idea-queue-capture

name	idea-queue-capture
description	Instantly capture user ideas to work queue with intelligent grouping
version	1.0.0

Idea Queue Capture Skill

When to Use

• User provides a feature request, bug report, or improvement idea
• User mentions multiple related ideas that should be grouped together
• User wants to queue work without interrupting current execution
• Quick capture needed without planning overhead
• User says things like: "add this to my ideas", "queue this for later", "capture this"

Purpose

This skill provides fast, interruption-free idea capture for the autonomous work queue system. It follows Matt Maher's "do-work" pattern where one Claude instance (Capture) collects ideas while another instance (Work) executes them.

Key Principle: Capture is FAST. No planning, no validation, no execution - just preserve the full context and queue it.

Process

1. Parse User Input

Extract all distinct ideas from the user's message:

• Identify keywords: "feature", "bug", "fix", "improve", "add", "change", "update", "create"
• Look for numbered lists or bullet points
• Detect multiple sentences with distinct ideas
• Preserve full context verbatim - don't summarize

2. Intelligent Grouping Logic

Analyze if ideas should be grouped or separated:

Group together (create single queue item) if:

• Ideas affect the same UI component (e.g., "Fix button padding AND change button color")
• Ideas have dependencies (e.g., "Add field to form AND update validation")
• Ideas are variations/options for same change (e.g., "Make button blue OR green")
• Ideas are in the same domain (e.g., all R&D related, all UI related)

Separate (create multiple queue items) if:

• Ideas are independent with no relationship
• Ideas belong to different domains (e.g., tax calculation vs UI change)
• Ideas have different priority levels explicitly stated
• User explicitly separates with "Also..." or "Separately..."

Example Grouping:

Input: "Fix the copy icon overlap in description panel AND adjust the panel spacing"
Output: 1 queue item (both affect description panel)

Input: "Fix copy icon overlap. Also analyze R&D transactions for FY2023-24"
Output: 2 queue items (UI vs tax analysis - completely different domains)

3. Auto-Detect Queue Item Type

Based on keywords and context:

Keywords	Type
"bug", "fix", "broken", "error", "issue"	bug
"feature", "add", "new", "create", "build"	feature
"improve", "enhance", "optimize", "refactor", "better"	improvement
"client", "customer", "stakeholder", "requested"	client_request
Everything else	task

4. Generate Title

Create concise title (max 80 chars):

• Extract action verb + subject (e.g., "Fix copy icon overlap")
• If grouped, summarize both (e.g., "Fix description panel UI issues")
• Capitalize first letter
• No trailing punctuation
• If title > 80 chars, truncate and add "..."

5. Create Queue Item

import { addToQueue } from '@/lib/queue/work-queue-manager';

const queueItem = await addToQueue({
  title: generatedTitle,
  description: userInputVerbatim, // Full user message preserved
  queue_item_type: detectedType,
  payload: {
    original_message: userInput,
    context: currentContext,
    timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
    source: 'capture-skill',
  },
});

6. Confirmation Response

Return clear confirmation with:

• Number of items captured
• Title(s) of created item(s)
• Type(s) detected
• Queue position(s)

Configuration

Environment Variables

# Required (already configured in ATO)
SUPABASE_URL=https://your-project.supabase.co
SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY=your-service-role-key

Database Table

Uses the work_queue table created by migration 20260129_create_work_queue.sql.

Workflow Commands

/capture-idea

Capture the current user message as an idea.

Usage:

User: Fix the navigation header padding in mobile view
User: /capture-idea

/capture-request <text>

Capture specific text as a request.

Usage:

/capture-request Add dark mode toggle to settings page

/capture-multiple

Explicitly capture multiple separate ideas from the message.

Usage:

User: Fix button color. Also update the form validation. And review tax calculations.
User: /capture-multiple

Creates 3 separate queue items.

/list-queue

Show pending queue items and their positions.

Usage:

/list-queue

Output:

📋 Work Queue Status

Pending (3 items):
1. Fix copy icon overlap - P2 - Bug - 2 mins ago
2. Add R&D analysis for FY2023-24 - P1 - Feature - 15 mins ago
3. Update navigation spacing - P3 - Improvement - 1 hour ago

Validated (1 item):
1. Fix description panel spacing - P2 - Bug - Ready for execution

Currently processing: Analyzing deduction opportunities (12% complete)

Total in queue: 4 items

/queue-stats

Show detailed queue statistics.

