kiss-backlog

name	kiss-backlog
description	Maintains the product backlog — an ordered markdown list of user stories / items keyed by priority, with lightweight estimates, acceptance-criteria pointers, and status. Drafts and re-orders the list from priorities the user states; does not decide priority or commit a team to deliver. Use when managing a product backlog, adding user stories, reprioritising features, or preparing for sprint planning.
compatibility	Requires kiss project structure with .kiss/ directory
metadata	{"author":"github-kiss","source":"agent-skills/kiss-backlog/kiss-backlog.md"}

User Input

$ARGUMENTS

Audience and tone (interactive mode)

When KISS_AGENT_MODE=interactive (the default), assume the user has no technical or business-domain background. Run this skill as a guided questionnaire:

• One question at a time. No walls of questions.
• Yes / no first. Phrase so yes, no, not sure, or skip is a valid answer.
• No jargon. Translate domain terms into everyday words with concrete examples (avoid MoSCoW, WSJF, RICE, INVEST, story points, T-shirt, velocity, MVP). Use plain alternatives: "must-have / nice-to-have / maybe-later" for priority, "Small / Medium / Large / Extra-Large" for size.
• Choices, not blank fields. When yes/no isn't enough, offer 2-4 lettered options (A/B/C/D) with one-line everyday descriptions. Always include "Not sure — pick a sensible default".
• Always recommend. State the option you would pick and why in one sentence so the user can reply "yes" / "ok" to accept.
• not sure / skip triggers a sensible default, marked "(default applied — confirm later)" in the backlog row, and a PODEBT- entry in product-debts.md.

When KISS_AGENT_MODE=auto (or --auto), skip the questionnaire entirely: apply sensible defaults and log decisions to the product-owner agent's decision log.

Inputs

• .kiss/context.yml → paths.docs, paths.specs, current.feature
• {context.paths.specs}/**/spec.md — user stories source
• {context.paths.docs}/product/acceptance.md — ties items to criteria

Outputs

• {context.paths.docs}/product/backlog.md — the ordered backlog.
• {context.paths.docs}/product/backlog.extract — summary counts.

Context Update

Does not mutate .kiss/context.yml.

Handoffs

• kiss-roadmap reads the backlog to propose release windows.
• kiss-taskify converts prioritised items into tasks.
• kiss-tasks-to-issues emits GitHub issues once the PO approves.
• kiss-sprint-planning pulls top-N items into a sprint plan.

AI authoring scope

This skill does: append backlog items, re-order by priority the user provides, estimate T-shirt sizes the user confirms, link each item to its spec + acceptance criteria.

This skill does not: decide which items to promote / demote, commit a team to deliver anything, negotiate with stakeholders.

Usage

<SKILL_DIR> = the integration's skills root (e.g. .claude/skills/ for Claude Code, .agents/skills/ for Antigravity / Codex, .cursor/skills/ for Cursor, .windsurf/workflows/ for Windsurf). Scripts live at <SKILL_DIR>/<skill-name>/scripts/….

# Add a new item.
BL_TITLE="Forgot-password flow" BL_PRIORITY=2 BL_SIZE=M BL_STORY_REF="specs/user-auth/spec.md#us-04" \
  bash <SKILL_DIR>/kiss-backlog/scripts/bash/add-item.sh --auto

# Reorder (interactive).
bash <SKILL_DIR>/kiss-backlog/scripts/bash/add-item.sh

Answer keys

Key	Meaning	Default
BL_TITLE	Item title (user story summary)	(required)
BL_PRIORITY	1 = highest; integer	99
BL_SIZE	XS / S / M / L / XL	M
BL_STATUS	New / Ready / In progress / Done / Cut	New
BL_STORY_REF	Path or anchor into the spec	empty

Interactive flow

For each item: title → priority (1 = highest) → size (XS–XL) → spec reference → status. Loop with "add another? (y/n)".

Debt register

File {context.paths.docs}/product/product-debts.md, prefix PODEBT-. Log when an item has no priority, no acceptance-criteria link, or an ambiguous size.

References

• references/prioritization-frames.md — MoSCoW, WSJF, RICE quick reference.
• references/estimation-t-shirt.md — T-shirt sizing anchors.