KAIZEN OPS

SIGNAL Pre-Publish Checklist

(If it doesn’t clear every gate, do not ship.)

1. Core Claim Gate

• Can I state the core claim in one sentence?
• Does it challenge a real assumption or decision?
• Would I defend this claim in a room of operators?

Fail = Kill

2. 24-Hour Leverage Gate

• What decision changes because someone read this?
• Could a reader act differently tomorrow?
• Is the leverage explicit, not implied?

Fail = Archive

3. Model Shift Gate

• Does this replace a mental model (not add one)?
• Does it make an old framing feel insufficient?
• Would the reader see the system differently afterward?

Fail = Rewrite or Kill

4. Real System Gate

• Is there a concrete system (people, workflow, physics)?
• Are constraints and failure modes named?
• Could this only be written by someone who’s been there?

Fail = Kill

5. Standalone Punch Gate

• Can this be read cold with no backstory?
• No “Part 2,” no dependencies, no setup doc?
• Does it hit inside 60 seconds?

Fail = Rewrite

6. Novelty to Me Gate

• Did I learn something writing this?
• Did my thinking change mid-draft?
• Is there at least one sentence I didn’t expect to write?

Fail = Kill

7. Edge & Friction Gate

• Does this create productive discomfort?
• Is there a sharp line or unpopular truth?
• Does it risk being misunderstood by skimmers?

Fail = Soften Later / Kill Now

8. Anxiety → Agency Gate

• Does this reduce confusion?
• Does it give the reader a handle, rule, or test?
• Does it leave them calmer or clearer?

Fail = Kill

9. Time Respect Gate

• Can this be consumed in 3–7 minutes?
• Is every paragraph earning its keep?
• Did I cut the part I’m emotionally attached to?

Fail = Cut More

10. Disqualification Scan (Final Sweep)

• Could this be a LinkedIn carousel?
• Does it sound like thought leadership?
• Does it optimize a broken system?
• Did I write it mainly to be seen?

Any Yes = Kill

FINAL DECISION

• Clears all gates → SHIP
• Any gate failed → SILENCE IS BETTER

Publishing less is a feature.