Spec and Plan Generation
This skill provides patterns and strategies for generating high-quality specifications and implementation plans for Conductor tracks.
Overview
Effective specs and plans are the foundation of Context-Driven Development. This skill covers:
- •Interactive questioning strategies
- •Specification structure and content
- •Hierarchical plan generation
- •Workflow methodology integration
- •Quality criteria and validation
Interactive Questioning Strategy
Question Types
Additive Questions (multiple answers allowed):
- •Use for brainstorming and defining scope
- •Add "(Select all that apply)" after the question
- •Examples: "What features should this include?", "Who are the target users?"
Exclusive Choice Questions (single answer):
- •Use for foundational, singular commitments
- •Do NOT add "(Select all that apply)"
- •Examples: "What is the primary technology?", "Which workflow methodology?"
Questioning Guidelines
- •Present Options: Always provide 2-3 plausible options
- •Include Escape Hatch: Last option must be "Type your own answer"
- •Sequential Flow: Ask one question at a time, wait for response
- •Context-Aware: Reference project context (product.md, tech-stack.md)
- •Confirm Understanding: Summarize before moving to next question
Question Count by Track Type
- •Features: 3-5 questions to clarify requirements
- •Bugs: 2-3 questions for reproduction and expected behavior
- •Chores: 2-3 questions for scope and success criteria
Specification Structure
Essential Sections
- •Overview: High-level description (2-3 paragraphs)
- •Functional Requirements: What it must do (bulleted list)
- •Non-Functional Requirements: Performance, security, etc. (if applicable)
- •Acceptance Criteria: Definition of done (testable conditions)
- •Out of Scope: What this does NOT include (prevents scope creep)
Spec Quality Criteria
- •Specific: Clear, unambiguous requirements
- •Testable: Can verify completion
- •Achievable: Realistic given constraints
- •Relevant: Aligns with product goals
- •Time-bound: Implicitly through plan phases
For detailed spec templates and examples, see:
- •
references/spec-templates.md- Templates for features, bugs, chores - •
examples/sample-specs/- Real-world specification examples
Plan Generation
Hierarchical Structure
Plans have three levels:
- •
Phases: Major stages (3-7 per track)
- •Example: "Backend API", "Frontend UI", "Testing & Documentation"
- •
Tasks: Specific actions (3-10 per phase)
- •Example: "Create user model", "Implement authentication"
- •
Sub-tasks: Detailed steps (2-5 per task)
- •Example: "Add email field", "Add password hashing"
Plan Quality Criteria
- •Atomic: Each task is independently completable
- •Sequential: Logical order of execution
- •Testable: Can verify each task completion
- •Realistic: Achievable scope per task
- •Complete: Covers all spec requirements
Workflow Integration
Plans must follow the methodology defined in workflow.md:
TDD Workflow:
### [ ] Task: Add user validation - [ ] Sub-task: Write validation tests - [ ] Sub-task: Run tests (expect failure) - [ ] Sub-task: Implement validation logic - [ ] Sub-task: Run tests (expect pass) - [ ] Sub-task: Refactor for clarity
Standard Workflow:
### [ ] Task: Add user validation - [ ] Sub-task: Implement validation logic - [ ] Sub-task: Test validation manually - [ ] Sub-task: Review code quality
Phase Completion Tasks
If workflow.md defines a "Phase Completion Verification and Checkpointing Protocol", append to each phase:
### [ ] Task: Conductor - User Manual Verification '<Phase Name>' (Protocol in workflow.md)
For detailed plan generation strategies, see:
- •
references/plan-generation-patterns.md- Advanced planning techniques - •
examples/sample-plans/- Real-world plan examples
Question Examples by Track Type
Feature Questions
- •"What specific functionality should this feature provide?"
- •"Who will use this feature and in what scenarios?"
- •"What are the inputs and outputs?"
- •"How should it integrate with existing features?"
- •"What are the acceptance criteria?"
Bug Questions
- •"What is the current (incorrect) behavior?"
- •"What is the expected (correct) behavior?"
- •"How can this bug be reproduced?"
Chore Questions
- •"What needs to be improved or refactored?"
- •"What is the scope of changes?"
- •"What are the success criteria?"
User Confirmation Process
For Specifications
- •Present drafted spec in markdown format
- •Ask: "Does this accurately capture the requirements?"
- •Offer options:
- •"Yes, this is correct"
- •"No, I need to make changes"
- •If changes needed, iterate until approved
For Plans
- •Present drafted plan in markdown format
- •Ask: "Does this plan cover all necessary work?"
- •Offer options:
- •"Yes, proceed with this plan"
- •"No, I need to adjust the plan"
- •If changes needed, iterate until approved
Common Patterns
Feature Spec Pattern
# Specification: [Feature Name] ## Overview [2-3 paragraphs describing the feature, its purpose, and context] ## Functional Requirements - Must allow users to [action] - Must validate [input] before [action] - Must display [output] when [condition] ## Non-Functional Requirements - Performance: [metric] - Security: [requirement] - Accessibility: [standard] ## Acceptance Criteria - [ ] Users can [action] successfully - [ ] System validates [input] correctly - [ ] Error messages are clear and helpful ## Out of Scope - [Feature X] will be addressed in a future track - [Integration Y] is not part of this implementation
Bug Spec Pattern
# Specification: Fix [Bug Name] ## Overview [Description of the bug and its impact] ## Current Behavior [What currently happens - the bug] ## Expected Behavior [What should happen - the fix] ## Reproduction Steps 1. [Step 1] 2. [Step 2] 3. [Observe incorrect behavior] ## Acceptance Criteria - [ ] Bug no longer occurs when following reproduction steps - [ ] Existing functionality remains intact - [ ] Tests added to prevent regression
Plan Pattern
# Implementation Plan: [Track Title] ## Phase 1: [Phase Name] ### [ ] Task: [Task Name] - [ ] Sub-task: [Detailed step] - [ ] Sub-task: [Detailed step] ### [ ] Task: [Task Name] - [ ] Sub-task: [Detailed step] ### [ ] Task: Conductor - User Manual Verification 'Phase 1' (Protocol in workflow.md) ## Phase 2: [Phase Name] ### [ ] Task: [Task Name] - [ ] Sub-task: [Detailed step] ### [ ] Task: Conductor - User Manual Verification 'Phase 2' (Protocol in workflow.md)
Tips for Commands
When generating specs and plans:
- •Load project context first (product.md, tech-stack.md, workflow.md)
- •Use AskUserQuestion for interactive gathering
- •Present options with "Type your own answer"
- •Confirm drafts before finalizing
- •Follow workflow methodology in plans
- •Include phase completion verification tasks
- •Keep tasks atomic and testable
Additional Resources
- •
references/spec-templates.md- Detailed templates - •
references/plan-generation-patterns.md- Advanced patterns - •
examples/sample-specs/- Example specifications - •
examples/sample-plans/- Example plans