name	initialize-project
description	Initialize a new software project with customized structure through interactive Q&A. Use when user mentions "new project", "start project", "initialize project", "create project", or "set up project". Gathers methodology, team structure, documentation preferences, and integration requirements to generate appropriate RULE.md and directory structure.

Initialize Project Skill

When to use this Skill

Activate when the user:

Mentions starting or creating a new project
Uses keywords: "new project", "start project", "initialize project", "create project", "set up project"
Wants to set up project management structure
Needs to configure project documentation

Workflow

Phase 1: Project Identification

Objective: Understand what project we're setting up.

Steps:

Extract project name from user message if provided
Determine target directory:
- If in a directory already, offer to initialize there
- If project name given, create new directory
- Otherwise, ask where to create the project
Check for existing structure:
- Use ls to check if directory exists
- Use Read to check for existing RULE.md
- Warn if project already initialized

Example:

User: "I want to create a new project called Mobile App Redesign"

Detected:
- Project name: "mobile-app-redesign" (slugified)
- Action: Create new directory

Phase 2: Interactive Q&A

Objective: Gather complete information about team workflow and preferences.

Use AskUserQuestion tool with clear, focused questions. Each question should offer specific options.

Question Set 1: Development Methodology

Question: "What development methodology does your team use?"

Options to present:

Scrum - Time-boxed sprints with ceremonies (planning, daily standup, review, retrospective)
Kanban - Continuous flow with WIP limits and visual board
Waterfall - Sequential phases with formal handoffs
Agile (general) - Iterative development without strict Scrum ceremonies
Hybrid/Custom - Combination of methodologies

Follow-up questions based on choice:

If Scrum selected:

"How long are your sprints?" (1 week / 2 weeks / 3 weeks / 4 weeks)
"Do you hold daily standups?" (Yes / No)
"Sprint ceremonies to track?" (Planning, Review, Retrospective - multiSelect)

If Kanban selected:

"What are your workflow stages?" (Backlog, In Progress, Review, Done - customizable)
"Do you use WIP limits?" (Yes / No)
"How often do you review the board?" (Daily / Weekly / Ad-hoc)

If Waterfall selected:

"What are your project phases?" (Requirements, Design, Development, Testing, Deployment - customizable)
"Do you need phase gate reviews?" (Yes / No)

If Agile (general) selected:

"How long are your iterations?" (1 week / 2 weeks / 4 weeks / Continuous)
"Do you have regular team meetings?" (Yes / No)

If Hybrid/Custom selected:

Ask user to describe their process
Extract key ceremonies and practices

Question Set 2: Team Structure

Question: "Tell me about your team structure"

Information to gather:

Team size (Small: 2-5 / Medium: 6-10 / Large: 11+)
Key roles present:
- Product Owner / Product Manager
- Scrum Master / Project Manager
- Developers (how many?)
- Designers
- QA / Testers
- Others
Communication patterns:
- Daily syncs
- Weekly planning
- Async-first
- Real-time collaboration

Use AskUserQuestion with multiple questions if needed.

Question Set 3: Documentation Preferences

Question: "How does your team prefer to document work?"

Options:

Structured with frontmatter - YAML frontmatter with metadata, structured sections
Simple markdown - Plain markdown without strict formatting
Table-based - Information organized in markdown tables
Issue-tracker style - Similar to GitHub Issues / Jira format

Follow-up:

"File naming convention preference?"
- Date-prefixed: 2025-11-13_meeting-name.md
- Descriptive: sprint-planning-sprint-5.md
- Numbered: 001-meeting-name.md
- Custom (ask user)

Question Set 4: Integration Requirements

Question: "What tools does your team integrate with?"

Present as multiSelect options:

Version control: Git / GitHub / GitLab / Bitbucket
Issue tracking: GitHub Issues / Jira / Linear / Asana / Trello
CI/CD: GitHub Actions / GitLab CI / Jenkins / CircleCI
Communication: Slack / Discord / Microsoft Teams
Documentation: Notion / Confluence / Wiki
None / Other

For each selected integration, gather specific details:

Git: Repository URL, branch naming convention
Issue tracker: Project key, link format
CI/CD: Workflow names
Communication: Webhook URLs, channel naming
Documentation: Workspace URL, linking format

Phase 3: Analysis & RULE.md Generation

Objective: Synthesize all Q&A responses into a comprehensive RULE.md.

