By name: project-planning description: Define project scope, milestones, MVP requirements, and roadmap to turn vague ideas into executable plans.
Project Planning
Goal
Transform a high-level goal or vague idea into a structured, actionable roadmap with clear milestones, defined MVP scope, and identified risks.
When to Use
- At the start of a new project.
- When a project's scope is creeping or undefined.
- When needing to prioritize features for an MVP.
Instructions
1. Define the North Star
Identify the core value proposition.
- Problem: What specific pain point are we solving?
- Solution: How do we solve it better than alternatives?
- Audience: Who exactly is this for?
2. Establish the MVP (Minimum Viable Product)
Ruthlessly cut features to the absolute minimum required to solve the core problem.
- Must Have: Non-negotiable features.
- Should Have: Important but can wait for v1.1.
- Could Have: Nice to have.
- Won't Have: Explicitly out of scope for now.
3. Phases and Milestones
Break the timeline into logical chunks.
- Phase 1: Foundation (Scaffolding, Auth, DB schema)
- Phase 2: Core Loop (The main feature user interacts with)
- Phase 3: Polish (UI cleanup, error handling, onboarding)
- Phase 4: Launch (Deployment, smoke testing)
4. Risk Assessment
Identify what could go wrong.
- Technical Risks: "We don't know how to use this API."
- Product Risks: "Users might not understand the workflow."
- Mitigation: "Build a prototype first" or "Add tooltips."
Constraints
✅ Do
- Prioritize "Core Loop" features over administrative features (like "Edit Profile") in the MVP.
- Define "Done" criteria for each milestone.
- Focus on user outcomes, not just technical tasks.
- keep the MVP timeline under 4 weeks if possible.
❌ Don't
- DO NOT plan more than one phase ahead in detail. Things change.
- DO NOT allow "scope creep" without removing something else of equal size.
- DO NOT skip the "Why". Every feature must map back to the North Star.
Output Format
roadmap.md: A high-level timeline of phases.- Updates to
tasks.md(high-level epics).
Dependencies
../../architect/analyzing-requirements/SKILL.md