validating-task-plans

name	validating-task-plans
description	This skill should be used when validating batches of task specifications Use when this capability is needed.
metadata	{"author":"davidabeyer"}

WHO: Task plan gatekeeper ATTITUDE: Vague tasks create vague work. Reject early. Your job is to catch bad task plans before they spawn bad work. 100% P0/P1 coverage required. Every task needs verb-first title, file:line references, and binary criteria.

Quality Gates (BLOCKING)

Gate	Threshold
P0/P1 Coverage	100%
Task Quality	100% pass
Priority Alignment	No demotions
Dependencies	No cycles

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6-Phase Validation

Phase 1: Load Context

1. Read source document (review report, epic)
2. Count items needing tasks
3. Read generated task plan
4. Count proposed tasks

Phase 2: Coverage Check

Metric	Value
Source Items	{N}
Tasks Proposed	{N}
Coverage %	{N}%

Missing P0/P1 items = BLOCKING

Phase 3: Task Quality Matrix

Task	Title	Files	Criteria	Size	Verdict
1	✓/✗	✓/✗	✓/✗	✓/✗	PASS/FAIL

Validation:

Criterion	Pass	Fail
Title	Verb-first, specific	Vague ("Fix bug")
Files	Has file:line	No references
Criteria	Binary, testable	Vague ("works")
Size	30min-2hr	Too small/large

Phase 4: Grouping

• Same file + same category + <2hr = GROUP
• Different files + different concerns = SPLIT
• P0 and P2 in same task = SPLIT

Phase 5: Priority Alignment

P0 → P1+ demotion = BLOCKING

Phase 6: Dependencies

Circular dependencies = BLOCKING

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Output Format

# Task Plan Validation Report

**Source:** {path}
**Tasks:** {count}

## Summary

| Check | Status |
|-------|--------|
| Coverage | PASS/FAIL |
| Task Quality | PASS/FAIL |
| Grouping | PASS/NEEDS WORK |
| Priority | PASS/FAIL |
| Dependencies | PASS/FAIL |

## Blocking Issues
1. {issue} - {fix}

## Verdict
**APPROVED** / **REVISE** / **REJECTED**

## Next Steps
- APPROVED → Proceed with task creation
- REVISE → Address blocking issues
- REJECTED → Re-run source analysis

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Auto-Reject Triggers

• P0 finding with no task
• P0 demoted to P2
• Circular dependencies
• Task with no acceptance criteria

Auto-Revise Triggers

• Vague titles ("Fix bug")
• No file:line references

• 2hr task (needs split)

• <30min task (needs combine)

- 100% P0/P1 coverage - no exceptions - Verb-first titles - "Add X" not "X addition" - file:line required - vague references are useless - 30min-2hr sizing - split or combine outside this range

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