start-project

name	start-project
description	Create a new project with proper PARA structure. Ensures consistent project setup with completion criteria and status tracking.
use_when	User wants to start a new project, create a project folder, or set up project structure.

Start Project

Create new projects with standardized structure, clear completion criteria, and proper PARA organization.

Why This Matters

Projects without structure become zombies—never quite done, never quite abandoned. With proper setup:

• Every project has clear "done" criteria
• Status is trackable via frontmatter
• Other skills (log-to-project, weekly-review) work correctly
• Nothing falls through the cracks

Configuration

Add to your CLAUDE.md:

## Vault Configuration
Projects location: 02 Projects/
Incubation folder: 02 Projects/_Incubation/

## Project Areas (customize for your work)
Areas:
  - work: Work projects
  - personal: Personal projects
  - learning: Learning/skill projects

Project Types

Type	Description	Default Subfolders
general	Standard project	None
software	Code/development	Sessions/, Decisions/
content	Writing/creation	Drafts/, Research/
learning	Skill acquisition	Resources/, Notes/

Quick Start

1. Get project name and type
2. Ask for completion criteria (what defines "done"?)
3. Create project folder with PROJECT.md
4. Create type-specific subfolders
5. Confirm creation

PROJECT.md Template

This is the canonical project file. Every project must have this.

---
project: "[PROJECT_NAME]"
type: "[TYPE]"
status: "planning"
priority: "medium"
area: "[AREA]"
start_date: "[TODAY]"
target_completion: "[DEADLINE_OR_EMPTY]"
tags:
  - project
created: "[TODAY]"
updated: "[TODAY]"
---

# [PROJECT_NAME]

## Overview

**Goal:** [One sentence goal]

**Why this matters:** [Brief context]

## Completion Criteria

What defines "done" for this project:

- [ ] Criterion 1
- [ ] Criterion 2
- [ ] Criterion 3

## Status

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Status | planning |
| Priority | medium |
| Started | [TODAY] |
| Target | [DEADLINE] |
| Progress | 0% |

## Next Actions

- [ ] First action

## Progress Log

### [TODAY]
- Project created

---

## Reference

**Status values:** planning, active, on-hold, blocked, review, completed
**Priority values:** critical, high, medium, low

Process

Step 1: Gather Information

Ask the user:

1. Project name - What should this be called?
2. Type - general, software, content, learning
3. Area - Which area of work? (user-defined)
4. Priority - critical, high, medium, low
5. Target completion - Specific date or leave blank
6. One-sentence goal - What's the outcome?
7. Completion criteria - What defines "done"? (minimum 2-3 items)

Step 2: Validate

• Check if folder already exists
• Ensure completion criteria are defined (projects without "done" criteria become zombies)
• Validate status and priority values

Step 3: Create Structure

1. Create folder: 02 Projects/[Project Name]/
2. Create PROJECT.md with template
3. Create subfolders based on type
4. For software projects, suggest creating CLAUDE.md

Step 4: Confirm

• Show what was created
• Remind user to fill in any placeholders
• Suggest next steps

Validation Rules

1. Project name - Not empty, doesn't already exist
2. Status - Must be: planning, active, on-hold, blocked, review, completed
3. Priority - Must be: critical, high, medium, low
4. Completion criteria - At least one item (non-negotiable)

Subfolders by Type

Software projects:

• Sessions/ - Development session logs
• Decisions/ - Architectural decision records

Content projects:

• Drafts/ - Work in progress
• Research/ - Background materials

Learning projects:

• Resources/ - Learning materials
• Notes/ - Study notes

Tips

• If completion criteria are vague, help user think through what "done" looks like
• For software projects, link to code repo
• If deadline is "ASAP" or vague, push for specific date or "no deadline"
• Projects without clear completion criteria tend to linger—enforce this

Success Criteria

• Project folder exists
• PROJECT.md has valid frontmatter
• All frontmatter fields populated (no placeholders)
• At least one completion criterion defined
• Appropriate subfolders created
• User shown the created structure