Work on Technical Project Plan

VerifiedCaution

Make progress on a technical project plan by following research, design, implementation and integration phases. Use this skill to start or continue structured work on a TPP.

Sby Skills Guide Bot
DevelopmentIntermediate
406/2/2026
Claude CodeCursorWindsurf
#technical-project-plan#phase-based-work#development-workflow#task-tracking#test-driven-development

Recommended for

Our review

This skill guides progress on a Technical Project Plan (TPP) by identifying the current phase and taking appropriate actions (research, design, implementation, review).

Strengths

  • Clear structure with defined phases and specific actions.
  • Integrates mandatory reading of key documents (Simple Design, TDD, TPP guide).
  • Automates TPP updates after each work session.
  • Ensures API compatibility with node:sqlite through dedicated checks.

Limitations

  • Requires the project to already have an initial TPP and reference documents.
  • Heavily relies on the AI's ability to read and understand local files.
  • May be overkill for very small tasks without complex planning phases.
When to use it

Use this skill when starting or continuing a technical project that requires structured planning, design phases, and rigorous integration.

When not to use it

Avoid this skill for simple tasks or quick fixes that do not require formal planning or project documentation.

Security analysis

Caution
Quality score85/100

The skill is a project management workflow that leverages Bash, npm test, and other tools to execute tasks defined in a Technical Project Plan. It does not contain harmful instructions, but its ability to run arbitrary commands based on external TPP content poses a risk if that content is malicious. The skill relies on the user’s existing project files and conventions.

Findings
  • Skill uses Bash and npm test, which could execute arbitrary commands if a malicious Technical Project Plan is processed.
  • Allowed tools include Bash, which can run destructive commands, though the skill itself does not instruct them.

Examples

Start a new TPP for a feature
Start working on a new Technical Project Plan for adding a rate limiting feature to our Node.js SQLite library. Create the TPP file in doc/todo/ and follow the required reading and phase process.
Continue existing TPP
Continue working on the current TPP from where we left off. Read the TPP in doc/todo/ and determine the next phase. Take appropriate action based on the phase guide.
Complete and finalize TPP
Complete the TPP for the aggregation fix. Run all verification commands, ensure tests pass, review API compatibility, and after approval move the TPP to doc/done/ with a date prefix.

name: tpp description: Work on a Technical Project Plan - research, design, implement, or complete tasks based on current phase. Use when starting or continuing work on a TPP. allowed-tools: Bash Read Glob Grep Edit Write WebSearch Skill

Work on TPP

Make progress on the referenced Technical Project Plan. Determine the current phase and take appropriate action.

Required Reading First

Before any work, you MUST read:

Process

1. Read the TPP

Find and read the referenced TPP from doc/todo/ (named ${priority}-${desc}.md). Identify the current phase from the checklist.

2. Take Action Based on Phase

| Phase | Action | | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Research & Planning | Read referenced docs and code. Gather context. Update TPP with findings. | | Write breaking tests | Follow TDD approach - write failing tests first. | | Design alternatives | Iterate on design with critiques, consider multiple approaches. | | Breakdown of tasks | Create specific, verifiable task list with commands. | | Implementation | Work through tasks sequentially. Update TPP as you go. | | Review & Refinement | Review changed code. Address issues. Check API compatibility. | | Final Integration | Run full test suite. Verify all acceptance criteria. | | Review | Present completion proof to user. |

3. Update the TPP

After each work session:

  • Check off completed phases/tasks
  • Add discoveries to Tribal Knowledge
  • Document failed approaches and why
  • Keep under 400 lines (trim redundancy)

4. Completion

When all phases are complete:

  1. Run verification commands from the TPP
  2. Ensure all tests pass (npm test)
  3. Review all changes for API compatibility with node:sqlite
  4. Present proof of completion to user
  5. After user approval, move TPP to doc/done/ with date prefix
# Example: P01-fix-aggregate-null.md -> 20250203-P01-fix-aggregate-null.md
git mv doc/todo/P01-feature.md doc/done/$(date +%Y%m%d)-P01-feature.md

Phase Details

Research & Planning

  • Read all "Required reading" in the TPP
  • Explore referenced source files
  • Check Node.js SQLite and better-sqlite3 for API reference
  • Web search for prior art if needed
  • Consult ../node-addon-api/ for N-API questions
  • Document findings in the TPP

Design Alternatives

  • Generate 2-4 approaches
  • Critique each for simplicity, testability, maintainability
  • Consider API compatibility with node:sqlite
  • Iterate at least 3 times
  • Document final recommendation in TPP

Task Breakdown

Each task must include:

  • Clear deliverable
  • Files to change
  • Success criteria
  • Verification command

Implementation

  • Work tasks sequentially
  • Mark tasks complete as you go
  • Run verification after each task
  • Update TPP with any discoveries
  • Follow N-API best practices (see ../node-addon-api/)

Remember

  • Transfer expertise, not just instructions
  • Document what didn't work and why
  • Ask for clarification when uncertain
  • The next engineer should be able to continue seamlessly
  • Maintain API compatibility with node:sqlite
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