tri-triage

name	tri - Triage
description	Rapidly sorts multiple problems, tasks, or issues by urgency and importance into a priority matrix with a ranked action list.
output	{"format":"prose"}

Triage

Input: $ARGUMENTS

---

Step 1: List All Items

Extract every distinct problem, task, or issue from the input. If items are vague, split them into concrete sub-items.

ITEMS:
1. [item]
2. [item]
3. [item]
...

---

Step 2: Classify Urgency

For each item, ask: "What happens if this waits?"

Level	Definition	Timeframe
NOW	Delay causes irreversible damage or missed window	Hours
SOON	Delay increases cost or risk meaningfully	Days
LATER	Can wait without meaningful consequence	Weeks/months
NEVER	Doing this adds no value or is actively harmful	N/A

URGENCY:
1. [item] — [NOW/SOON/LATER/NEVER] — because [one-line reason]
2. [item] — [NOW/SOON/LATER/NEVER] — because [one-line reason]
...

---

Step 3: Classify Importance

For each item, ask: "How much does this matter to the actual goal?"

Level	Definition
CRITICAL	Goal fails without this
IMPORTANT	Goal is significantly worse without this
NICE	Improves things but goal succeeds without it
IRRELEVANT	No meaningful connection to the goal

IMPORTANCE:
1. [item] — [CRITICAL/IMPORTANT/NICE/IRRELEVANT] — because [one-line reason]
2. [item] — [CRITICAL/IMPORTANT/NICE/IRRELEVANT] — because [one-line reason]
...

---

Step 4: Priority Matrix

Place each item in the matrix:

	NOW	SOON	LATER	NEVER
CRITICAL	[items]	[items]	[items]	[items]
IMPORTANT	[items]	[items]	[items]	[items]
NICE	[items]	[items]	[items]	[items]
IRRELEVANT	[items]	[items]	[items]	[items]

---

Step 5: Ranked Action List

Read the matrix top-left to bottom-right. Output a single ordered list.

PRIORITY ORDER:
1. [item] — DO FIRST (critical + now)
2. [item] — DO NEXT (critical + soon / important + now)
3. [item] — SCHEDULE (important + soon)
4. [item] — BACKLOG (later items)
5. [item] — DROP (never / irrelevant)
...

CUTOFF RECOMMENDATION: Items below #[N] can be safely ignored for now.

---

Step 6: Sanity Check

Look at the top 3 items. Ask:

• Is there a dependency? (Does #2 actually need to happen before #1?)
• Is there a quick win hiding lower? (Something that takes 5 minutes but unlocks others?)

If yes, adjust the order and note why.

---

Integration

Use with:

• /pri -> When you need more sophisticated prioritization with weighted criteria
• /dcp -> When the top item requires a decision
• /to -> When the ranked list needs to become a project plan
• /rca -> When a CRITICAL+NOW item needs root cause analysis before action