Start a small artifact change

Use this scaffold for one outcome in an existing artifact. Replace sample, small-update, and every REPLACE instruction with verified project facts. The placeholders make the structure readable; they are not completed requirements or check results.

Work on a dedicated branch. Edit the artifact's working knowledge in place: keep applicable requirements, specifications and decisions, and amend, remove or add files as the outcome needs. Copy nothing into the change or a version. The change directory holds only its record and its plan. Preserve earlier plans and evidence in their existing change directories. Check that this is the artifact's single active change.

For a first artifact, write its README with the identity record (current_version: null, depends_on), ownership and scope before you use this scaffold. Follow the artifact writing rules. This scaffold does not create those facts for you.

Use the existing phase checks

First assign the tier. The copyable files below are for a small change. A medium change adds the unit brief and keeps a commit and an approval for each phase.

Step	Small	Medium or large
1. Requirement	Fill in the change README and the requirement IDs. Investigate affected flows and record the impact assessment in the change README.	Fill in the change README, the unit brief and the requirement IDs. Investigate affected flows and record them in the brief. Self-check and commit.
2. Specification	Write the contract from the requirements. Self-check. An ADR is not allowed.	Write the contract. Add an ADR only for a necessary architectural choice with alternatives. Self-check and commit.
3. Plan	Write the plan paragraph in the change README and the one task. Self-check, then commit Requirement, Specification and Plan together. The owner's request is the plan approval.	Write a fresh plan and concrete task DoD, with `compatibility`. Check membership, `covers`, `depends_on` and cycles. Self-check, commit, and present the plan for explicit approval.
4. Implementation	Implement and run the task checks. Record the method, result, source and limitations once in the task.	After approval and required upstream establishment, do the same for each task. Reference the task details from the unit's evidence.
5. Version	Add the version record with the computed patch number and set `current_version`. Put the plan and the checks in the PR description. Team review and merge establish the version.	Validate the combined outcome. Add the version record with the computed number and set `current_version`. Team review and merge establish the version.

When the validator is available, run it with --change sample/change-small-update in each self-check.

The five files below form the minimum small change. The two knowledge files are edits to the artifact's working knowledge, not copies; the blocks show them after the edit. A small change amends existing requirement items and keeps their IDs. A new requirement ID makes the change medium, because it fails the no-contract criterion. Existing knowledge can require more files. Do not treat an uninvestigated flow map as proof of no impact.

Copyable files

docs/artifacts/sample/changes/change-small-update/README.md

---
{"tier": "small"}
---

# REPLACE with the reason for this change

## Reason and scope

REPLACE with the user need, included behavior and exclusions. Knowledge is edited in place on this branch; the protected branch holds the established baseline.

## Plan

One task delivers and validates the outcome. It covers R1 in requirements/outcome.md. Compatibility: patch. REPLACE with the task summary.

## Tier decisions

REPLACE with the one-repository decision and, without an impact tool, the impact assessment: investigated journeys, sources, exclusions and why no entity outside this artifact is reached.

- [Requirements](../../requirements/outcome.md)
- [Specification](../../specifications/outcome.md)
- [Task](tasks/01-deliver.md)

docs/artifacts/sample/requirements/outcome.md

# REPLACE with the required outcome

## Need and constraints

REPLACE with confirmed facts, affected artifacts and constraints.

## Acceptance criteria

- R1: REPLACE with an observable result and its relevant failure case.

## Self-check

Not performed. Resolve requirement blockers and record the check before Specification.

docs/artifacts/sample/specifications/outcome.md

# REPLACE with the behavior contract

## Governing requirement

R1 in requirements/outcome.md.

## Behavior and interfaces

REPLACE with inputs, outputs, rules, errors and applicable compatibility constraints.

## Self-check

Not performed. Resolve contract blockers and record the check before Plan.

docs/artifacts/sample/changes/change-small-update/tasks/README.md

---
{"tasks": ["01-deliver.md"], "compatibility": "patch"}
---

# Implementation plan

1. [Deliver and validate the outcome](01-deliver.md)

## Plan self-check

Not performed. Check requirement coverage, task membership and concrete DoD, then commit the knowledge.

docs/artifacts/sample/changes/change-small-update/tasks/01-deliver.md

---
{"id": "deliver", "depends_on": [], "covers": [{"element": "requirements/outcome.md", "ids": ["R1"]}], "evidence_records": []}
---

# Deliver and validate the outcome

## Scope and ownership

REPLACE with responsible implementation location and file/module boundaries.

## Definition of Done

- [ ] REPLACE with the accepted behavior check, including its relevant failure case.
- [ ] REPLACE with the applicable integration or contract check and concrete method.

## Evidence

Implementation has not started. Record the actual check methods, outcomes, relevant implementation/test references and limitations here after execution.

Medium and large additions

A medium or large change sets "tier": "medium" or "tier": "large", moves the plan to tasks/README.md with one task for each separately checkable piece of work, and adds a unit brief. In the change README, remove the Plan and Tier decisions sections, link the plan tasks/README.md instead of the task, and add the sentence "This change belongs to the small-update unit." The brief records the affected flows; an empty affected-flow list needs a reasoned assessment.

docs/artifacts/units-of-work/small-update/README.md

---
{
  "unit_of_work": "small-update",
  "changes": [{"artifact": "sample", "change": "change-small-update"}],
  "affected_flows": [],
  "flow_assessment": "REPLACE with investigated journeys, sources, exclusions and the reason no affected flow is listed.",
  "acceptance": [{"id": "outcome", "criterion": "REPLACE with the observable delivered outcome."}],
  "evidence": []
}
---

# REPLACE with one deliverable outcome

## Included scope

REPLACE with included behavior and boundaries.

## Excluded scope

REPLACE with explicit exclusions.

## Validation evidence

No checks have run. Reference the originating task's check details after validation.

Record results once

After a task check runs, write its details in that task's Evidence section. Add a check record only when the details exist, using the evidence format; its source can be omitted, because it defaults to the task's Evidence section. When a unit brief exists, reference those same details from its evidence list with a one-line method. The illustrative passed example in that guide is not part of this fresh scaffold.

Keep failed and incomplete checks visible. A copied scaffold, checked box, or valid source path does not establish approval, execution or publication. Missing or malformed explicit fields require a diagnostic and correction. Use these checks within the existing phase self-checks; no extra review phase is needed.

Use the existing phase checks​

Copyable files​

docs/artifacts/sample/changes/change-small-update/README.md​

docs/artifacts/sample/requirements/outcome.md​

docs/artifacts/sample/specifications/outcome.md​

docs/artifacts/sample/changes/change-small-update/tasks/README.md​

docs/artifacts/sample/changes/change-small-update/tasks/01-deliver.md​

Medium and large additions​

docs/artifacts/units-of-work/small-update/README.md​

Record results once​