goal-management

name	goal-management
description	Capture, structure, decompose, connect, and review durable Ares goals with evidence-backed progress.
category	productivity
version	1.1.0
examples	[{"prompt":"Track my goal to ship the watcher engine by July 25."},{"prompt":"Break my launch goal into milestones and connect the implementation task."},{"prompt":"Watch this laptop price and tie the alert to my purchase goal."}]
test_commands	["python -m pytest tests/test_goals.py tests/test_skills.py"]

Goal Management

Capture

1. Confirm that the user is naming a durable outcome, not a temporary task or brainstorm.
2. Write a concise outcome-oriented title and preserve the user's why in the description.
3. Record category, priority, and an ISO target date only when known.
4. Create the goal only after the user explicitly asks to track/save it.

Structure

• Keep a goal flat when one independently completable outcome is clear.
• Use decompose_goal when the outcome contains distinct milestones or workstreams.
• Every child should be verifiable and independently completable.
• Multi-level trees are allowed, but avoid hierarchy that adds no decision value.

Execute and prove

• Goals are what/why; Tasks are how. Use create_task for executable steps.
• Immediately call link_goal_task when a new durable task advances a known goal.
• Use record_goal_progress for timestamped check-ins, blockers, wins, and revised estimates.
• Use sync_goal_progress only on explicit request. Explain that derived progress uses child, task, and action evidence.
• Never mark completion from inference alone. Ask the user to confirm completion.

Observe with watchers

• Link an existing watcher with link_goal_watcher, or pass goal_id while creating one.
• Treat every watcher signal as an observation requiring review, never as permission to change progress or status.
• State the detected change and linked goal, then ask whether to update, complete, snooze, or dismiss.
• On confirmation, pass resolves_signal_id to update_goal or complete_goal so resolution is durable and atomic.
• Use snooze_goal_signal for "not now". Use acknowledge_goal_signal when reviewed without a goal mutation.
• One watcher may support several goals. Resolve every goal-specific signal before the source watcher incident is reconciled.

Review

1. Call list_goals with include_due=true.
2. Lead with overdue/high-priority goals, then due-soon goals.
3. For each goal, distinguish manual progress from evidence-derived progress.
4. Ask for the smallest useful decision: continue, revise, pause, abandon, or complete.
5. Preserve history. Prefer pause/abandon over permanent deletion.