Steps:

Analyze responses:
- Identify primary methodology
- Extract team size and structure
- Determine documentation format
- List integrations

Generate directory structure based on methodology:

For Scrum:

project-name/
├── RULE.md
├── README.md
├── meetings/
│   ├── README.md
│   ├── daily-standups/
│   ├── sprint-planning/
│   ├── sprint-reviews/
│   └── retrospectives/
├── sprints/
│   ├── README.md
│   ├── backlog/
│   └── current/
├── docs/
│   ├── README.md
│   └── technical/
├── decisions/
│   └── README.md
├── communications/
│   └── README.md
└── milestones.yaml

For Kanban:

project-name/
├── RULE.md
├── README.md
├── board/
│   ├── README.md
│   ├── backlog/
│   ├── in-progress/
│   ├── review/
│   └── done/
├── meetings/
│   ├── README.md
│   └── board-reviews/
├── docs/
│   ├── README.md
│   └── technical/
├── decisions/
│   └── README.md
└── milestones.yaml

For Waterfall:

project-name/
├── RULE.md
├── README.md
├── phases/
│   ├── README.md
│   ├── 01-requirements/
│   ├── 02-design/
│   ├── 03-development/
│   ├── 04-testing/
│   └── 05-deployment/
├── meetings/
│   ├── README.md
│   └── phase-reviews/
├── docs/
│   ├── README.md
│   └── technical/
├── decisions/
│   └── README.md
└── milestones.yaml

For Agile/Hybrid:

project-name/
├── RULE.md
├── README.md
├── iterations/
│   ├── README.md
│   └── backlog/
├── meetings/
│   └── README.md
├── docs/
│   ├── README.md
│   └── technical/
├── decisions/
│   └── README.md
└── milestones.yaml

Generate RULE.md content:

Use this template, filling in values from Q&A:

# Project: [Project Name]

## Purpose
[Brief project description - ask user or infer from context]

## Methodology
methodology: [scrum|kanban|waterfall|agile|hybrid]
[If Scrum]
sprint_length: [1_week|2_weeks|3_weeks|4_weeks]
daily_standup: [true|false]
ceremonies: [planning, review, retrospective]

[If Kanban]
workflow_stages: [backlog, in_progress, review, done]
wip_limits: [true|false]
review_frequency: [daily|weekly|adhoc]

[If Waterfall]
phases: [requirements, design, development, testing, deployment]
phase_gates: [true|false]

## Team Structure
team_size: [number]
roles:
  [For each role from Q&A]
  - role_name: [Name or "TBD"]

communication_pattern: [daily_syncs|weekly_planning|async_first|realtime]

