Implementation Planning

Align on intent before writing code. Shape the design, identify impacted files, and produce a step-by-step plan with validation steps.

When to Apply

• •User asks to "plan", "design", or "figure out how to implement" something
• •Non-trivial changes that touch multiple files
• •New features or behavior changes that need upfront alignment
• •User wants to understand scope before committing to implementation

Workflow

1. Align on intent

• •Restate the request and success criteria in your own words
• •Ask clarifying questions for missing constraints or edge cases
• •Identify impacted files, dependencies, and risks

2. Shape the design (non-trivial work)

• •Propose 1–2 approaches with tradeoffs and confirm direction
• •Capture design notes in docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<slug>-design.md when behavior or architecture changes

3. Write the plan

• •List the files you will touch and the tests you will run
• •Write the plan in docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-<slug>.md (create the directory if missing)
• •Keep tasks bite-sized (2–5 minutes each) with exact paths and validation steps

Use this template:

# <Feature> Implementation Plan

**Goal:** One-sentence outcome
**Context:** Relevant constraints/assumptions

### Task 1: <Name>
**Files:** `path/to/file.ts`
**Steps:** ...
**Validation:** `npm test ...`

4. Present for approval

Show the plan and wait for user confirmation before implementing.

Guidelines

• •Prefer test-first for new behavior or bug fixes when a test harness exists
• •Keep diffs minimal; avoid opportunistic refactors
• •For bugs, reproduce and identify root cause before planning the fix
• •Scope freeze for bugfixes: avoid unrelated refactors/polish unless explicitly approved
• •Do not claim completion without fresh verification evidence
• •Record skipped validation and the reason