Precedent Case
HealthCare.gov Turnaround
War-room governance and decisive triage can stabilize a failing system fast.
Context + constraints
- High public visibility
- Complex vendor landscape
- Reliability and performance issues at launch
Trigger
System failure and public pressure required immediate stabilization.
Intervention design
- Establish a war-room model with clear authority
- Instrument the system to see reality
- Prioritize stability and performance before feature work
Execution mechanics
- Daily checkpoint meetings
- Clear ownership and escalation
- Release discipline with measurable targets
Outcomes
- Stabilized performance
- Restored user trust over time
- Operational clarity under pressure
Transfer mechanism
- Shared dashboards and metrics
- Governance cadence
- Clear accountability structure
Genesis Forge design takeaway
When systems fail, governance becomes the product: clear authority, live metrics, and daily decisions beat consensus.
Citations
- Public reporting on HealthCare.gov turnaround