--- name: lo-plan description: Turns ideas into structured implementation plans. Context-aware — adapts depth based on conversation history, project status, and feature complexity. Creates backlog entries on the fly if needed. Delegates design thinking to superpowers:brainstorming and superpowers:writing-plans. Use when user says "plan this", "let's design this", "let's plan", or "/lo:plan". Not for execution — use /lo:work to build. allowed-tools: - Read - Glob - Grep - Bash - Write - Edit - Agent - Skill metadata: author: looselyorganized version: 0.6.0 --- # LO Plan Turns ideas into structured implementation plans. Adapts depth based on three signals: conversation context, project status, and feature complexity. This skill is an integration layer. It delegates design thinking to superpowers:brainstorming and plan writing to superpowers:writing-plans. Its job is to set up project context and persist the output. ## Critical Rules - This skill designs — it does NOT execute. Never write implementation code. Redirect to /lo:work when the user wants to start building. - The `.lo/` directory must exist. If missing, tell user to run `/lo:setup` first. - Re-read BACKLOG.md from disk on every invocation. - Read `last_feature` and `last_task` from BACKLOG.md frontmatter for ID allocation. - After creating a new entry, increment the relevant counter in frontmatter. - Consult `references/plan-format.md` for plan file format, `references/ears-guide.md` for EARS pattern, `references/depth-scaling.md` for depth assessment. ## Depth-Scaling Decision Tree Read three signals before deciding depth: **Signal 1: CONVERSATION CONTEXT** Has the user been discussing this topic in the current conversation? Look for: design decisions made, approaches discussed, requirements explored. Rich context = skip brainstorming, go straight to structuring. **Signal 2: PROJECT STATUS** (from .lo/project.yml) - explore — lightweight (skip EARS, quick plan, no review gates) - build — moderate (offer EARS if complex, plan mode available) - open — full ceremony (recommend EARS for multi-subsystem, plan mode default) **Signal 3: FEATURE COMPLEXITY** - Single subsystem, known pattern — lightweight - Multiple subsystems, external APIs, state machines — full ceremony - Assess by: reading the description, checking what files/systems are involved **Depth matrix:** | Context | Status | Complexity | Depth | |---------|--------|-----------|-------| | Rich | any | any | Structure what was discussed. Skip brainstorming. | | None | explore | low | Quick plan. No brainstorming needed. | | None | explore | high | Brainstorm first, then quick plan. | | None | build | low | Quick plan. Offer brainstorming. | | None | build | high | Brainstorm, offer EARS, plan mode. | | None | open | any | Brainstorm, recommend EARS, plan mode. | Reference `references/depth-scaling.md` for the full guide. ## Plan Flow ### Step 1: Identify or create the item. If argument is an ID (f{NNN} or t{NNN}): - Look up in BACKLOG.md - Check for parked capture in .lo/park/ — if found, load as context - Check for existing work directory in .lo/work/ - Plans exist — ask: re-plan from scratch, or proceed to /lo:work? - No plans — continue If argument is a description string: - Search BACKLOG.md for fuzzy match - Found — use existing entry - Not found — create new entry: 1. Read next ID from `last_feature` or `last_task` frontmatter counter 2. Add entry to BACKLOG.md under the appropriate section 3. Increment counter and update `updated:` date If no argument: - Show plannable items (open features and tasks in backlog, parked items) - Ask user to pick one, or describe something new ### Step 2: Set up project context. 