plan

name	plan
description	Create phased implementation plans with risks, assumptions, milestones, and verification criteria
layer	hub
category	workflow
triggers	["/plan","create a plan","plan this out","make an implementation plan","how should we build this"]
inputs	[{"goal":"High-level description of what needs to be built or accomplished"},{"constraints":"Time, tech stack, resource, or scope constraints (optional)"},{"context":"Relevant codebase state, prior decisions, or domain knowledge (optional)"}]
outputs	[{"plan":"Structured multi-phase implementation plan with milestones"},{"risks":"Identified risks with mitigation strategies"},{"assumptions":"Explicit assumptions that underpin the plan"},{"verification":"Success criteria for each phase"}]
linksTo	["plan-validate","scout","research","brainstorm"]
linkedFrom	["cook","team","ship"]
preferredNextSkills	["plan-validate","scout","kanban"]
fallbackSkills	["brainstorm","research"]
riskLevel	low
memoryReadPolicy	selective
memoryWritePolicy	selective
sideEffects	["Creates plan document in working memory","May trigger codebase exploration via scout"]

Plan Skill

Purpose

Create structured, phased implementation plans that transform vague goals into actionable sequences of work. Plans produced by this skill are designed to be validated (via plan-validate), tracked (via kanban), and executed (via cook or team orchestrators).

A good plan is not a wish list. It is a contract with reality that names its own assumptions and failure modes.

Workflow

Phase 1: Goal Decomposition

1. Clarify the objective -- Restate the user's goal in precise, testable terms. If the goal is ambiguous, ask exactly one round of clarifying questions (max 3 questions).
2. Identify scope boundaries -- What is IN scope vs. OUT of scope. Be explicit.
3. Map constraints -- Technical (stack, APIs, infra), temporal (deadlines), resource (single dev vs. team), and quality (MVP vs. production-grade).

Phase 2: Reconnaissance

4. Invoke scout if needed -- If the plan requires understanding existing code, trigger scout to map the relevant codebase areas.
5. Invoke research if needed -- If the plan involves unfamiliar technology or domain, trigger research to gather context.
6. Inventory existing assets -- What already exists that can be reused? What must be built from scratch?

Phase 3: Plan Construction

7. Define phases -- Break work into 2-5 sequential phases. Each phase must be independently deliverable (produces a working state).
8. For each phase, specify:
   • Goal: What this phase accomplishes
   • Tasks: Ordered list of concrete work items
   • Dependencies: What must exist before this phase starts
   • Deliverables: Tangible outputs (files, endpoints, components)
   • Verification: How to confirm this phase is complete and correct
   • Estimated complexity: Low / Medium / High
9. Identify cross-cutting concerns -- Testing strategy, error handling, accessibility, performance targets.

Phase 4: Risk Assessment

10. List assumptions -- Every assumption the plan relies on. Mark each as verified or .