| name | manager-log |
| description | How to maintain a lightweight work log for Manager Agents to track high-level decisions during project execution. Use when you need to document key choices, rationale, and project status manually throughout the workflow. Use when this capability is needed. |
| metadata | {"author":"gapfdev"} |
Manager Log
Skill for maintaining an incremental work log that captures high-level decisions, rationale, and project status as the Manager Agent progresses through the workflow.
Input
- Decision type (architecture, delegation, scope, tooling)
- Decision content (what was decided)
- Rationale (why this choice)
- Current workflow phase (Step 1-7)
Output
- Work log file at
.agent/temp/manager-log.md
- Structured history of decisions and project evolution
- Easy-to-reference audit trail for handoffs
When to Use
Use this skill when:
- ✅ You make an important architectural or technical decision
- ✅ You delegate work to a Dev Agent (record what was assigned)
- ✅ You change project scope or priorities
- ✅ You choose between alternatives (document the reasoning)
- ✅ You need to pass context to another Manager Agent later
Do NOT use for:
- ❌ Every single file change (that's what commits are for)
- ❌ Individual code edits (that's what PRs document)
- ❌ Test results (that's in CI logs)
- ❌ Trivial choices (only high-level decisions)
Process
Phase 1: Initialize Log (First Use Only)
If .agent/temp/manager-log.md doesn't exist, create it:
- Check:
ls .agent/temp/manager-log.md
- If missing, copy template: use
templates/LOG_TEMPLATE.md
- Fill in:
{{PROJECT_NAME}} → Actual project name{{START_DATE}} → Current date{{OBJECTIVE}} → High-level goal (from product vision)
Phase 2: Log a Decision (Manual)
When you make an important decision:
- Read current log:
cat .agent/temp/manager-log.md
- Add entry under the appropriate section:
- Architectural Decisions → Tech stack, patterns, structure
- Delegation Log → What work was assigned to which agent
- Scope Changes → What was added/removed from the project
- Tool/Process Choices → CI/CD, testing approach, etc.
- Use this format:
**[Date/Time] — [Decision Title]**
Decision: [What you chose]
Rationale: [Why you chose it]
Alternatives considered: [What you didn't choose and why]
Example:
**2026-02-13 23:00 — Authentication Strategy**
Decision: Use OAuth 2.0 with Google/GitHub providers
Rationale: Product vision requires social logins. Team has OAuth experience.
Alternatives considered: JWT (rejected — no third-party login support)
Phase 3: Update Status (At Gates)
After passing a workflow gate (Gate 1, 2, etc.):
- Update the Current Status section
- Mark completed phases with ✅
- Mark in-progress phase with 🔄
- List pending phases
Example:
## Current Status
- ✅ Step 1: Product Discovery complete
- ✅ Step 2: Tech Analysis complete
- ✅ Gate 1: Passed (vision approved)
- 🔄 Step 3: Backlog creation in progress
- ⏸️ Step 4: Sprint planning (pending)
Phase 4: Convert to Walkthrough (Optional, End of Work)
When project is complete or conversation ends:
- Read the full log
- Create a
walkthrough.md summary
- Include:
- Key decisions made (from log)
- Final deliverables
- What was validated
- Archive log to
.agent/archive/manager-log-[DATE].md (optional)
Decision Types Guide
| Type | When to Log | Example |
|---|
| Architectural | Choosing patterns, structure, frameworks | "MVVM over MVC because..." |
| Delegation | Assigning work to Dev Agents | "UI Dev: implement login screen" |
| Scope | Adding/removing features | "Removed offline mode (out of scope)" |
| Tooling | CI/CD, testing, deployment choices | "GitHub Actions for CI" |
| Risk | Identified risks or trade-offs | "Using beta library — may have bugs" |
Log Structure
# Manager Work Log
## Session Info
- Project: [Name]
- Started: [Date]
- Objective: [High-level goal]
- Current Phase: [Step X]
---
## Architectural Decisions
[Your decision entries here]
---
## Delegation Log
[Work assigned to Dev Agents]
---
## Scope Changes
[Features added/removed]
---
## Tool Choices
[CI/CD, testing, deployment decisions]
---
## Current Status
[Checklist of workflow progress]
---
## Blockers
[Current blockers, if any]
---
## Next Steps
[What's coming next]
Completeness Checklist
- □ Log file exists at
.agent/temp/manager-log.md?