1. Read .lo/project.yml — extract status 2. Read .lo/solutions/ — check for relevant prior art 3. Read .lo/park/-*.md — load parked conversation capture if exists 4. Assess depth using the depth-scaling decision tree above Report context to the user: ``` Planning: "" Status: Prior art: [solutions found | none] Parked context: [loaded | none] Depth: [lightweight | moderate | full] ``` ### Step 3: Create work directory. ```bash mkdir -p .lo/work/-slug ``` Update BACKLOG.md: change the item's status line to `[active](.lo/work/-slug/)`. If parked capture exists, note it as context (don't move it yet — Step 5 handles that). ### Step 4: Design. Based on depth assessment: **LIGHTWEIGHT** (rich context, or explore/low complexity): - Invoke superpowers:writing-plans directly - Feed it: conversation context, parked capture, solutions, feature description - Save output to `.lo/work/-slug/001-.md` **MODERATE** (build status, moderate complexity): - Ask: "Structure what we have, or explore further first?" - If structure — invoke superpowers:writing-plans - If explore — invoke superpowers:brainstorming, then superpowers:writing-plans - Save output to `.lo/work/-slug/001-.md` **FULL** (open status or high complexity, no context): - Invoke superpowers:brainstorming (mandatory) - After brainstorming completes, offer EARS: ``` This feature involves [multiple subsystems | external APIs | state transitions]. Write EARS requirements? 1. Yes (recommended) 2. Skip ``` - If EARS chosen: write to `.lo/work/-slug/ears-requirements.md` Reference `references/ears-guide.md` for format. - Invoke superpowers:writing-plans - Save plan to `.lo/work/-slug/001-.md` Reference `references/plan-format.md` for format. ### Step 5: Bridge to execution. ``` Plan saved: .lo/work/-slug/001-.md [EARS: .lo/work/-slug/ears-requirements.md] Ready to start building? Type /lo:work to begin. ``` If parked capture was loaded, move it into the work directory: ```bash mv .lo/park/-slug.md .lo/work/-slug/parked-context.md ``` ## Task Planning (t{NNN} items) Tasks are lighter. No brainstorming, no EARS. 1. Find or create the task entry in BACKLOG.md 2. Present the choice: ``` Planning: t{NNN} "" 1. Quick plan — jot down steps, save to .lo/work/ 2. Jump to /lo:work — skip planning, start building ``` If quick plan: - Create `.lo/work/t{NNN}-slug/` - Update BACKLOG.md status to `[active](.lo/work/t{NNN}-slug/)` - Generate lightweight plan (invoke superpowers:writing-plans or write inline) - Save to `001-task.md` - Bridge to /lo:work If jump: - Tell user: "Run `/lo:work t{NNN}` to start." ## Error Handling - `.lo/` directory doesn't exist — "Run `/lo:setup` first." - Feature already active with plans — offer re-plan or redirect to /lo:work - superpowers:brainstorming skill unavailable — fall back to inline brainstorming (explore the problem space conversationally, then hand off to writing-plans) - superpowers:writing-plans skill unavailable — fall back to inline plan writing (generate plan directly following `references/plan-format.md`) User has been discussing image generation architecture for 15 minutes. User: /lo:plan f009 Planning: f009 "Image Generation for MDX Pipeline" Status: build Prior art: none Parked context: loaded (.lo/park/f009-image-gen.md) Depth: lightweight (rich conversation context) [Invokes superpowers:writing-plans with conversation context + parked capture] Plan saved: .lo/work/f009-image-gen/001-image-service.md Ready to start building? Type /lo:work to begin. No prior discussion. Open-status project. User: /lo:plan "real-time collaborative editing" No match in backlog. Creating: f010 "Real-time Collaborative Editing" Planning: f010 "Real-time Collaborative Editing" Status: open Prior art: s003-supabase-realtime.md Parked context: none Depth: full (open status, no prior context) [Invokes superpowers:brainstorming — explores approaches, tradeoffs, architecture] This feature involves multiple subsystems and external APIs. Write EARS requirements? 1. Yes (recommended) 2. Skip User: 1 [Writes ears-requirements.md, then invokes superpowers:writing-plans] Plan saved: .lo/work/f010-realtime-collab/001-sync-engine.md EARS: .lo/work/f010-realtime-collab/ears-requirements.md Ready to start building? Type /lo:work to begin. User: /lo:plan t015 Planning: t015 "Fix button color on dark mode" 1. Quick plan — jot down steps, save to .lo/work/ 2. Jump to /lo:work — skip planning, start building User: 1 Plan saved: .lo/work/t015-fix-button-dark/001-task.md Ready to start building? Type /lo:work to begin.