Plan Work

Community

danielvm-git

plan-work

PLANNING SPINE STEP 3 of 3 — Plan the work: write detailed implementation tasks into the active epic capsule (specs/epics/eNN-slug/). Produces countable-story-format .md specs and runnable -tasks.yaml files. Use after slice-tasks (step 2). Not a substitute for scope-work (step 1) or slice-tasks (step 2).

Overview

Publisher	danielvm-git
Repository	`bigpowers`
Skill name	`plan-work`
Stars	206
Forks	18
Bundled files	1
License	MIT
Links	Skill source Repository Homepage

Markdown instructions
A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.
Works with any LLM
AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.
1 bundled files
Scripts, templates, and references the model can read while it works. Files are read-only and never executed.
Open source
Published by danielvm-git on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Plan Work AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
Choose "Install from GitHub".
Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.

Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/danielvm-git/bigpowers.git /tmp/bigpowers
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/bigpowers/skills/plan-work .claude/skills/plan-work

Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Plan Work in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Plan Work on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Plan Work is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

Loaded only when it is needed
The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.
Switch models mid-chat
Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

story: e45s29

Plan Work

Spine position: Step 3 — scope-work → slice-tasks → plan-work.

Produce a detailed, verifiable implementation plan in the active epic capsule directory (specs/epics/eNN-slug/). Output: a story spec .md file (countable-story-format) and a decoupled eNNsYY-tasks.yaml with runnable verify commands. "I think it works" is not a step.

HARD GATE — Do NOT proceed with a plan until the task's success criteria are clear. If success is ambiguous, convert the task into "step → verify: <cmd>" pairs here before writing tasks — every task ships a runnable verify: or the plan is not done.

RECURSIVE DISCIPLINE — This lifecycle applies to EVERY task, including updating these skills. Never skip planning because a task is "meta" or "just documentation."

Pre-flight

Read: release-plan.yaml, product/SCOPE_LATEST.yaml, active epics/<capsule>/epic.yaml, tech-architecture/tech-stack.md, product/GLOSSARY_LATEST.yaml.

ZOOM-OUT MANDATE (v1.17.0) — If modifying an existing module: (1) State the module's purpose. (2) Name its callers. (3) List its contracts. Cannot answer all three? Stop — scope is misunderstood.

If this plan touches an existing module, run assess-impact first to understand blast radius.

DISCOVERY MANDATE (v1.18.0) — For external API integration, verify the API signature via local docs or search and quote at least one technical detail in the step's context.

MULTIPLE INTERPRETATIONS (HARD GATE) — If the task admits ≥2 valid interpretations, list them and get a user decision before drafting any steps.

COMPLEXITY PUSHBACK (HARD GATE) — Every new abstraction MUST include a one-sentence "Reason for Depth." If it can't be filled non-trivially, the abstraction is premature — use inline code instead.

SLOPCHECK (HARD GATE) — For every external package, tag it [OK], [SUS], or [SLOP]. [SUS]/[SLOP] require human approval before execution.

Invocation modes

Default: full plan with zoom-out mandate, impact assessment, slopcheck
--fast: Skip zoom-out and impact assessment. Use for tasks under 3 BCPs with no module interface changes.

Process

Timing: bash scripts/bp-timing.sh start plan-work at invocation; bash scripts/bp-timing.sh end plan-work before handoff.

Explore — Use Explore subagent to understand affected modules, existing test patterns, similar prior art, and dependencies.
Draft steps — Break implementation into the smallest possible steps where each step leaves the codebase working, has one observable outcome, and can be verified with a single command. Red-flag check: name any rationalization you caught before moving to step 3.

Write capsule story spec + tasks — Output two files inside the active epic capsule. See REFERENCE.md for file formats and the plan-template. Each task MUST include a risk: field (P0 | P1 | P2 | P3) based on BCP + story type heuristics (see REFERENCE.md). If a test plan artifact (specs/tech-architecture/eNN-TEST_PLAN_LATEST.md) exists, read it and inherit its P0/P1 risk classifications and scenario IDs (SC-eNNsYY-P0-NN). Each task optionally includes a security: field (none / low / medium / high) sourced from the epic's specs/security/epics/<id>/THREAT_MODEL.md. Tasks with security: medium or security: high MUST include "no new security findings in affected paths" in their verify steps. Each task should also include an allure: block to drive test reporting: severity: maps risk to Allure severity (P0→critical, P1→high, P2→normal, P3→minor), and categories: is a list of relevant tags like "Security Review", wave names, or test categories (see REFERENCE.md for the full template).

