Agent skill

feature-planning

Use after research (Z01 files exist) to create implementation plan - follow structured workflow

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Install this agent skill to your Project

npx add-skill https://github.com/escarti/agentDevPrompts/tree/main/skills/feature-planning

SKILL.md

Feature Workflow: Plan Implementation

YOU ARE READING THIS SKILL RIGHT NOW

STOP. Before doing ANYTHING else:

  1. ☐ Create TodoWrite checklist (see below)
  2. ☐ Mark Step 1 as in_progress
  3. ☐ Read AGENTS.md first and CLAUDE.md if it exists

This skill is a WRAPPER that loads Z01 context and invokes superpowers:writing-plans

MANDATORY FIRST ACTION: Create TodoWrite

typescript
TodoWrite({
  todos: [
    {content: "Step 1: Load project context (AGENTS.md first, CLAUDE.md if it exists)", status: "in_progress", activeForm: "Reading repo instructions"},
    {content: "Step 2: Verify Z01 files exist", status: "pending", activeForm: "Checking research"},
    {content: "Step 3: Read ALL Z01 files", status: "pending", activeForm: "Loading context"},
    {content: "Step 4: Invoke superpowers:writing-plans", status: "pending", activeForm: "Creating plan"},
    {content: "Step 5: Verify Z02 outputs", status: "pending", activeForm: "Validating output"},
    {content: "Step 6: Resolve/track Z02_CLARIFY and block handoff until cleared", status: "pending", activeForm: "Waiting for clarification resolution"}
  ]
})

After each step: Mark completed, move in_progress to next step.

Why Use This Wrapper?

  • Automates Z01 → Z02 file management
  • Loads AGENTS.md defaults and CLAUDE.md constraints into planning context
  • Enforces feature-workflow naming conventions (Z02_{feature}_plan.md)
  • Integrates with clarification workflow (Z02_CLARIFY)
  • Maintains consistent file structure

Without this wrapper: You'd manually load Z01 files, pass to superpowers:writing-plans, manage Z02 output paths, check for clarifications.

Workflow Steps

Step 1: Load Project Context (MANDATORY FIRST)

Read AGENTS.md first. Then read CLAUDE.md if it exists.

Extract from AGENTS.md and CLAUDE.md (if it exists):

  • Mandatory patterns that MUST be preserved
  • Forbidden approaches to AVOID
  • Project conventions (naming, structure, etc.)
  • Release workflows and constraints

CRITICAL: Pass AGENTS.md defaults and any CLAUDE.md constraints to superpowers:writing-plans so the plan preserves project standards.


Step 2: Verify Z01 Files Exist

Scan for existing Z01 files in common locations (docs/ai/ongoing, .ai/ongoing, docs/ongoing).

If Z01 files found:

  • Note the ONGOING_DIR location
  • Extract feature name from filename (e.g., Z01_metrics_research.md → "metrics")
  • Feature name should already be sanitized snake_case from feature-research

If NO Z01 files found:

  • Ask user if they want to run feature-workflow:feature-researching first
  • Or proceed without research context (suboptimal)

Step 3: Read ALL Z01 Files

Read all Z01 files in ONGOING_DIR:

  • Z01_{feature}_research.md (required)
  • Z01_CLARIFY_{feature}_research.md (if exists)

BLOCKING CHECK - If Z01_CLARIFY exists:

  • Read the file
  • Check if "User response:" fields are empty
  • If ANY empty → STOP, report: "Cannot plan with unanswered questions. Please answer all questions in Z01_CLARIFY_{feature}_research.md first."
  • If all answered → proceed

Extract:

  • Technical research and integration points
  • File paths and line ranges
  • Answered clarifications
  • Security and test requirements

Step 4: Invoke Superpowers Planning

CRITICAL: This skill's primary job is to invoke superpowers:writing-plans with Z01 context. If you skip this invocation, the skill provides no value.

Use Skill tool to invoke superpowers:writing-plans

Provide this instruction:

"Create an implementation plan for the {feature} feature based on the research in Z01_{feature}research.md and clarifications in Z01_CLARIFY{feature}_research.md.

MANDATORY CONSTRAINTS from AGENTS.md and CLAUDE.md: [Include any constraints, patterns, or forbidden approaches from AGENTS.md and CLAUDE.md here if they exist]

CRITICAL: Save the plan to {ONGOING_DIR}/Z02_{feature}_plan.md (use the detected path, NOT hardcoded docs/plans/).

The plan should be a DIRECTIVE document with:

  • Exact file paths from research
  • Complete code examples
  • Verification steps for each task
  • TDD structure (test-fail-implement-pass-commit)
  • A phased delivery strategy split into multiple self-contained PRs (when scope is non-trivial), where each phase is independently reviewable, testable, and mergeable
  • For each planned PR phase: clear scope boundaries, explicit out-of-scope items, dependency notes, and phase-specific verification
  • Assumes engineer has minimal domain knowledge

If you discover NEW blocking questions during planning (not already in Z01_CLARIFY), create {ONGOING_DIR}/Z02_CLARIFY_{feature}_plan.md. Otherwise, do NOT create a Z02_CLARIFY file.

