Decide the problem, the users, and whether to proceed, join another service, or stop. Do not add prototypes, a target architecture, an accessibility audit, performance figures, or a runbook.

File	Points
`00-service-context.md`	2
`research/cohort-map.md`	1
`research/session.md`	1, 2
`design/as-is-journey.md`	2
`design/channels.md`	3
`decisions/hypotheses.md`	7
`decisions/decision-log.md`	7
`team/team.md`	6
`technology/current-systems.md`	9, 11
`technology/constraints.md`	9, 11
`privacy/data-and-privacy.md`	9
`platforms/platforms-to-test.md`	13

Alpha

Test the risky questions and discard some options. Spikes and prototypes stay disposable. Do not add a signed-off beta interface, production hosting, an audit, or published performance.

File	Points
`00-service-context.md`	2
`research/cohort-map.md`	1
`research/session.md`	1, 2
`design/channels.md`	3
`design/prototypes.md`	2, 4
`decisions/hypotheses.md`	7
`decisions/decision-log.md`	7
`team/team.md`	6
`technology/spikes.md`	8, 11
`technology/buy-versus-build.md`	11, 13
`technology/risk-register.md`	8, 9, 11
`privacy/data-and-privacy.md`	9
`platforms/commitments.md`	13

Point 5 is not a fail at Alpha. Record the assisted-digital sketch in design/prototypes.md. Do not commission a WCAG audit.

Beta

The private beta is the evidence. The panel scores all 14 points. Assistive-technology sessions and an independent audit are both required.

File	Points
`00-service-context.md`	2
`research/cohort-map.md`	1
`research/session.md`	1, 2, 5
`design/journey.md`	2
`design/channels.md`	3, 5
`decisions/hypotheses.md`	7
`decisions/decision-log.md`	7
`team/team.md`	6
`technology/architecture-decisions.md`	11
`technology/buy-versus-build.md`	11, 13
`technology/risk-register.md`	8, 9, 11
`privacy/data-and-privacy.md`	9
`accessibility/accessibility.md`	5
`performance/performance.md`	10
`operations/operations.md`	8, 14
`platforms/common-platforms.md`	13
`platforms/open-source.md`	12

A disaster-recovery drill can be planned. The result is a Live requirement.

Live

Show that the service is being run and changed. Do not resubmit the beta pack. Update 00-what-changed.md when the purpose, journey, stack, or contract has changed. Points 2, 11, 12, and 13 stay on the previous evidence unless that file says they changed.

File	Points
`00-what-changed.md`	2, 11, 12, 13 when something material changed
`research/cohort-map.md`	1
`research/session.md`	1
`design/channels.md`	3, 4, 5
`decisions/hypotheses.md`	7
`decisions/decision-log.md`	7
`team/team.md`	6
`technology/risk-register.md`	8, 9
`privacy/data-and-privacy.md`	9
`accessibility/accessibility.md`	5
`performance/performance.md`	10
`operations/operations.md`	8, 14

Panel dialogue

panel/dialogue.md sits beside the phase folders. It is not a phase file. It stores the full chat after each question is closed. The panel asks in the conversation, one question at a time, and waits. A story with no record leaves the evidence outstanding. Later assessments read the file with the other evidence.

Red lines

Phase	The point fails when
Discovery	The pack contains production code, a signed-off interface, or a decision that Alpha will happen
Alpha	A production environment is described as the beta platform
Alpha	One design is presented as the beta interface, with nothing discarded
Alpha	Concept tests were only with confident digital users, colleagues, or stakeholders
Alpha	Every experiment confirmed the opening plan
Beta	No participant used a screen reader, a magnifier, or speech input
Beta	There is no independent WCAG 2.2 AA audit, with issues marked fixed, accepted, or open
Beta	A user cannot finish the real task
Beta	People who cannot use the digital service have no staffed alternative
Beta	Real personal data is processed, and any of the privacy assessment, the security scan in the pipeline, or a tested rollback is missing
Beta	The team built its own identity, payments, notifications, or form runner, with no tested decision against the GOV.UK service
Live	The incident runbook has not been used or rehearsed
Live	There is no disaster-recovery drill result
Live	There is no exercised way to leave the contract
Live	The department cannot change the service without the supplier
Live	Research and published performance stopped at launch
Live	A known drop-off has no owner