/exec-summary Skill
Generate a non-technical executive summary from technical ADRs, Pages, or Project notes.
Purpose
Translate technical architecture content for non-technical stakeholders. Useful for:
- •Board presentations
- •Stakeholder updates
- •Management briefings
- •Cross-team communication
Usage
code
/exec-summary "ADR - API Gateway Selection" /exec-summary "Project - AIIncidentProcessor" exec /exec-summary "Page - Kafka Integration" manager
Instructions
- •
Read the source note completely
- •
Identify the audience (default: exec):
- •
exec- C-suite, board level (business impact, risk, cost) - •
manager- Department heads (operational impact, timeline, resources) - •
stakeholder- Project stakeholders (what changes, how affects them)
- •
- •
Extract key information:
For ADRs:
- •What decision was made (one sentence)
- •Why it matters to the business
- •What it costs / saves
- •Key risks and mitigations
- •Timeline / when it takes effect
For Projects:
- •What the project delivers
- •Business benefit
- •Current status (RAG)
- •Key milestones
- •Resources / budget
For Pages:
- •What this document describes
- •Why it matters
- •Key takeaways
- •Actions required (if any)
- •
Generate summary using this template:
markdown
# Executive Summary: {{Title}}
**Generated:** {{date}}
**Source:** [[{{source note}}]]
**Audience:** {{audience}}
---
## One-Line Summary
{{Single sentence explaining what this is about in business terms}}
## Why This Matters
{{2-3 sentences on business impact - avoid technical jargon}}
## Key Points
- {{Point 1 - business language}}
- {{Point 2 - business language}}
- {{Point 3 - business language}}
## Impact
| Area | Impact |
|------|--------|
| **Cost** | {{cost impact or "No direct cost impact"}} |
| **Timeline** | {{when does this happen}} |
| **Risk** | {{key risk in plain language}} |
| **Benefit** | {{main business benefit}} |
## Recommendation / Decision
{{What was decided or what action is recommended - one paragraph}}
## Questions This Answers
- {{Question a stakeholder might ask}}
- {{Another likely question}}
---
*This summary was generated from technical documentation. For full details, see [[{{source note}}]].*
- •Translation rules (technical → business language):
| Technical Term | Business Translation |
|---|---|
| API | System connection / interface |
| Database | Data storage |
| Cloud | Online infrastructure |
| Microservices | Modular system design |
| Latency | Response time / speed |
| Scalability | Ability to grow |
| Redundancy | Backup systems |
| Migration | System move / upgrade |
| Integration | Connecting systems |
| Authentication | Security / login |
| Encryption | Data protection |
| AI/ML | Automated intelligence |
| DevOps | Delivery automation |
| Kubernetes | Container management |
| Kafka | Message system |
- •Tone guidelines:
- •Active voice ("We will..." not "It has been decided...")
- •Short sentences (max 20 words)
- •No acronyms without explanation
- •Focus on outcomes, not process
- •Quantify where possible (£, %, dates)
Example Output
Input: /exec-summary "ADR - Use PostgreSQL for Customer Data"
Output:
markdown
# Executive Summary: Database Selection for Customer Services **Generated:** 2026-01-11 **Source:** [[ADR - Use PostgreSQL for Customer Data]] **Audience:** Executive --- ## One-Line Summary We're using PostgreSQL as our database for all customer transaction records in the new cloud system. ## Why This Matters This decision affects how we store and protect customer payment data. PostgreSQL provides the financial-grade security we need while reducing our monthly infrastructure costs by approximately £700 compared to alternatives. ## Key Points - Customer transaction data will be stored securely with bank-level protection - Our team already has the skills to manage this system (no additional training needed) - We can scale to handle 10 million records in the first year without changes ## Impact | Area | Impact | |------|--------| | **Cost** | £2,400/month (£700 saving vs alternative) | | **Timeline** | Implementation begins Q2 2026 | | **Risk** | Low - proven technology, team expertise | | **Benefit** | Secure, cost-effective data storage | ## Recommendation / Decision Use PostgreSQL on AWS for all customer-facing transaction data. This gives us the security guarantees we need for financial data while leveraging existing team skills and keeping costs competitive. ## Questions This Answers - How are we protecting customer payment data? - What's the cost of the new database system? - Do we have the skills to support this? --- *This summary was generated from technical documentation. For full details, see [[ADR - Use PostgreSQL for Customer Data]].*
Multiple Notes
To summarise multiple related notes:
code
/exec-summary "Project - Cloud Migration" with-adrs
This will:
- •Read the project note
- •Find all linked ADRs
- •Generate a combined executive summary
Output Location
By default, outputs to conversation. To save as a note:
code
/exec-summary "ADR - API Gateway" --save
Creates: Page - Executive Summary - API Gateway.md