| name | pair-capability-assess-pm |
| description | Evaluates and recommends which project management tool fits this project (Jira, Linear, GitHub Projects, etc.) when the choice is still open — proposes a choice, doesn't configure anything. /pair-capability-setup-pm configures the tool once picked; otherwise the caller persists the proposal via /pair-capability-record-decision. |
| version | 0.5.0 |
| author | Foomakers |
/pair-capability-assess-pm — PM Tool Assessment
Evaluate and recommend the project management tool. Follows the resolution cascade. Output-only for adoption: this skill produces a proposal (rendered PM-section content + target) plus a report and never writes adoption itself. When /pair-capability-setup-pm is installed it delegates tool configuration and persistence to it; otherwise the caller persists the proposal via /pair-capability-record-decision.
Arguments
| Argument | Required | Description |
|---|
$choice | No | Override: skip assessment, use this PM tool directly (e.g. github, filesystem) |
Composed Skills
| Skill | Type | Required |
|---|
/pair-capability-setup-pm | Capability | Optional — delegates tool configuration + persistence if installed |
This skill writes no adoption files itself. When /pair-capability-setup-pm is absent, persistence of the proposal is the caller's responsibility via /pair-capability-record-decision (see Composition Interface).
Proposal Target
The rendered adoption content is destined for this section — the caller (or /pair-capability-setup-pm) writes it:
- Target: adoption/tech/way-of-working.md — PM tool section
- Ownership: PM tool section (shared file — /pair-capability-assess-methodology owns methodology section)
Algorithm
Step 1: Resolution Cascade
Read resolution cascade for the generic Path A/B/C mechanics (check → skip → act → verify).
- Path A delta: override argument is
$choice. On confirm, proceed to Step 3.
- Path B delta: adoption check is a PM tool configuration in adoption/tech/way-of-working.md. If a corresponding decision record is missing, report the gap (this skill still writes nothing; the caller persists a backfill via
/pair-capability-record-decision).
- Path C delta: proceed to Step 2.
Step 2: Read Guidelines
- Act: Read PM tool guidelines:
- PM Tool README — decision matrix, decision tree, cost-benefit analysis
- Implementation guides for supported tools:
- Act: Read project context:
- Verify: Every file listed in 1-2 above has been read; any that's missing follows Graceful Degradation (ask the developer directly) instead of silently proceeding to Step 3.
Step 3: Evaluate Options
-
Act: Apply the PM Tool Decision Matrix from guidelines:
- Score tools on: Team Size, Complexity, Integration, Cost, Learning Curve, Customization, Reporting, Mobile Support.
- Apply the Decision Tree for quick validation.
-
Act: Present recommendation:
PM Tool Recommendation: [Name]
- Score: [weighted total]
- Rationale: [evidence from project context]
- Implementation guide: [available | not available]
- Cost: [free | paid — details]
-
Act: If tool has no implementation guide, warn:
No implementation guide available for [tool]. Setup will be manual.
-
Verify: Developer approves.
Step 4: Delegate Setup or Render Proposal
- Check: Is
/pair-capability-setup-pm installed?
- Act (installed): Compose
/pair-capability-setup-pm with $tool: [chosen tool]. /pair-capability-setup-pm handles tool configuration, adoption update, and decision recording. Done — exit skill.
- Act (not installed): Render the PM tool section content — the ready-to-write body for way-of-working.md:
- Tool name
- Workflow methodology integration
- Access method (MCP, CLI, filesystem)
- Scope strictly to the PM tool section so the caller's write preserves all other sections
- Verify: The rendered
content and its target are ready to emit.
Step 5: Emit Proposal (only if /pair-capability-setup-pm not invoked)
- Check: Was
/pair-capability-setup-pm composed in Step 4? If yes, it already configured and persisted — skip.
- Act: Emit the proposal to the caller:
content: the rendered PM-section body from Step 4target: adoption/tech/way-of-working.md (PM tool section)decision-metadata: $type: non-architectural, $topic: pm-tool-choice, $summary: "[Tool] adopted for project management"- plus the human-facing report (see Output Format)
- Verify: Proposal emitted — see record-decision invocation contract for the persistence contract (persistence is always the caller's responsibility, delegated to
/pair-capability-record-decision).
Output Format
Follows the Decision Shape (with a Delegated status for the /pair-capability-setup-pm handoff — a legitimate per-skill variant, see that file).
ASSESSMENT COMPLETE (output-only for adoption — no files written by this skill):
├── Domain: Project Management
├── Path: [Argument Override | Adoption Exists | Full Assessment]
├── Decision: [tool name]
├── Proposal: [content rendered for way-of-working.md PM section | delegated to /setup-pm]
├── Target: adoption/tech/way-of-working.md (PM tool section)
├── Persist: [caller composes /record-decision(content, target) → ADL | delegated to /setup-pm]
└── Status: [Proposal ready | Confirmed existing | Delegated]
Composition Interface
See record-decision invocation contract for the generic tuple + Input/Output/Persistence shape.
When composed by /pair-process-bootstrap:
- Input:
/pair-process-bootstrap invokes during Phase 2 (checklist completion). May pass $choice.
- Persistence: if
/pair-capability-setup-pm was composed, it already persisted — otherwise /pair-process-bootstrap composes /pair-capability-record-decision.
When invoked independently: if /pair-capability-setup-pm is present it persists; otherwise the human (or agent) persists the proposal by composing /pair-capability-record-decision, then commits.
Edge Cases
- way-of-working.md exists but no PM section: Render content that adds the PM section; the caller's write preserves all other content.
- Tool without implementation guide: Emit the proposal but warn about manual setup.
- Multiple PM tools needed: Supported: exactly one PM tool per project. Document the primary tool.
Graceful Degradation
See graceful degradation (guideline missing → ask developer for tool preference directly; optional skill /pair-capability-setup-pm not installed → emit the proposal for the caller to persist via /pair-capability-record-decision, no tool-specific configuration) and record-decision contract (persistence unavailable → proposal stands as a report) for the standard scenarios. No additional cases.
Notes
- PM tool decisions are non-architectural → the caller records them as an ADL.
- Section ownership: this skill renders content ONLY for the PM tool section of way-of-working.md. The single adoption writer is
/pair-capability-record-decision (or /pair-capability-setup-pm when it handles configuration).
- Delegation pattern: /pair-capability-assess-pm decides WHICH tool, /pair-capability-setup-pm configures it — handling both adoption write and decision recording when installed.
- Educational content (tool descriptions, integration details) stays in guidelines.
