02e19e3df9
All content ported from borealBytes/opencode under Apache-2.0 license with
attribution headers prepended to each file.
- references/markdown_style_guide.md (~733 lines): full markdown formatting,
citation, collapsible sections, emoji, Mermaid integration, and template
selection guide
- references/mermaid_style_guide.md (~458 lines): full Mermaid standards —
emoji set, classDef color palette, accessibility (accTitle/accDescr),
theme neutrality (no %%{init}), and diagram type selection table
- references/diagrams/ (24 files): per-type exemplars, tips, and templates
for all Mermaid diagram types
- templates/ (9 files): PR, issue, kanban, ADR, presentation, how-to,
status report, research paper, project docs
Source: https://github.com/borealBytes/opencode
7.0 KiB
Status Report / Executive Briefing Template
Back to Markdown Style Guide — Read the style guide first for formatting, citation, and emoji rules.
Use this template for: Weekly/monthly status updates, executive briefings, project health reports, quarterly reviews, sprint retrospectives, or any document that updates stakeholders on progress, risks, and decisions needed. Designed to be read in under 5 minutes by someone with decision-making authority.
Key features: TL;DR at the top for executives who won't read further, traffic-light health indicators, explicit "decisions needed" section that surfaces blockers, metrics table with trends, and risk register with mitigations.
Philosophy: The #1 failure mode of status reports is burying the important stuff in a wall of accomplishments. Lead with what needs attention. If the reader only has 30 seconds, the TL;DR and health summary give them what they need. If they have 5 minutes, the full report answers every follow-up question they'd ask. Never make leadership dig for the thing they need to act on.
How to Use
- Copy this file for each reporting period
- Name it by date:
status-2026-02-14.mdorstatus-week-07.md - Fill in the TL;DR first — if you can't summarize it, you don't understand it yet
- Be honest about health status — green means green, not "green because I'm optimistic"
- Add Mermaid diagrams for progress timelines, architecture changes, or risk impact flows
The Template
Everything below the line is the template. Copy from here:
[Project/Team Name] — Status Report
[Reporting period: Week of Month DD, YYYY / Month YYYY / Q# YYYY] [Author] · [Date]
📋 TL;DR
[3–5 bullet points. One sentence each. The most important things leadership needs to know. If they read nothing else, this is it.]
- Overall: [One-sentence project health summary]
- Progress: [Key milestone hit or approaching]
- Blocker: [The biggest risk or decision needed, or "None" if clear]
- Next: [What happens in the next period]
🚦 Health Summary
| Area | Status | Trend | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule | 🟢 On track | → | [Brief context] |
| Scope | 🟡 At risk | ↓ | [What's causing concern] |
| Budget | 🟢 On track | → | [Brief context] |
| Quality | 🟢 Good | ↑ | [What's improving] |
| Team | 🟡 Stretched | → | [Staffing or morale note] |
Status key: 🟢 On track · 🟡 At risk · 🔴 Off track / blocked Trend key: ↑ Improving · → Stable · ↓ Declining
⚠️ Decisions Needed
This section is for items that require action from leadership or stakeholders. If nothing needs a decision, write "No decisions needed this period."
Decision 1: [Specific question that needs an answer]
Context: [Why this decision is needed now — 2–3 sentences]
Options:
| Option | Impact | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| [Option A] | [What happens] | [Recommended / Not recommended] |
| [Option B] | [What happens] | [Recommended / Not recommended] |
Deadline: [When this decision is needed by and what happens if it's delayed]
Decision 2: [Another question]
[Same structure as above]
📊 Key Metrics
| Metric | Previous | Current | Target | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Metric 1 — e.g., Sprint velocity] | [Value] | [Value] | [Target] | [↑/→/↓] |
| [Metric 2 — e.g., Open bugs] | [Value] | [Value] | [Target] | [↑/→/↓] |
| [Metric 3 — e.g., Test coverage] | [Value] | [Value] | [Target] | [↑/→/↓] |
| [Metric 4 — e.g., Uptime SLA] | [Value] | [Value] | [Target] | [↑/→/↓] |
📊 Detailed Metrics
[Extended metrics, charts, or breakdowns that support the summary table but would overwhelm the main report.]
✅ Accomplishments
Completed this period
- [Accomplishment 1] — [Impact or outcome. Why it matters.]
- [Accomplishment 2] — [Impact]
- [Accomplishment 3] — [Impact]
Milestones
| Milestone | Planned date | Actual date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Milestone 1] | [Date] | [Date or —] | ✅ Complete |
| [Milestone 2] | [Date] | [Date or —] | 🔄 In progress |
| [Milestone 3] | [Date] | — | 📋 Upcoming |
🔄 In Progress
| Work item | Owner | Started | Expected completion | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Item 1] | [Person] | [Date] | [Date] | [On track / At risk / Blocked] |
| [Item 2] | [Person] | [Date] | [Date] | [Status] |
| [Item 3] | [Person] | [Date] | [Date] | [Status] |
🚨 Risks and Issues
Active risks
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Risk 1] | 🟡 Medium | 🔴 High | [What we're doing about it] | [Person] |
| [Risk 2] | [Level] | [Level] | [Mitigation] | [Person] |
Active blockers
| Blocker | Impact | Needed from | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Blocker 1 — or "None"] | [What's delayed] | [Who can unblock] | [Escalated / Waiting / Resolved] |
📋 Resolved Issues
| Issue | Resolution | Date resolved |
|---|---|---|
| [Issue 1] | [How it was resolved] | [Date] |
| [Issue 2] | [Resolution] | [Date] |
📍 Plan for Next Period
Priorities
- [Priority 1] — [What will be done and expected outcome]
- [Priority 2] — [What will be done]
- [Priority 3] — [What will be done]
Key dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| [Date] | [What's happening] |
| [Date] | [What's happening] |
🔗 References
- Project board / Jira / Linear — Live work tracking
- Previous status report — For context on trends
- Relevant decision record — Background on recent changes
Next report due: [Date]