initiative-planning

name	initiative-planning
description	Plan a large or ambiguous engineering initiative before implementation. Produces intent, discovery, plan, chunk map, and chunk contracts. Use before writing code for non-trivial work.

Initiative Planning

Use this skill when the user describes a large, ambiguous, architectural, or multi-PR task.

Mode

Start read-only. Do not edit application code.

Inputs

• Initiative folder path, or create one under .agent-loop/initiatives/.
• Human goal and constraints.
• Project policies under .agent-loop/policies/.

Required output artifacts

Create or update:

INTENT.md
DISCOVERY.md
PLAN.md
CHUNK_MAP.md
STATUS.md
RISKS.md
DECISIONS.md
chunks/<ID>-01.md ... chunks/<ID>-N.md

Process

1. Restate the human goal.
2. Identify what is known, unknown, and risky.
3. Explore the repo read-only.
4. Write DISCOVERY.md with concrete files, modules, tests, and risks.
5. Write INTENT.md with the why, success state, non-goals, and human decisions needed.
6. Write PLAN.md with proposed approach, alternatives rejected, boundaries preserved, and verification strategy.
7. Split the plan into reviewable PR-sized chunks in CHUNK_MAP.md.
8. Create one chunk contract per chunk.
9. Mark the first chunk as proposed, not active, until human approval.
10. Stop. Do not implement.

Chunking rules

• Each chunk should map to one PR.
• Each chunk must have allowed files, not-allowed changes, acceptance criteria, risk class, reviewer set, and human review focus.
• L1 chunks must be small enough for careful human review.
• If a chunk is too large, split it.

Output format

End with:

1. Initiative summary
2. Proposed chunk list
3. Main risks
4. Human decisions needed
5. Recommended first chunk
6. Explicit stop: "Planning complete. Awaiting human approval before implementation."