> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://engineering.umh.app/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://engineering.umh.app/engineering/development-process/how-to-decide-what-to-build/signals.md). # Signals Where evidence reaches us, and what we do with it before it becomes work. Owner: Jeremy We create a lot of tickets. In most companies a ticket means work someone has committed to. Most of ours are signals: evidence that something is worth knowing. A customer request, a security finding, an error report, something the usage data shows. Some arrive on their own as a ticket waiting in [Triage](/engineering/development-process/how-to-decide-what-to-build/signals/triage.md). For others we go looking and write the ticket ourselves. ## Rules * A signal is something we have noticed. It becomes work when someone accepts it. * Small work can be accepted by any [Product Engineer](/engineering/product-engineer.md), who moves the ticket from Ideas to [Todo](/engineering/development-process/how-to-build/tickets.md#the-ticket-state). Larger work has to be [pitched](/engineering/development-process/how-to-decide-what-to-build.md#rollout-tickets). * A signal says what is happening and shows the evidence behind it. * A Product Engineer turns a signal into work, through the [spec](/engineering/development-process/how-to-build.md#before-you-write-code) that says what we build. A [Product Owner](/engineering/product-engineer/product-owner.md) turns signals into direction, through the [vision](/engineering/development-process/how-to-decide-what-to-build.md#visions) that says what should always hold. * Whoever owns a [home ticket](/engineering/development-process/how-to-build/tickets.md) is responsible for the quality of the signals under it. An alert that fires every day and is always ignored, or an [error nobody has to act on](/engineering/development-process/how-to-decide-what-to-build/signals/error-reporting.md), needs changing where it is produced. Closing what it files does not fix it. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://engineering.umh.app/engineering/development-process/how-to-decide-what-to-build/signals.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.