Handbook
Spiral ceremonies → ceremony foundation
**Purpose:** Map **Spiral Model** quadrant events and anchor-point milestones to methodology-neutral **intent types** in [`ceremony-foundation.md`](ceremony-foundation.md).
Spiral ceremonies → ceremony foundation
Purpose: Map Spiral Model quadrant events and anchor-point milestones to methodology-neutral intent types in Ceremony foundation (methodology-neutral).
Canonical Spiral narrative: https://forgesdlc.com/methodologies-spiral.html · Wikipedia — Spiral model
Note: The Spiral Model's ceremonies revolve around quadrant transitions and milestone gates. Below maps typical practices; actual cadence depends on spiral scope and risk profile.
Practices / meetings × intent types
| Common practice | Foundation intents (primary → secondary) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spiral planning (Q1) | C1 Align → C2 Commit | Define objectives, alternatives, constraints; commit to risk-analysis approach. |
| Risk review (Q2) | C6 Assure → C1 Align | Systematic risk identification and resolution; may redirect objectives. |
| Development sync (Q3) | C3 Sync | Coordination during build; approach may be Agile, phased, or prototype-driven. |
| Prototype demo | C4 Inspect → C6 Assure | Demonstrate risk-reduction evidence; validate feasibility. |
| Anchor-point review (Q4) | C4 Inspect → C1 Align | Stakeholder commitment gate; evaluate results and plan next spiral. |
| Retrospective | C5 Improve | Compare predicted vs actual risk outcomes; improve estimation and process. |
C6 in the Spiral Model is primarily risk-driven: assurance comes from systematic risk analysis (Q2) and evidence-based reviews (Q4), not from a separate quality phase.
Tracking
Risk register is the primary tracking artifact beyond the standard spine. Each spiral should document: risks identified, resolution strategy chosen, outcome achieved. Git shows engineering progress; risk decisions need explicit documentation in docs/ or the project risk register.
Suggestions (Spiral-specific)
| Practice | Suggestions |
|---|---|
| Spiral planning | Scale planning effort to the spiral: early concept spirals need hours, not days. Focus on what risks to address, not detailed task breakdowns. |
| Risk review | Prioritize ruthlessly: address the top 3–5 risks per spiral. Use prototypes for technical risks, market research for business risks. |
| Prototype demo | Make prototypes visibly disposable — label them, timebox them, and plan their retirement. Production-quality prototypes defeat the purpose. |
| Anchor-point review | Present evidence, not opinions. Show what risks were resolved, what remains, and what the next spiral will address. |
| Retrospective | Track risk prediction accuracy across spirals. Teams that consistently underestimate risk need to adjust their analysis approach. |
Crosswalk to other methodologies: Methodology bridge — foundation intents ↔ named ceremonies.
Canonical source
Edit https://github.com/autowww/blueprints/blob/main/sdlc/methodologies/ceremonies/spiral.md first; regenerate with docs/build-handbook.py.