| name | planning-decompose |
| effort | medium |
| description | When a meld contains multiple interdependent or multi-trade work items, decompose it into parallel and sequential workstreams before acting. Prevents dispatching trade A before trade B's prerequisite work is done. |
| triggers | ["complex meld","multiple trades","multi-step repair","sequential work","decompose","planning"] |
Planning Decompose
Use this skill when a meld describes more than one problem, involves multiple trades, or has sequential dependencies. Do not dispatch anything until the workstream map is built.
When to Invoke
Invoke automatically when a meld description or thread contains ANY of:
- Two or more trade keywords (plumbing + flooring, HVAC + electrical, etc.)
- Language implying sequence ("once the leak is fixed, then...", "after demo...")
- Unknown scope requiring diagnosis before dispatch
- Multiple rooms or units affected
Step 1 — Read the Full Thread
python3 scripts/pm-get-comments.py <meld_id>
Never decompose from the subject line. Read the thread.
Step 2 — Identify Workstreams
For each distinct problem in the meld:
| Stream | Trade | Independent or Sequential? | Gate Condition |
|---|
| A | e.g., Plumbing | Gate for B | Leak must be fixed first |
| B | e.g., Flooring | Sequential after A | Cannot replace floor until dry |
| C | e.g., Painting | Sequential after B | Cannot paint until floor is in |
Independent: can be dispatched simultaneously
Sequential: must wait for a prior stream to complete — name the gate condition explicitly
Step 3 — Classify Each Stream
For each stream, determine:
- Trade: which vendor category handles it
- Urgency: Emergency / High / Normal / Low (see pm-meld-triage for definitions)
- Vendor: recommended vendor (or "unknown — diagnosis needed first")
- Blocking: which other streams, if any, this stream must complete before
Step 4 — Surface the Plan to David
Format the plan as a numbered list. Do NOT send a wall of text. One line per stream:
Meld <id> — <address> — multi-stream:
1. [URGENT] Plumbing (Example Plumbing) — stop active leak → gates Stream 2
2. [Normal] Flooring (CT Flooring) — replace damaged subfloor → wait for Stream 1 completion + dry-out (est. 48–72h)
3. [Low] Painting (in-house: Alex) — touch-up after flooring complete
Recommend: dispatch Stream 1 today. Hold Streams 2–3 until leak confirmed dry.
Then create an approval if dispatch is needed, per the approvals skill.
Step 5 — Track Gates in Daily Memory
For any sequential stream with a pending gate condition, log the gate in today's memory file:
## Gated Workstream: Meld <id>
- Stream 2 (Flooring) blocked until: Stream 1 (plumbing) closed + 48h dry-out confirmed
- Check date: <today + 3 days>
On each heartbeat, check if any gated stream's condition has been met.
Common Multi-Trade Patterns
| Pattern | Streams | Dispatch order |
|---|
| Water intrusion + floor damage | Plumbing → Flooring → Paint | Sequential |
| HVAC + pest (unrelated) | HVAC / Pest | Independent — dispatch simultaneously |
| Electrical + HVAC (shared breaker issue) | Electrical diagnosis first → HVAC | Sequential |
| Make-ready unit turnover | Cleaning + Paint + Flooring + Appliance check | Independent except appliance = last |
| Sewer backup + flooring + mold risk | Plumbing → Mold test → Flooring | Sequential, flag mold as High |
Guardrails
- Never dispatch a downstream trade before its gate condition is confirmed met
- If scope is truly unknown (e.g., "everything is broken"), schedule a diagnosis visit first — do not dispatch multiple trades blind
- If the resident describes a safety risk in any stream, that stream overrides the plan and routes through habitability override in pm-meld-triage
Use this skill before pm-meld-triage when the meld has multiple items. After decomposing, run each stream through pm-meld-triage individually.
