Pressure test 13 · strategic
the co-architect pulls back mid-execution
After partial implementation, the co-architect's institutional legal instincts surface a deal-breaker — proposing a return to NRD v1.2 or to a different architecture, creating a leadership misalignment that stalls the project.
Scenario
After partial implementation, the co-architect's institutional legal instincts surface a deal-breaker — proposing a return to NRD v1.2 or to a different architecture, creating a leadership misalignment that stalls the project.
Cost / impact
Depends on stage. Early (during planning): low cost. Mid-stream (after smart contract development begins): substantial sunk costs of $100k–$300k in audit and development work.
Prevention
Stage-by-stage co-signing per 07-execution/01-alignment-sequencing.md. Conservative legal posture in NRD-lite builds confidence incrementally. Taking 'this is too speculative' objections seriously and resolving them before advancing to the next stage.
Mitigation
Return to the last co-signed stage and resolve the objection before proceeding. If objection is architectural, convene formal re-evaluation with both principals and outside counsel before any further spend.
Residual risk
Low if alignment conversations happen regularly. High if they don't. The staged co-signing process is the primary risk management tool for this failure mode.