Execute-Gated 150 Protocol
Core Principle: Execute with control. Every step gets a gate — confirm before proceeding. Build in rollback points. Maintain audit trail.
What This Skill Does
When you invoke this skill, you're asking AI to:
- •Execute step-by-step — One atomic action at a time
- •Gate every step — Get confirmation before next step
- •Manage change lifecycle — Pre/During/Post/Rollback phases
- •Stay reversible — Every step can be undone
- •Adapt dynamically — Pause, research, or replan when needed
The 150% Execution Rule
| Dimension | 100% Core | +50% Enhancement |
|---|---|---|
| Steps | Execute sequence | + Atomic, reversible actions |
| Gates | Get confirmation | + Offer Continue/Pause/Research/Replan |
| Documentation | Log actions | + Full audit trail |
| Rollback | Have revert plan | + Pre-identified safe points |
When to Use This Skill
- •Implementing approved plans — After action-plan-150
- •Deploying changes — Code, config, infrastructure
- •Multi-step operations — Migrations, refactoring
- •High-risk executions — Where mistakes are costly
- •When user needs control — They decide pace and direction
Execution Protocol
Step 1: ACTIVATE
Declare execution mode and current state:
code
⚙️ **Gated-Exec 150 Activated** **Plan:** [What we're executing] **Total Steps:** [N] **Current Phase:** [1 of N] **Rollback Points:** [Where we can safely stop]
Step 2: PRE-CHANGE
Before each step:
- •Verify prerequisites met
- •Backup current state if needed
- •Validate change safety
- •Confirm readiness
Step 3: EXECUTE
Single atomic step:
- •Execute one reversible action
- •Monitor for immediate issues
- •Document what was done
Step 4: VALIDATE
After each step:
- •Check completion
- •Verify expected outcomes
- •Flag any anomalies
Step 5: GATE
Present decision point:
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✅ **Step [X/N] Complete** **Action:** [What was done] **Result:** [Outcome] **Next:** [What's coming] **Options:** - **Continue** → Proceed to next step - **Pause** → Stop for clarification - **Research** → Need more investigation - **Replan** → Strategy needs modification - **Rollback** → Revert to safe point
Change Management Lifecycle
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🔄 CHANGE LIFECYCLE PRE-CHANGE (Before each step) ├── Impact analysis complete ├── Risk assessment done ├── Backup strategy ready └── Rollback plan documented DURING CHANGE (Execution) ├── Atomic step execution ├── Real-time monitoring ├── Immediate issue detection └── Progress tracking POST-CHANGE (After each step) ├── Outcome verification ├── Integration testing ├── Performance validation └── Documentation update ROLLBACK READY (Always) ├── Safe reversal path ├── State restoration ├── Impact minimization └── Lesson documentation
Decision Gates
| Situation | Action | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Step Success | Get confirmation, proceed | Maintain control |
| Minor Issue | Document, continue with caution | Don't stop for small problems |
| Major Problem | Pause, investigate, possibly rollback | Prevent cascading failures |
| Plan Deviation | Replan with user approval | Maintain strategic alignment |
| New Information | Research, update plan | Adapt to new insights |
Output Format
During execution:
code
⚙️ **Gated-Exec: Step [X/N]** **Phase:** [Current phase name] **Action:** [What we're doing] [Execution details...] **Result:** ✅ Success | ⚠️ Issues | ❌ Failed **Status:** ├── ✅ Completed: [Steps done] ├── 🔄 Current: [This step] └── ⏳ Pending: [Steps remaining] **Rollback Point:** [Last safe state] **Continue?** (Yes / Pause / Research / Replan / Rollback)
Operational Rules
- •ATOMIC STEPS: Each step must be reversible and testable
- •GATE REQUIRED: No proceeding without user confirmation
- •DOCUMENT EVERYTHING: Full audit trail of all actions
- •FLEXIBLE ADAPTATION: Can return to research/planning anytime
- •CHANGE LIFECYCLE: Always use Pre/During/Post/Rollback phases
- •USER CONTROL: User decides pace and direction
Failure Modes & Recovery
| Failure | Detection | Recovery |
|---|---|---|
| Phase Skipping | No confirmation obtained | Return to skipped gate |
| Poor Documentation | Missing audit trail | Document current state, continue with logging |
| Change Cascades | Unexpected side effects | Rollback to safe point, investigate |
| Loss of Control | Process confusion | Emergency pause, status assessment |
Examples
❌ Without Gated-Exec
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User: "Deploy the new feature" AI: [Deploys all 5 steps without confirmation] Result: Breaking change deployed, emergency rollback needed
✅ With Gated-Exec 150
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User: "Deploy the new feature" ⚙️ Gated-Exec 150 Activated Plan: Feature deployment Total Steps: 5 Rollback Points: After step 2, After step 4 --- ⚙️ Gated-Exec: Step 1/5 Phase: Database Migration Action: Run migration script [Migration executed successfully] Result: ✅ Success - 3 tables updated - No data loss - Backup created Continue? (Yes/Pause/Research/Replan/Rollback) User: "Yes" ⚙️ Gated-Exec: Step 2/5 ...
Relationship to Other Skills
- •action-plan-150 → Creates the plan
- •gated-exec-150 → Executes the plan with control
- •integrity-check-150 → Validates after completion
Session Log Entry (MANDATORY)
After completing this skill, write to .sessions/SESSION_[date]-[name].md:
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### [date - HH"MM] Execute-Gated 150 Complete **Plan Executed:** <plan name> **Steps Completed:** <X/N> **Outcome:** <Success/Rolled Back> **Artifacts:** <files changed>
Remember: Gated execution isn't slow — it's safe. The gates prevent costly mistakes and keep you in control. Every "Yes" is a conscious decision, every step is reversible.