- □ Session info (project, date, objective) filled in?
- □ At least 3 decisions documented with rationale?
- □ Current status reflects latest workflow phase?
- □ All delegations have agent name + task description?
Rules
- ALWAYS include rationale when logging a decision
- ALWAYS timestamp your entries (date + time)
- ALWAYS mention alternatives considered (shows thoughtful choice)
- NEVER log trivial decisions — only high-level choices
- NEVER duplicate what's in commits/PRs — log WHY, not WHAT
- ALWAYS update Current Status after passing a gate
- ALWAYS log delegations with agent identity + task
- ALWAYS write in English for consistency
- NEVER let the log exceed 300 lines — move old entries to archive
Example Log
# Manager Work Log
## Session Info
- Project: Order Management System
- Started: 2026-02-13
- Objective: Build offline-first bakery order tracking app
- Current Phase: Step 3 (Setup & Backlog)
---
## Architectural Decisions
**2026-02-13 10:15 — Local Storage Strategy**
Decision: Use Room database for offline-first approach
Rationale: Product vision requires offline operation. Room well-supported on Android.
Alternatives considered: SQLite directly (rejected — too low-level), Realm (rejected — deprecated)
**2026-02-13 14:00 — UI Framework**
Decision: Jetpack Compose for UI
Rationale: Modern, declarative, team wants to learn it
Alternatives considered: XML layouts (rejected — legacy approach)
---
## Delegation Log
**2026-02-13 15:00 — UI Dev (Thread #abc123)**
Task: Implement login screen with MVVM pattern + StateFlow
Deliverable: PR with login UI + ViewModel + unit tests
**2026-02-13 16:00 — Backend Dev (Thread #def456)**
Task: Set up Room database schema + DAOs
Deliverable: PR with entities, DAOs, migration scripts
---
## Scope Changes
**2026-02-13 12:00 — Removed Real-Time Sync**
Reason: Out of scope for MVP. Focus on offline-first core functionality.
---
## Tool Choices
**2026-02-13 11:00 — CI/CD**
Decision: GitHub Actions for automated testing
Rationale: Free for public repos, easy GitHub integration
---
## Current Status
- ✅ Step 1: Product Discovery complete
- ✅ Step 2: Tech Analysis complete
- ✅ Gate 1: Passed (vision approved)
- ✅ Gate 2: Passed (tech strategy approved)
- 🔄 Step 3: Backlog creation in progress (8/12 tickets created)
- ⏸️ Step 4: Sprint planning (pending backlog completion)
---
## Blockers
None currently
---
## Next Steps
1. Finish remaining 4 backlog tickets
2. Review UI Dev's login screen PR
3. Plan Sprint 1 with MoSCoW prioritization
Integration with Workflow
When to update the log during the 7-step workflow:
| Workflow Step | When to Log |
|---|
| Step 1: Product Discovery | Log key insights from user (critical features, must-haves) |
| Step 2: Tech Analysis | Log architectural decisions, tech stack choices |
| Step 3: Setup & Backlog | Log project structure decisions, tooling choices |
| Step 4: Sprint Planning | Log scope changes, priority shifts |
| Step 5: Implementation | Log delegation to Dev Agents, design pattern choices |
| Step 6: Code Review | Log quality trade-offs, technical debt decisions |
| Step 7: QA Validation | Log deployment decisions, release criteria |
Tip: Update the log AFTER each gate pass to maintain an accurate Current Status.
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