When incorporating answered questions: Delete fully-answered CLARIFY files or remove incorporated Q&A pairs if only some were answered."


Step 5: Verify Outputs

When superpowers:writing-plans completes:

Check structure:

  • Z02_{feature}_plan.md must exist in ONGOING_DIR (main directive plan)
  • Z02_CLARIFY_{feature}_plan.md only if NEW questions exist

Step 6: Completion Gate (CLARIFY Controls Done State)

Planning is NOT complete while Z02_CLARIFY_{feature}_plan.md exists with unresolved items.

Unresolved means ANY of the following:

  • File still contains Agent question: entries
  • Any User response: is blank
  • Answers were provided but not yet incorporated into Z02_{feature}_plan.md

If unresolved Z02_CLARIFY exists:

  1. Keep planning todo as in_progress (do NOT mark workflow complete)
  2. Report only: "Planning blocked by unresolved clarifications in Z02_CLARIFY_{feature}_plan.md."
  3. Do NOT invoke or suggest feature-implementing yet

Only mark planning complete when:

  1. Clarification answers are incorporated into Z02_{feature}_plan.md
  2. Z02_CLARIFY_{feature}_plan.md is deleted (or has no remaining Q&A pairs)
  3. Plan remains directive and executable

Report to user:

  • If no unresolved clarifications: "Plan created: Z02_{feature}_plan.md. Ready for feature-workflow:feature-implementing."
  • If clarifications exist: "Planning not complete. Resolve Z02_CLARIFY before implementation."

Red Flags - You're Failing If:

  • Proceeded with unanswered questions in Z01_CLARIFY (BLOCKING - must stop)
  • Marked planning done while Z02_CLARIFY still has unresolved items
  • Did NOT read AGENTS.md first
  • Did NOT read CLAUDE.md when it exists after reading AGENTS.md
  • AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md constraints not passed to planning
  • Did NOT check for Z01 files*
  • Directly invoked superpowers:writing-plans without loading Z01 context
  • Creating plan files with non-standard names (not Z02_{feature}_plan.md)
  • Saving plans to wrong directory
  • Used SlashCommand /superpowers:write-plan (use Skill tool)
  • Did NOT explicitly specify output path in prompt to writing-plans
  • Skipped reading Z01_CLARIFY (if exists)
  • Using hardcoded paths (detect pattern instead)
  • Produced a single mega-PR plan for a non-trivial feature instead of phased, self-contained PRs

Common Rationalizations

Excuse Reality
"Skip path detection, I know it's docs/ai/ongoing" NO. Path assumptions break in non-standard repos. Detect ONGOING_DIR.
"No Z01 files, skip check" NO. Research context critical for quality plans. Check first.
"Superpowers will figure out output structure" NO. Generic plans lack our research integration. Provide explicit Z02* instruction.
"Read only Z01_research, skip Z01_CLARIFY" NO. Missing context = incomplete plan. Read ALL Z01* files.
"Create Z02_CLARIFY even if no questions" NO. Empty files clutter directory. Only create if NEW questions.
"Just invoke superpowers:writing-plans directly" NO. This wrapper loads Z01 context. That's its value.
"Planning is done because Z02 plan exists" NO. Done state requires no unresolved Z02_CLARIFY.
"Wrapper skill, no need to track steps" NO. Wrapper has critical steps (context loading, invocation). Track with TodoWrite.
"TodoWrite adds overhead, skip it" NO. TodoWrite provides user visibility and prevents skipped steps. MANDATORY.

Success Criteria

You followed the workflow if:

  • ✓ Read AGENTS.md
  • ✓ Read CLAUDE.md if it exists after reading AGENTS.md
  • ✓ Passed AGENTS.md and CLAUDE.md constraints to superpowers:writing-plans
  • ✓ Checked for Z01* files
  • ✓ Read ALL Z01* files if they exist
  • ✓ Invoked superpowers:writing-plans skill (NOT slash command)
  • ✓ Explicitly instructed output path in prompt
  • ✓ Verified Z02_{feature}_plan.md was created
  • ✓ Plan defines self-contained, sequential PR phases for non-trivial work (not one mega PR)
  • ✓ Planning stayed in_progress until Z02_CLARIFY was fully resolved and removed
  • ✓ Reported next steps to user

When to Use

Workflow Position: AFTER feature-research (Z01 files), BEFORE feature-implement

Use when:

  • Z01 research files exist
  • Need to create implementation plan
  • Want automated Z01 → Z02 workflow

Don't use when:

  • No Z01 files exist → Use feature-research first
  • Already have complete plan
  • Simple single-step tasks

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