What if constraints are unclear?

The skill surfaces constraints from context and, if needed, asks up to 2 clarifying questions before generating the plan.

How many action items should the plan include?

6–10 atomic, ordered tasks, written in verb-first style.

Can I modify the plan format?

Yes; you can adapt headings, but the core Plan Template (Plan, Scope, Action Items, Validation) should be preserved.

concise-planning

npx machina-cli add skill karim-bhalwani/agent-skills-collection/concise-planning --openclaw

Files (1)

SKILL.md

3.3 KB

Concise Planning

Goal

Turn a user request into a single, actionable plan with atomic steps.

Workflow

1. Scan Context

Read README.md, docs, and relevant code files.
Identify constraints (language, frameworks, tests).

2. Minimal Interaction

Ask at most 1–2 questions and only if truly blocking.
Make reasonable assumptions for non-blocking unknowns.

3. Generate Plan

Use the following structure:

Approach: 1-3 sentences on what and why.
Scope: Bullet points for "In" and "Out".
Action Items: A list of 6-10 atomic, ordered tasks (Verb-first).
Validation: At least one item for testing.

Plan Template

# Plan

<High-level approach>

## Scope

- In:
- Out:

## Action Items

[ ] <Step 1: Discovery>
[ ] <Step 2: Implementation>
[ ] <Step 3: Implementation>
[ ] <Step 4: Validation/Testing>
[ ] <Step 5: Rollout/Commit>

## Open Questions

- <Question 1 (max 3)>

Checklist Guidelines

Atomic: Each step should be a single logical unit of work.
Verb-first: "Add...", "Refactor...", "Verify...".
Concrete: Name specific files or modules when possible.

Outputs & Deliverables

Primary Output: A single plan.md following the Plan Template
Secondary Output: Open questions and assumptions list
Success Criteria: Plan has atomic action items and at most 3 blocking questions
Quality Gate: Plan reviewed and approved by requester or implementer

Constraints

Technical Constraints: Do not implement code in this step; produce a plan only.
Scope Constraints: Plans should be limited to the requested scope; avoid speculative features.
Governance Constraints: Align plan with project-context.md and spec.md if present.

Common Pitfalls

Over-Planning: Creating 30+ atomic steps when 6-10 suffice. Keep it concise; details emerge during execution.
Vague Action Items: "Implement feature" isn't actionable. "Add payment processing to checkout flow" is specific.
Missing Validation Steps: A plan without testing/verification sets up for rework. Always include a validation checkpoint.
Ignoring Dependencies: Listing steps in random order instead of respecting precedence. Steps must be executable in sequence.
Scope Creep: Including "nice-to-haves" in the main plan. Use "Out of Scope" section to acknowledge but exclude them.
Assuming All Context: Not reading existing code/docs leads to redundant or conflicting plans. Always scan context first.

Integration Points

Phase	Input From	Output To	Context
Input	User request + context	Plan generation	Scan code, README, and constraints
Design Specs	`architect` specifications	Implementation steps	Use `spec.md` to guide atomic tasks
Execution	Approved plan	`implementer`	Hand off actionable checklist
Monitoring	Progress updates	Status tracking	Adjust if blockers emerge

Source

git clone https://github.com/karim-bhalwani/agent-skills-collection/blob/main/skills/concise-planning/SKILL.mdView on GitHub

Overview

Concise Planning turns a user request into a single, actionable plan with atomic steps. It minimizes interaction and makes reasonable assumptions to speed up implementation. Use it for creating implementation plans, breaking down tasks, or planning project workflows.

How This Skill Works

Scan the project context (README, docs, and relevant code) to surface constraints. Ask at most 1–2 clarifying questions if blockers remain. Generate a plan with: Approach (1–3 sentences), Scope (In/Out), Action Items (6–10 atomic, verb-first steps), and Validation. Items are concrete and executable; no code is produced in this step.

When to Use It

You need a single, actionable plan distilled from a vague user request.
You are breaking down a feature into concrete, executable steps.
You require an atomic task checklist for coding tasks or modules.
You’re planning project workflows with limited context or constraints.
You want a plan aligned with existing constraints from project docs.

Quick Start

Step 1: Scan the project context (docs, README, code) to identify constraints.
Step 2: If blockers exist, ask up to 2 clarifying questions; otherwise proceed.
Step 3: Output a plan.md following the Plan Template (Approach, Scope, Action Items, Validation).

Best Practices

Scan README, docs, and code to identify constraints and edge cases.
Ask at most 1–2 clarifying questions; avoid blocking the flow.
Draft 6–10 atomic, verb-first action items with concrete targets.
Name specific files, modules, or components when possible.
Include at least one validation or testing item in the plan.

Example Use Cases

Plan.md for a new REST API endpoint with endpoint, auth, and tests.
Task checklist for refactoring an authentication module.
Plan a rollout checklist for enabling a feature flag in production.
Create a migration script implementation plan and rollback steps.
Plan the CI/CD pipeline steps for a small service.

Frequently Asked Questions

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