kata-plan-phase

name	kata-plan-phase
description	Use when the user asks to plan a phase, slice upcoming work, or turn a milestone goal into executable Kata tasks.

kata-plan-phase

Operating Brief

When this skill is invoked, turn the active milestone roadmap into executable slices and tasks.

Load the project snapshot and active milestone, read the milestone requirements and roadmap, list existing milestone slices when needed, then present the next roadmap phase or slice the snapshot recommends converting into execution work. Ask for confirmation before creating backend slices or tasks.

If the selected roadmap work is not already represented by an existing slice, confirm it is independently demo-able and testable, create a slice with slice.create, create focused tasks with task.create, and write a slice-scoped plan artifact with artifact.write. End by routing the user to kata-execute-phase.

Success Criteria

• The selected milestone work is represented by one or more backend slices.
• Each task is small enough for a fresh execution agent and includes verification expectations.
• A slice-scoped plan artifact captures the execution plan.
• The plan preserves the selected slice as an independently demo-able and testable vertical increment unless an enabling-work exception is approved.
• The user knows the next step is kata-execute-phase.

Do Not

• Do not plan without an active milestone.
• Do not create tasks that are not tied to milestone requirements.
• Do not create horizontal enabling work without an explicit exception and downstream demo slice.
• Do not skip the phase gate before creating backend work.
• Do not execute implementation work in this skill.

Process

1. Read references/workflow.md before taking action. Execute that workflow end-to-end.
2. Preserve every workflow gate: required checks, user confirmations, durable writes, status updates, and next-step routing.
3. Before any backend IO, read references/runtime-contract.md and use only the operations listed there.
4. When the workflow tells you to create or read an artifact, use references/artifact-contract.md and the named template files.
5. If setup or backend readiness is uncertain, read references/setup.md before proceeding.
6. Read optional references only when the workflow calls for them or the current step needs them.

Resource Loading

Must read:

• Workflow: references/workflow.md
• Runtime IO contract: references/runtime-contract.md

Read when needed:

• Setup and health checks: references/setup.md
• Alignment depth: references/alignment.md
• CLI command patterns: references/cli-runtime.md
• Artifact conventions: references/artifact-contract.md
• CLI helper: scripts/kata-call.mjs
• Artifact input helper: scripts/kata-artifact-input.mjs

Additional references:

• ui-brand: references/ui-brand.md

Templates:

• phase-prompt: templates/phase-prompt.md

Execution Rules

1. If setup or backend state is uncertain, start with references/setup.md.
2. Choose alignment depth using references/alignment.md inside this workflow.
3. Follow references/workflow.md as the behavioral source for this skill.
4. Use only operations listed in references/runtime-contract.md for backend IO.
5. Keep backend specifics in @kata-sh/cli adapters, never in skill logic.