.
KPI & OKR Register	KPIs recalibrated, new indicators added, obsolete ones retired.

The Context Document as an asset

A mature Context Document — one that has survived twelve months of Market Phase — contains the deepest understanding available. It is transferable (new members understand in days), extensible (foundation for new markets), and auditable (every decision has traceability).