Template: Project Goal

Template for the goal.md file that lives at the root of each project directory under roadmap/in-progress/<project-name>/. This file is the entry point for a project — it captures what the project intends to achieve, why, and what reference material exists.

When to Use

Create a goal.md when starting any new project. It is the first file created in the project’s documentation directory and remains the project’s primary orientation document throughout its lifecycle.

Scaling Guidance

Not every project needs every section. Use complexity to guide which sections to include:

Project Size	Characteristics	Sections to Include
Small (bug fix, config change, single-file feature)	Single repo, no design ambiguity, can be completed in one session	Summary, GitHub Tickets, Repositories, Success Criteria
Medium (multi-file feature, cross-cutting change)	1-2 repos, clear requirements but non-trivial implementation	All Small sections + Context, Scope, Constraints
Large (multi-repo feature, new capability, phased work)	2+ repos, design decisions needed, multiple phases or agents	All Medium sections + Deliverables, Reference Documents. Requirements, specifications, and acceptance criteria go in sibling files (requirements.md, specification.md, verification.md) — not inline

When in doubt, start small. Sections can be added as the project’s complexity becomes apparent.

Template

---
title: "Goal: <Project Title>"
tags: [roadmap, in-progress, goal]
domain: roadmap
maturity: published
author: "Arda Systems"
---

<!-- One-paragraph summary: what will this project accomplish and why? -->

<Summary paragraph describing the project's purpose and motivation.>

<!-- SMALL+ : Always include -->

## GitHub Tickets

<!-- Group tickets by theme when there are more than 3-4 tickets.
     Use inline summaries so the reader does not need to open each link. -->

- [Arda-cards/management#NNN — Title](https://github.com/Arda-cards/management/issues/NNN):
  One-line summary of the ticket.

## Repositories

<!-- List every repository that will be modified. Note repositories that are
     "only if needed" separately. -->

| Repository | Role | Planned Changes |
|---|---|---|
| `<repo-name>` | <role in project> | <brief description> |

## Success Criteria

<!-- Verifiable conditions that define "done". Number them for traceability.
     For large projects, move detailed acceptance criteria to verification.md
     and keep only high-level criteria here. -->

1. <Criterion 1>
2. <Criterion 2>

<!-- MEDIUM+ : Add when there is existing system context or non-trivial scope -->

## Context

<!-- What exists today? What prior work is this project building on?
     Link to relevant architecture docs, prior project docs, or design
     documents. -->

## Scope

### In Scope

<!-- Bullet list of what this project will deliver. Be specific enough to
     prevent scope creep. -->

### Out of Scope

<!-- Explicitly exclude related work that will NOT be done in this project.
     Reference future projects or tickets where deferred work is tracked. -->

## Constraints

<!-- Numbered list of technical, process, or business constraints that bound
     the implementation. Examples: "No breaking API changes",
     "Must use existing auth middleware", "Deadline: 2026-05-01". -->

1. <Constraint>

<!-- LARGE : Add for phased or multi-deliverable projects -->

## Deliverables

<!-- Table of concrete artifacts this project will produce, with locations. -->

| # | Deliverable | Location |
|---|-------------|----------|
| 1 | <name> | <file path or description> |

## Reference Documents

<!-- Links to specifications, design documents, decision logs, prior project
     docs, external resources, and relevant skills/guidelines. -->

- [<Document Title>](<relative-or-absolute-link>) — <one-line description>

---

Copyright: (c) Arda Systems 2025-2026, All rights reserved

Examples

For reference, existing goal.md files at different scales:

• Small: roadmap/completed/extra-printing-options/goal.md — single-repo backend change with inline requirements and acceptance criteria
• Medium: roadmap/completed/api-proxy/goal.md — new package with current state, target state, constraints, and scope table
• Large: roadmap/completed/item-image-upload/2-backend-services/goal.md — multi-repo phased project with sibling specification, requirements, and verification files