## Directory Structure
[Insert the generated structure from above]

## Document Templates

### [For each document type, generate template]

[If Scrum]
#### Meeting Notes Format
```yaml
---
title: [Meeting Title]
type: [standup|planning|retrospective|review]
date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
attendees: [list]
duration_minutes: [number]
---

## Agenda
-

## Discussion
[Notes]

## Action Items
- [ ] Task - @owner - due: YYYY-MM-DD

## Decisions
-

Sprint Format

---
sprint_number: [number]
start_date: YYYY-MM-DD
end_date: YYYY-MM-DD
sprint_goal: [Goal]
status: [planning|active|completed]
---

## Sprint Goal
[Description]

## User Stories
- [ ] As a [user], I want [goal] so that [benefit]
  - Story Points: X
  - Priority: [High|Medium|Low]
  - Assignee: @[name]

## Sprint Retrospective
[Added at end]

[If Kanban]

Card Format

---
title: [Card Title]
type: [feature|bug|improvement|task]
status: [backlog|in_progress|review|done]
priority: [high|medium|low]
assignee: @[name]
created: YYYY-MM-DD
updated: YYYY-MM-DD
---

## Description
[What needs to be done]

## Acceptance Criteria
- [ ] Criterion 1
- [ ] Criterion 2

## Notes
[Additional context]

[If Waterfall]

Phase Document Format

---
phase_name: [Phase Name]
phase_number: [1-5]
start_date: YYYY-MM-DD
planned_end_date: YYYY-MM-DD
actual_end_date: [YYYY-MM-DD or "in_progress"]
status: [planning|active|review|completed]
---

## Phase Objectives
[What this phase accomplishes]

## Deliverables
- [ ] Deliverable 1
- [ ] Deliverable 2

## Phase Gate Criteria
[Criteria for moving to next phase]

## Notes
[Additional information]

File Naming Convention

format: [date_prefixed|descriptive|numbered|custom] [If date_prefixed] pattern: "YYYY-MM-DD_descriptive-name.md" [If descriptive] pattern: "descriptive-name-with-context.md" [If numbered] pattern: "###-descriptive-name.md" [If custom] pattern: "[user-specified pattern]"

Auto Workflows

When Claude creates meeting notes:

Extract all action items with @mentions
Update README.md meeting index
[If Scrum] Link to current sprint if relevant
[If integrations enabled] Update external tracker
Notify attendees of action items (if communication tool integrated)

When Claude creates/updates [sprint|iteration|card|phase]:

Update status in milestones.yaml if milestone-related
Update README.md index
[If version control] Suggest related branches
[If issue tracker] Link to external issues
Calculate velocity/progress metrics

When Claude marks milestone complete:

Update milestones.yaml status
Generate milestone completion report
Archive related documentation
Update project timeline
[If communication tool] Announce completion

When Claude searches project:

Check README.md indexes first (fastest)
Search by file patterns
Full-text search as last resort
Rank by relevance, recency, and location
Show context (surrounding content)

Integrations

[For each integration from Q&A]

[Integration Name]

type: [git|issue_tracker|ci_cd|communication|documentation] [Specific configuration] [If Git] repository: [URL] branch_convention: [feature/, bugfix/, etc.] [If Issue Tracker] project_key: [KEY] issue_link_format: "[KEY]-###" [If CI/CD] workflows: [list] [If Communication] channels: [list] webhook: [URL if applicable] [If Documentation] workspace: [URL] link_format: [pattern]

Allowed Operations

All operations allowed. Maintain governance through README.md updates. Track milestones and dependencies. Always confirm destructive operations.

Special Instructions

[Add any custom workflows or requirements mentioned by user during Q&A]

Notes

Created: [YYYY-MM-DD]
Initialized by: ProjectMaster initialize-project Skill
Last updated: [YYYY-MM-DD]

Generate milestones.yaml template:

# Project Milestones
# Managed by ProjectMaster track-milestone Skill

project:
  name: [Project Name]
  start_date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
  target_completion: [YYYY-MM-DD or "TBD"]
  status: [planning|active|completed]

milestones:
  # Example milestone structure:
  # - id: milestone-1
  #   name: "Beta Release"
  #   description: "Feature-complete beta ready for testing"
  #   target_date: YYYY-MM-DD
  #   actual_date: YYYY-MM-DD or null
  #   status: planned|in_progress|completed|delayed
  #   dependencies: [milestone-0]
  #   deliverables:
  #     - Deliverable 1
  #     - Deliverable 2
  #   owner: "@name"
  #   notes: "Additional context"

# Add milestones here as project progresses

Phase 4: User Confirmation

Objective: Show the user what will be created and get approval.

Steps:

Present summary of configuration:

📋 Project Configuration Summary

Project: [name]
Methodology: [methodology with key details]
Team: [size] members ([roles])
Documentation: [format preference]
Integrations: [list]

Directory structure:
[Show tree structure]

This will create:
- RULE.md with your team's workflow
- README.md project overview
- [X] directories for [meetings/sprints/phases/etc]
- milestones.yaml for tracking
- Initial documentation templates

Proceed with initialization?

Wait for user confirmation
If user wants changes:
- Ask what to modify
- Update configuration
- Show summary again
- Get confirmation

Phase 5: Create Structure

Objective: Execute the initialization by creating all files and directories.

Steps:

Create project directory (if needed):

mkdir -p [project-name]
cd [project-name]

Create all subdirectories:
```
mkdir -p [dir1] [dir2] [dir3] ...
```
Use the structure generated in Phase 3.
Write RULE.md: Use Write tool to create the RULE.md with generated content.
Write milestones.yaml: Use Write tool to create milestones.yaml template.

Write project README.md:

# [Project Name]

> [Brief description]

## Project Information

- **Status**: Planning
- **Methodology**: [methodology]
- **Team Size**: [number]
- **Started**: [YYYY-MM-DD]
- **Target Completion**: TBD

## Quick Links

- [RULE.md](RULE.md) - Project governance and workflows
- [milestones.yaml](milestones.yaml) - Milestone tracking
