When to use

After requirements are gathered and before any data is touched. Planning is especially important when the analysis involves multiple steps, uncertain data availability, or a tight deadline where sequencing matters. A 15-minute planning session prevents hours of wrong-direction work.

Process

1. Decompose the question — break the business question into sub-questions using references/scoping_framework.md; each sub-question should be answerable with a single data pull or calculation.
2. Identify data dependencies — for each sub-question, list the required tables/datasets and assess availability (confirmed / likely / unknown); flag blockers early.
3. Sequence the work — order sub-questions so that each output feeds the next; identify which steps can run in parallel.
4. Estimate effort — use references/effort_estimation.md to assign time estimates per step; sum to a total and compare against the deadline.
5. Log risks and dependencies — use references/risks_dependencies.md to document anything that could delay or invalidate the plan (data gaps, external approvals, methodology uncertainty).
6. Produce the plan — fill in assets/analysis_plan_template.md; for projects with stakeholder kickoffs use assets/kickoff_doc_template.md.

Inputs the skill needs

• Analysis brief or requirements doc (from stakeholder-requirements-gathering skill)
• Available data sources
• Deadline and resource constraints