Skill: scope-management

What I do

I help manage scope effectively by identifying required resources, preventing scope creep, and optimising scope to fit token budgets. I provide resource data to token-cost-estimation.

When to use me

• Before starting work to define boundaries
• When scope is expanding unexpectedly
• When token budget is constrained
• When identifying what resources are needed
• When deciding what to defer or cut

Core principles

1. Define boundaries upfront - What's in, what's out
2. Identify resources early - Files, tools, external dependencies
3. Say no appropriately - Protect scope from creep
4. Optimise for constraints - Fit scope to available tokens
5. Defer explicitly - Out-of-scope items get tracked, not forgotten

Resource Identification

Resource Categories

Resource Estimation Template

## Resource Requirements

Files to read: X files (~Y tokens)
Files to modify: X files (~Y tokens)
Tool calls expected: ~X calls (~Y tokens)
External lookups: X (~Y tokens)
Context rebuilding: ~Y tokens

Total resource overhead: ~Z tokens

Scope Optimisation

For Token Budget

When tokens are limited:

1. Cut nice-to-haves - Essential only
2. Defer to next session - Track explicitly
3. Reduce file scope - Fewer files = fewer tokens
4. Skip verification shortcuts - But document risk
5. Use cached knowledge - Check memory-keeper first

Scope Reduction Strategies

Scope Creep Prevention

Warning Signs

• "While we're here..." additions
• Discovering "one more thing"
• Requirements expanding mid-task
• Unclear original scope

Response Pattern

SCOPE CREEP DETECTED:
  New request: [what]
  Original scope: [was]
  Options:
    1. Add to current (impact: +X tokens)
    2. Defer to next session (no impact)
    3. Replace existing item (swap)
  → Recommend: [choice with reasoning]

Anti-patterns to avoid

• ❌ Starting without defined scope
• ❌ Saying yes to all additions
• ❌ Not identifying resources upfront
• ❌ Forgetting deferred items
• ❌ Ignoring token budget constraints

KB Reference

~/vaults/baphled/3. Resources/Knowledge Base/AI Development System/Skills/Workflow-Orchestration/Scope Management.md

Related skills

• token-cost-estimation - Uses resource data for estimates
• estimation - Scope affects estimates
• task-tracker - Tasks reflect scope
• pre-action - Clarify scope before starting