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backlog

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Backlog: $ARGUMENTS

You are creating a prioritized backlog for the CEO. Determine the mode based on $ARGUMENTS:

  • If it's a file path to a spec (.solopreneur/specs/...) or design directory (.solopreneur/designs/...), read it for context → Full Breakdown mode
  • Otherwise, treat it as a task description → Single Ticket mode

Full Breakdown Mode

Step 1: Read Context

Read the spec file (and design directory if referenced). Understand:

  • What's being built and for whom
  • All user stories and acceptance criteria
  • Technical requirements and constraints
  • Release phases if the spec includes them (MVP/P1/P2)

Step 2: Break Down with Agents

Delegate to subagents in parallel:

  • @engineer: Break requirements into implementable tickets. For each ticket: title, description, acceptance criteria, technical notes, complexity estimate (S/M/L), and dependencies on other tickets. Flag technical risks.
  • @designer: Identify which tickets need design work (type: eng+design or design). Flag UX dependencies between tickets (e.g., "dashboard needs auth to be built first for the logged-in state").

Step 3: Propose Backlog to CEO

Present the ticket breakdown to the CEO for approval:

  • MVP/P1/P2 grouping (use spec's release phases if available, otherwise propose phasing)
  • Dependency graph showing which tickets block others
  • Parallel groups — tickets with no shared dependencies that can be built simultaneously
  • Total ticket count and complexity distribution
  • Ask: "Does this breakdown look right? Want to adjust the phasing or split/merge any tickets?"

Wait for CEO approval before creating files.

Step 4: Create Ticket Files

On CEO approval, create the backlog directory and files:

Directory: .solopreneur/backlog/{date}-{slug}/

backlog.md — The board view with all tickets, statuses, dependency graph, and parallel groups. Format:

# Backlog: {Feature Name}

## Source
Spec: `.solopreneur/specs/{spec-file}`
Design: `.solopreneur/designs/{design-dir}/` (if exists)

## MVP
| ID | Title | Status | Depends On | Type | Size |
|----|-------|--------|------------|------|------|
| MVP-001 | ... | pending | — | eng | M |

## P1
| ID | Title | Status | Depends On | Type | Size |
|----|-------|--------|------------|------|------|

## P2
| ID | Title | Status | Depends On | Type | Size |
|----|-------|--------|------------|------|------|

## Dependency Graph
(ASCII diagram showing ticket dependencies)

## Parallel Groups
(List tickets that can be built simultaneously)

{ID}.md — One file per ticket with YAML frontmatter and markdown body:

---
id: MVP-001
title: Short descriptive title
priority: MVP
type: eng
status: pending
depends_on: []
blocks: [MVP-002]
design_ref:
branch:
worktree:
---

## Description
What this ticket implements and why.

## Acceptance Criteria
- [ ] Criterion 1
- [ ] Criterion 2

## Technical Notes
(From @engineer: stack choices, approach, risks)

## Files
(Populated during build)

Step 5: Next Step

Suggest the appropriate next action based on the backlog:

  • If MVP tickets need design work (type includes design):
    -> Next: Design the MVP screens:
       /solopreneur:design .solopreneur/backlog/{dir}/backlog.md
    
  • If MVP tickets are ready to build (all eng type, or designs already exist):
    -> Next: Start building the first ticket:
       /solopreneur:build .solopreneur/backlog/{dir}/MVP-001.md
    
    Tickets that can be built in parallel: MVP-001, MVP-003
    

Single Ticket Mode

If $ARGUMENTS doesn't reference a spec or design file, treat it as a standalone task:

  1. Check if an existing backlog directory exists in .solopreneur/backlog/. If so, add the ticket to that backlog (with the next available ID). If not, create a new backlog directory.

  2. Create a single ticket file with:

    • A clear title derived from the description
    • Acceptance criteria (ask the CEO if unclear)
    • Priority: default to MVP unless specified
    • Type: infer from the task (eng, design, eng+design)
  3. Update backlog.md to include the new ticket.

  4. Suggest building it:

    -> Next: Build this ticket:
       /solopreneur:build .solopreneur/backlog/{dir}/{ID}.md
    

Source

git clone https://github.com/pcatattacks/solopreneur-plugin/blob/main/skills/backlog/SKILL.mdView on GitHub

Overview

Backlog turns a spec or task into a prioritized set of tickets with MVP/P1/P2 phasing and explicit dependencies. It helps manage large specs by breaking them down, assigning design and engineering work, and aligning with release phases. It supports both full breakdown from a spec/design and single-ticket tasks.

How This Skill Works

In Full Breakdown mode, the system reads the spec (and designs) to understand goals, stories, criteria, and constraints. It then delegates to subagents (@engineer and @designer) to generate tickets with titles, descriptions, acceptance criteria, technical notes, estimates, dependencies, and risks, followed by a CEO-approved backlog with MVP/P1/P2 groupings and a dependency graph. After approval, backlog files are created under .solopreneur/backlog and ready-to-build tickets are prepared for execution.

When to Use It

  • When a spec is too large to build at once and must be broken into manageable work items
  • When you want to create individual work items with MVP/P1/P2 phasing
  • When there are complex dependencies between features that need explicit tracking
  • When you need to identify design work and its UX dependencies before engineering
  • When you want a CEO-approved, parallelizable backlog with clear milestones

Quick Start

  1. Step 1: Step 1: Decide mode by ARGUMENTS (spec/design path → Full Breakdown; otherwise Single Ticket)
  2. Step 2: In Full Breakdown mode, read context and break requirements into tickets via @engineer and @designer
  3. Step 3: On CEO approval, create backlog files under .solopreneur/backlog and begin building the tickets

Best Practices

  • Start with a clear spec context or design directory to enable accurate breakdown
  • Define MVP/P1/P2 groupings using the spec's release phases or thoughtful phasing
  • Explicitly map dependencies and identify blockers between tickets
  • Flag design dependencies and ensure eng+design tickets are clearly tagged
  • Review the backlog with the CEO and adjust phasing or split/merge tickets as needed

Example Use Cases

  • Break a new analytics dashboard spec into MVP-001, MVP-002, and supporting design tickets with dependencies
  • Decompose an e-commerce checkout redesign into phased tickets (auth, cart, payment, order history) with MVP then P1/P2
  • Migrate to a new authentication system by creating separate tickets for backend auth, frontend login flows, and UX validation
  • Add reporting features by first delivering MVP dashboards, then expanding with filters and export options
  • Plan a mobile-first feature by splitting design tasks (responsive UI) and engineering tasks (API, iOS/Android) with clear dependencies

Frequently Asked Questions

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