Usage:

/queue-stats

Output:

📊 Queue Statistics

Total items processed: 127
Average execution time: 8.3 minutes
Total token usage: 45,230 PTS

Status breakdown:
- Pending: 3
- Validated: 1
- Processing: 1
- Completed: 119
- Failed: 2
- Archived: 115

Success rate: 98.4%

Output Format

Success Response

{
  "status": "success",
  "captured": [
    {
      "id": "uuid-123",
      "title": "Fix copy icon overlap in description panel",
      "type": "bug",
      "status": "pending",
      "queue_position": 3,
      "created_at": "2026-01-29T10:30:00Z"
    }
  ],
  "message": "1 idea captured successfully",
  "next_steps": "The Senior PM agent will validate this idea and create a Linear issue if approved."
}

Multiple Items Response

{
  "status": "success",
  "captured": [
    {
      "id": "uuid-123",
      "title": "Fix navigation header padding",
      "type": "bug",
      "status": "pending",
      "queue_position": 3
    },
    {
      "id": "uuid-456",
      "title": "Analyze R&D transactions for FY2023-24",
      "type": "feature",
      "status": "pending",
      "queue_position": 4
    }
  ],
  "message": "2 ideas captured successfully",
  "next_steps": "The Senior PM agent will validate these ideas and create Linear issues if approved."
}

Error Response

{
  "status": "error",
  "error": "Failed to add item to queue: Database connection failed",
  "suggestions": [
    "Check SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY is configured",
    "Verify Supabase project is running",
    "Run migration: supabase migration up"
  ]
}

User-Facing Messages

When capturing ideas, use clear, friendly language:

Success Messages

✅ Idea captured successfully!

**Title**: Fix copy icon overlap in description panel
**Type**: Bug
**Queue position**: #3

The Senior PM agent will validate this and create a Linear issue shortly.
You can continue working - this won't interrupt your current task.

Multiple Ideas Captured

✅ 2 ideas captured successfully!

1. **Fix navigation header padding** (Bug) - Position #3
2. **Analyze R&D transactions** (Feature) - Position #4

Both ideas will be validated by the Senior PM agent.

Queue is Processing

⚙️ Idea captured! The work queue is currently processing other items.

**Your idea**: Add dark mode toggle
**Position**: #5 in queue
**Estimated wait**: ~15 minutes

You'll be notified when your idea reaches validation.

Integration Points

Upstream

• User messages: Captures ideas from natural conversation
• Slash commands: Explicit capture commands

Downstream

• work_queue table: Writes to Supabase queue
• Senior PM Agent: Items flow to validation
• Work Loop Processor: Eventually executed autonomously

Error Handling

Database Errors

If queue write fails:

1. Log error with full context
2. Return user-friendly error message
3. Suggest: Check Supabase connection, verify migration ran
4. DO NOT lose user's idea - store in local fallback if possible

Validation Errors

If title/description too long:

1. Truncate title to 200 chars
2. Preserve full description in payload
3. Add note to payload: truncated: true

Duplicate Detection

NOT performed at capture stage (deferred to PM validation):

• Capture is fast, validation is thorough
• Senior PM will detect duplicates with Linear search
• If duplicate found, PM merges context into existing Linear issue

Performance Targets

Metric	Target
Capture time	< 2 seconds
User wait time	Immediate response
Database write	< 500ms
Message parsing	< 100ms

Security Considerations

• Uses SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY for database access
• No user authentication required (internal tool)
• Queue items are not user-specific (shared queue)
• Sensitive data in user messages is preserved as-is (no filtering)

Important: If user provides sensitive information (passwords, API keys), capture includes it. Warn user:

⚠️ Warning: Your idea contains what looks like sensitive information.
Please review the queue item before the Senior PM validates it.

Testing Checklist

• Single idea capture works
• Multiple related ideas group correctly
• Multiple unrelated ideas separate correctly
• Type detection is accurate
• Title generation follows 80-char limit
• Queue position calculation is correct
• Error handling gracefully fails
• /list-queue shows correct status
• /queue-stats calculates correctly
• Database connection errors are handled

Example Usage Sessions

Session 1: Simple Bug Fix

User: The navigation header has too much padding on mobile devices. It's covering content.

User: /capture-idea

Claude: ✅ Idea captured successfully!

**Title**: Fix navigation header padding on mobile
**Type**: Bug
**Queue position**: #1

The Senior PM agent will validate this and create a Linear issue shortly.

Session 2: Multiple Related Ideas

User: The description panel on the right has two issues:
1. The copy icon overlaps with text
2. There's not enough spacing between sections

User: /capture-idea

Claude: ✅ Idea captured successfully!

**Title**: Fix description panel UI issues
**Type**: Bug
**Queue position**: #2

Grouped 2 related issues into 1 queue item since they affect the same component.
The Senior PM will validate and route to the appropriate agent.

Session 3: Multiple Unrelated Ideas

User: Fix the copy icon overlap. Also, I need an analysis of all R&D eligible transactions for FY2023-24.

User: /capture-idea

Claude: ✅ 2 ideas captured successfully!

1. **Fix copy icon overlap** (Bug) - Position #3
2. **Analyze R&D eligible transactions for FY2023-24** (Feature) - Position #4

Created separate queue items since these are different domains (UI vs tax analysis).
Both will be validated by the Senior PM agent.

Notes

• This skill is capture-only - no planning, no validation, no execution
• Designed to run in dedicated "Capture Claude" instance
• Complements the "Work Claude" instance running /process-queue
• Follows Matt Maher's two-Claude pattern for context isolation
• Queue items remain pending until Senior PM validates them
• Validation includes feasibility check, duplicate detection, priority assignment