Requirement delta tags (e45s29): When a story modifies existing behavior, the story spec § Requirements MUST use OpenSpec-style delta tags with mandatory before/after content:

Tag	When	Required content
`ADDED`	New requirement	Full requirement text
`MODIFIED`	Changed behavior	Before: prior behavior · After: new behavior
`REMOVED`	Retired requirement	Before: what existed · After: (removed) + rationale
`RENAMED`	ID or title change only	Before: old ID/title · After: new ID/title

Net-new stories (greenfield) use ADDED only. MODIFIED/REMOVED/RENAMED without before/after blocks fail the plan-work gate.

Verify step format — Every step MUST follow: N. <What to do> → verify: <runnable command>. See REFERENCE.md for good/bad examples.

4a. Cross-artifact consistency pass (HARD GATE — e45s04) — Before handoff, run:

bash
bash scripts/lib/plan-consistency-check.sh specs/epics/<capsule>/

Print CRITICAL / HIGH / MED findings. CRITICAL or HIGH blocks code generation — fix capsule artifacts first. MED requires explicit user acknowledgment.

4b. tasks.yaml failing ledger (e45s06) — Every new task entry starts with status: failing. Only flip to status: passing after its verify: command exits 0 during develop-tdd or verify-work. Never pre-mark passing at plan time.

Review with user — Confirm step order, granularity, and that verify commands are runnable in this project.

Lifecycle Gates (e45s09)

Gate	When	Pass condition
Pre-Implementation	Before `kickoff-branch` / first RED commit	Root-cause stated for bugs; `assess-impact` done for module changes; plan-consistency-check PASS
Validation	Story marked done	All tasks `status: passing`; verify evidence in `specs/verifications/`
Reopen-don't-refile	Regression on shipped story	Reopen existing story/bug — do not create duplicate capsule entries

After writing capsule tasks, suggest kickoff-branch (if not already on a feature branch) then build-epic, execute-plan, or develop-tdd.

Verify

→ verify: test -f scripts/lib/plan-consistency-check.sh && EPIC=$(ls -d specs/epics/*/ 2>/dev/null | grep -v archive | sort | head -1) && test -n "$EPIC" && bash scripts/lib/plan-consistency-check.sh "$EPIC" >/dev/null 2>&1

Handoff

Gate: READY -> next: kickoff-branch Writes: state.yaml handoff.next_skill = kickoff-branch

Bundled files

The model reads these on demand while the skill is loaded. They are exposed as readable files and are never executed.

REFERENCE.md6 KB

Frequently asked questions

What does the Plan Work AI skill do?

Why use Plan Work on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Plan Work is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Plan Work in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/danielvm-git/bigpowers/tree/main/skills/plan-work. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and bundles its files and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Plan Work?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Plan Work?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Plan Work with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Plan Work AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by danielvm-git under the MIT license. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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Setup Matt Pocock Skills

mattpocock

CommunityPopular

Configure this repo for the engineering skills: set up its issue tracker, triage label vocabulary, and domain doc layout. Run once before first use of the other engineering skills.

Tdd

Test-driven development. Use when the user wants to build features or fix bugs test-first, mentions "red-green-refactor", or wants integration tests.

To Spec

Turn the current conversation into a spec and publish it to the project issue tracker: no interview, just synthesis of what you've already discussed.

To Tickets

Break a plan, spec, or the current conversation into a set of tracer-bullet tickets, each declaring its blocking edges, published to the configured tracker (edges as text in one file per ticket…

Overview

Installation

Install in TypingMind

Install in another agent

Use it in TypingMind

Works with any AI model

Skill instructions

story: e45s29

Plan Work

Pre-flight

Invocation modes

Process

Lifecycle Gates (e45s09)

Verify

Handoff

Bundled files

Frequently asked questions

Related AI Skills

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