Writing Plans

A plan is only useful if it's specific enough that a stranger could execute it without asking questions.

When to Activate

• Creating a plan for a feature that touches more than 2 files
• Planning a refactor where the sequence of steps matters
• Designing a database migration or schema change
• Writing a plan to hand off to a subagent for implementation
• Any task where "implement X" is too vague to be actionable
• Planning work that requires specific test commands or rollback steps
• Onboarding a contributor to an ongoing task mid-stream

The Zero-Placeholder Rule

Every element of a plan must be fully specified. If you write it, it must be complete — no fill-in-the-blank, no ellipsis, no "implement as needed."