<Use_When>
- •User wants to plan before implementing -- "plan this", "plan the", "let's plan"
- •User wants structured requirements gathering for a vague idea
- •User wants an existing plan reviewed -- "review this plan",
--review - •User wants multi-perspective consensus on a plan --
--consensus, "ralplan" - •Task is broad or vague and needs scoping before any code is written </Use_When>
<Do_Not_Use_When>
- •User wants autonomous end-to-end execution -- use
autopilotinstead - •User wants to start coding immediately with a clear task -- use
ralphor delegate to executor - •User asks a simple question that can be answered directly -- just answer it
- •Task is a single focused fix with obvious scope -- skip planning, just do it </Do_Not_Use_When>
<Why_This_Exists> Jumping into code without understanding requirements leads to rework, scope creep, and missed edge cases. Plan provides structured requirements gathering, expert analysis, and quality-gated plans so that execution starts from a solid foundation. The consensus mode adds multi-perspective validation for high-stakes projects. </Why_This_Exists>
<Execution_Policy>
- •Auto-detect interview vs direct mode based on request specificity
- •Ask one question at a time during interviews -- never batch multiple questions
- •Gather codebase facts via
exploreagent before asking the user about them - •Plans must meet quality standards: 80%+ claims cite file/line, 90%+ criteria are testable
- •Consensus mode requires explicit user approval before proceeding to implementation </Execution_Policy>
Mode Selection
| Mode | Trigger | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Interview | Default for broad requests | Interactive requirements gathering |
| Direct | --direct, or detailed request | Skip interview, generate plan directly |
| Consensus | --consensus, "ralplan" | Planner -> Architect -> Critic loop until agreement |
| Review | --review, "review this plan" | Critic evaluation of existing plan |
Interview Mode (broad/vague requests)
- •Classify the request: Broad (vague verbs, no specific files, touches 3+ areas) triggers interview mode
- •Ask one focused question using
AskUserQuestionfor preferences, scope, and constraints - •Gather codebase facts first: Before asking "what patterns does your code use?", spawn an
exploreagent to find out, then ask informed follow-up questions - •Build on answers: Each question builds on the previous answer
- •Consult Analyst (Opus) for hidden requirements, edge cases, and risks
- •Create plan when the user signals readiness: "create the plan", "I'm ready", "make it a work plan"
Direct Mode (detailed requests)
- •Quick Analysis: Optional brief Analyst consultation
- •Create plan: Generate comprehensive work plan immediately
- •Review (optional): Critic review if requested
Consensus Mode (--consensus / "ralplan")
- •Planner creates initial plan
- •User feedback: MUST use
AskUserQuestionto present the draft plan with these options:- •Proceed to review — send to Architect and Critic for evaluation
- •Request changes — return to step 1 with user feedback incorporated
- •Skip review — go directly to final approval (step 6)
- •Architect reviews for architectural soundness (prefer
ask_codexwitharchitectrole) - •Critic evaluates against quality criteria (prefer
ask_codexwithcriticrole) - •If Critic rejects: iterate with feedback (max 5 iterations)
- •On Critic approval: MUST use
AskUserQuestionto present the plan with these options:- •Approve and execute — proceed to implementation via ralph+ultrawork
- •Request changes — return to step 1 with user feedback
- •Reject — discard the plan entirely
- •User chooses via the structured
AskUserQuestionUI (never ask for approval in plain text) - •On user approval: MUST invoke
/ralphwith the approved plan path from.omx/plans/as context. Do NOT implement directly. Do NOT edit source code files in the planning agent. The ralph skill handles execution via ultrawork parallel agents.
Review Mode (--review)
- •Read plan file from
.omx/plans/ - •Evaluate via Critic (prefer
ask_codexwithcriticrole) - •Return verdict: APPROVED, REVISE (with specific feedback), or REJECT (replanning required)
Plan Output Format
Every plan includes:
- •Requirements Summary
- •Acceptance Criteria (testable)
- •Implementation Steps (with file references)
- •Risks and Mitigations
- •Verification Steps
Plans are saved to .omx/plans/. Drafts go to .omx/drafts/.
</Steps>
<Tool_Usage>
- •Before first MCP tool use, call
ToolSearch("mcp")to discover deferred MCP tools - •Use
AskUserQuestionfor preference questions (scope, priority, timeline, risk tolerance) -- provides clickable UI - •Use plain text for questions needing specific values (port numbers, names, follow-up clarifications)
- •Use
exploreagent (Haiku, 30s timeout) to gather codebase facts before asking the user - •Use
ask_codexwithagent_role: "planner"for planning validation on large-scope plans - •Use
ask_codexwithagent_role: "analyst"for requirements analysis - •Use
ask_codexwithagent_role: "critic"for plan review in consensus and review modes - •If ToolSearch finds no MCP tools or Codex is unavailable, fall back to equivalent Claude agents -- never block on external tools
- •In consensus mode, MUST use
AskUserQuestionfor the user feedback step (step 2) and the final approval step (step 6) -- never ask for approval in plain text - •In consensus mode, on user approval MUST invoke
/ralphfor execution (step 8) -- never implement directly in the planning agent </Tool_Usage>
<Escalation_And_Stop_Conditions>
- •Stop interviewing when requirements are clear enough to plan -- do not over-interview
- •In consensus mode, stop after 5 Planner/Architect/Critic iterations and present the best version
- •Consensus mode requires explicit user approval before any implementation begins
- •If the user says "just do it" or "skip planning", MUST invoke
/ralphto transition to execution mode. Do NOT implement directly in the planning agent. - •Escalate to the user when there are irreconcilable trade-offs that require a business decision </Escalation_And_Stop_Conditions>
<Final_Checklist>
- • Plan has testable acceptance criteria (90%+ concrete)
- • Plan references specific files/lines where applicable (80%+ claims)
- • All risks have mitigations identified
- • No vague terms without metrics ("fast" -> "p99 < 200ms")
- • Plan saved to
.omx/plans/ - • In consensus mode: user explicitly approved before any execution </Final_Checklist>
When presenting design choices during interviews, chunk them:
- •Overview (2-3 sentences)
- •Option A with trade-offs
- •[Wait for user reaction]
- •Option B with trade-offs
- •[Wait for user reaction]
- •Recommendation (only after options discussed)
Format for each option:
### Option A: [Name] **Approach:** [1 sentence] **Pros:** [bullets] **Cons:** [bullets] What's your reaction to this approach?
Question Classification
Before asking any interview question, classify it:
| Type | Examples | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Codebase Fact | "What patterns exist?", "Where is X?" | Explore first, do not ask user |
| User Preference | "Priority?", "Timeline?" | Ask user via AskUserQuestion |
| Scope Decision | "Include feature Y?" | Ask user |
| Requirement | "Performance constraints?" | Ask user |
Review Quality Criteria
| Criterion | Standard |
|---|---|
| Clarity | 80%+ claims cite file/line |
| Testability | 90%+ criteria are concrete |
| Verification | All file refs exist |
| Specificity | No vague terms |
Deprecation Notice
The separate /planner, /ralplan, and /review skills have been merged into /plan. All workflows (interview, direct, consensus, review) are available through /plan.
</Advanced>