generate-epics

name	generate-epics
description	Translate product intent or a PRD into a small set of outcome-driven Epics (3–7 max). Activate when starting a new product, adding a significant feature domain, or breaking down a PRD into actionable user outcomes.
license	MIT
compatibility	Works with any filesystem-based AI coding agent
metadata	{"author":"gaai-framework","version":"1.0","category":"discovery","track":"discovery","id":"SKILL-GENERATE-EPICS-001","updated_at":"2026-01-27T00:00:00.000Z","status":"stable"}
inputs	["product_intent (or PRD if available)"]
outputs	["contexts/artefacts/epics/*.md"]

Generate Epics

Purpose / When to Activate

Activate when:

• Starting a new product
• Adding a significant feature or domain
• Restructuring product scope
• Breaking down a PRD into actionable outcomes

Works with or without a PRD.

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Process

1. Read the Epic template at contexts/artefacts/epics/_template.epic.md before writing any Epic file.

   CRITICAL — ID Collision Guard (MUST execute before assigning any Epic ID):

   • a) Scan contexts/backlog/active.backlog.yaml to find the highest existing Epic number (e.g., if E52 is the last, the next Epic must be E53 or higher).
   • b) Also scan contexts/artefacts/epics/ for existing .epic.md files to catch any that may not yet be in the backlog.
   • c) For each Epic file to be created, check if the file already exists at contexts/artefacts/epics/{id}.epic.md. If it exists with different content, STOP immediately — surface the conflict to the human.
   • d) The new Epic ID = max(existing IDs) + 1. Never reuse an Epic ID, even if the previous Epic was deleted or superseded.
   • Rationale: On 2026-03-17, two concurrent sessions both assigned E52 to different epics. The second overwrote the first's stories. This guard prevents recurrence.

2. Think in user outcomes, not features

3. Keep Epics high-level and value-focused

4. Avoid implementation detail

5. Limit to 3–7 Epics maximum

6. For each Epic, answer: "What meaningful user result will this create?"

7. Output using the canonical Epic template

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Outputs

Template: contexts/artefacts/epics/_template.epic.md

Produces files at contexts/artefacts/epics/{id}.epic.md.

Key sections per Epic:

• Purpose: what user outcome this delivers and why it matters
• Scope: high-level description of what is included
• Out of Scope: what is explicitly excluded
• Stories: list of story IDs (descriptive only; authoritative tracking is in the backlog)
• Success Metrics: how to know the Epic delivered value
• Dependencies: other Epics or external factors this depends on

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Quality Checks

• Each Epic expresses a user outcome, not a technical feature
• Maximum 7 Epics per initiative
• No implementation detail present
• Each Epic is independently valuable
• No Epic ID collision — the assigned ID does not exist in the backlog or on disk with different content

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Non-Goals

This skill must NOT:

• Generate Stories (use generate-stories)
• Make technical architecture decisions
• Produce more than 7 Epics per initiative

Epics are the bridge between vision and execution.