/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

/exec-summary "ADR - API Gateway Selection"
/exec-summary "Project - AIIncidentProcessor" exec
/exec-summary "Page - Kafka Integration" manager

Instructions

1. Read the source note completely

2. 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)

3. 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)

4. Generate summary using this template:

# 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}}]].*

5. 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

6. 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:

# 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:

/exec-summary "Project - Cloud Migration" with-adrs

This will:

1. Read the project note
2. Find all linked ADRs
3. Generate a combined executive summary

Output Location

By default, outputs to conversation. To save as a note:

/exec-summary "ADR - API Gateway" --save

Creates: Page - Executive Summary - API Gateway.md