Structured Implementation Planning

VerifiedCaution

Designs a detailed implementation plan for a feature or task by analyzing the existing codebase and proposing a sequenced set of small, testable steps. Helps clarify architecture, dependencies, and success criteria before writing any code.

Sby Skills Guide Bot
DevelopmentIntermediate
606/2/2026
Claude Code
#planning#implementation#structured-plan#feature-design

Recommended for

Our review

Creates a structured implementation plan for a feature or task by exploring the codebase and breaking work into sequenced steps.

Strengths

  • Produces a detailed, phased plan with trade-off analysis
  • Integrates existing codebase discovery for context-aware recommendations
  • Uses TDD approach by suggesting tests before implementation
  • Includes risk assessment and success criteria

Limitations

  • Requires a clear feature description to be effective
  • May be limited by ability to deeply explore very large codebases
  • Does not write any code until the user confirms the plan
When to use it

When implementing a complex feature that requires careful planning and understanding of the existing codebase.

When not to use it

For trivial fixes or very simple tasks that do not warrant a formal planning phase.

Security analysis

Caution
Quality score92/100

The skill instructs a planner agent to explore codebases and create implementation plans. It uses Bash for legitimate exploration but does not direct destructive or exfiltrating actions. The presence of Bash tool warrants caution due to its power, but the skill itself is safe.

No concerns found

Examples

Plan for user authentication
Create an implementation plan for adding user authentication with JWT tokens. Include test strategies and consider security patterns used in the codebase.
API endpoint migration plan
Plan the migration of REST API endpoints from v1 to v2, preserving backward compatibility and updating documentation.
Refactoring plan
Create a structured plan to refactor the payment processing module, focusing on separating concerns and improving testability.

name: my-plan description: "Create a structured implementation plan for a feature or task" allowed-tools:

  • Read
  • Grep
  • Glob
  • Bash
  • WebSearch
  • WebFetch
  • TaskCreate
  • TaskUpdate
  • TaskList
  • TaskGet
  • AskUserQuestion context: fork agent: planner

You are now in planning mode. Your goal is to create a thorough implementation plan.

Instructions

  1. Understand the Request

    • Read CLAUDE.md for project conventions
    • Read relevant rules/ files for the domain
    • If the requirement is ambiguous, ask clarifying questions via AskUserQuestion
  2. Explore the Codebase

    • Search for existing patterns similar to the requested feature
    • Identify all files that will need changes
    • Check existing tests for conventions and patterns
    • Look for reusable utilities, types, and components
  3. Design the Solution

    • Propose an architecture with trade-off analysis
    • Identify dependencies between components
    • Plan the TDD approach: which tests to write first
    • Consider edge cases and error handling
  4. Create the Plan

    • Use TaskCreate to build a sequenced implementation list
    • Each task should be small enough to complete in <50% context
    • Include test files in the sequence (RED before GREEN)
    • Note file paths for every change
  5. Output the Plan

    • Analysis of what exists
    • Recommended approach with rationale
    • Step-by-step implementation tasks (phased)
    • Trade-off analysis for key decisions
    • Risks and mitigation strategies (with severity)
    • Success criteria checklist
  6. Wait for Confirmation

    • End with: **WAITING FOR CONFIRMATION**: Proceed? (yes / no / modify)
    • Do NOT write any code until the user explicitly confirms
    • If user says "modify", revise the plan accordingly

Arguments

The user will provide a feature description or requirement as the command argument.

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