- [Meetings](meetings/) - Meeting notes
- [[Sprints/Iterations/Phases]](path/) - [Work tracking]
- [Documentation](docs/) - Technical documentation
- [Decisions](decisions/) - Architecture decisions

## Team

[List team members and roles from RULE.md]

## Current Status

Project initialized on [YYYY-MM-DD]. Ready to begin [first phase/sprint/iteration].

## Recent Activity

- [YYYY-MM-DD]: Project initialized with ProjectMaster

## Contents

[Will be auto-updated as content is added]

---

Last updated: [YYYY-MM-DD]
Governance maintained by: ProjectMaster

Write README.md for each subdirectory: Each major directory gets an index README.md:

meetings/README.md:

# Meetings

Meeting notes and minutes for [Project Name].

## Recent Meetings

[Will be auto-updated]

## Meeting Types

- [List types based on methodology]

---

Last updated: [YYYY-MM-DD]

[sprints|board|phases]/README.md:

# [Sprints/Board/Phases]

[Work tracking] for [Project Name].

## [Current Sprint/Active Cards/Current Phase]

[Will be updated as work progresses]

## [Backlog/Completed]

[Will be updated]

---

Last updated: [YYYY-MM-DD]

docs/README.md:

# Documentation

Technical documentation for [Project Name].

## Contents

[Will be auto-updated]

---

Last updated: [YYYY-MM-DD]

decisions/README.md:

# Decisions

Architecture and significant decisions for [Project Name].

## Decision Records

[Will be auto-updated]

---

Last updated: [YYYY-MM-DD]

Create template files (optional): If helpful, create example templates in a templates/ directory:
- meeting-template.md
- sprint-template.md
- decision-template.md
Verify structure:
```
ls -R
```
Confirm all directories and files created successfully.

Phase 6: Report

Objective: Confirm successful initialization and guide next steps.

Report format:

✅ Project Initialized Successfully!

📁 Created structure for: [Project Name]
   Location: [path]

📄 Key files:
   ✓ RULE.md - Project governance
   ✓ README.md - Project overview
   ✓ milestones.yaml - Milestone tracking
   ✓ [X] directories created

⚙️ Configuration:
   - Methodology: [methodology details]
   - Team: [size] members
   - Documentation: [format]
   - Integrations: [list]

🚀 Next steps:
   [Provide 2-3 relevant suggestions based on methodology]

   Examples:
   - "Create your first sprint: 'Start sprint 1 for authentication features'"
   - "Add a milestone: 'Create milestone for beta release'"
   - "Record a meeting: 'Create meeting notes for kickoff'"
   - "Add team members to RULE.md"
   - "Define first set of user stories"

💡 Tips:
   - Your RULE.md defines how ProjectMaster works with this project
   - README.md files are auto-updated as you add content
   - All Skills respect your team's workflow from RULE.md
   - Use /project-status to see project health anytime

Ready to start building! What would you like to do first?

Special Cases

Case 1: Initializing in existing directory

If the target directory already contains files:

Check for RULE.md:
- If exists: "This directory already has a RULE.md. Do you want to reinitialize (overwrites) or update the existing configuration?"
- If doesn't exist: "This directory has files but no governance. Initialize ProjectMaster here?"
Preserve existing structure:
- Don't delete existing files
- Create missing directories only
- Merge with existing structure if compatible
Update README.md:
- If exists, append governance section
- If doesn't exist, create new

Case 2: Multiple projects in workspace

If user wants to initialize multiple projects:

Create parent structure:

workspace/
├── project-1/
│   └── RULE.md
├── project-2/
│   └── RULE.md
└── README.md (workspace index)

Each project is independent:
- Separate RULE.md for each
- Workspace README.md links to all projects

Case 3: Minimal initialization

If user wants quick setup without Q&A:

Use sensible defaults:
- Methodology: Agile (general)
- Team: Small (unspecified roles)
- Documentation: Structured with frontmatter
- No integrations

Create minimal structure:

project-name/
├── RULE.md (with defaults)
├── README.md
├── meetings/
├── work/
├── docs/
└── milestones.yaml

Inform user: "Initialized with default configuration. Edit RULE.md to customize."

Case 4: Template-based initialization

If user references an existing project as template:

Read template RULE.md
Copy structure and configuration
Ask only for differences:
- Project name
- Team members
- Integration credentials
Create with template configuration

Error Handling

Error: Directory already exists

Response:

⚠️ Directory "[name]" already exists.

Options:
1. Initialize in existing directory (preserves files, adds governance)
2. Choose a different name
3. Cancel initialization

What would you like to do?

Error: Invalid project name

Response:

⚠️ Project name "[name]" contains invalid characters.

Project names should:
- Use lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens
- No spaces or special characters
- Example: "mobile-app-redesign"

Please provide a valid project name.

Error: Cannot write files

Response:

❌ Error: Unable to create files in [path]

Possible causes:
- Insufficient permissions
- Disk space full
- Path doesn't exist

Please check permissions and try again.

Error: User cancels during Q&A

Response:

Initialization cancelled. No changes made.

You can restart initialization anytime by saying:
"Initialize a new project for [your project name]"

Integration with AkashicRecords Governance

This Skill creates RULE.md files that are fully compatible with AkashicRecords:

RULE.md format: Uses natural language, readable by both systems
README.md maintenance: Both systems update README.md indexes
Directory governance: All ProjectMaster Skills respect RULE.md
Workflow specifications: Auto Workflows section defines behavior
Cross-plugin compatibility: AkashicRecords Skills can operate in ProjectMaster-initialized projects

Example interaction:

User: "Save this article about React best practices"

Claude: [AkashicRecords add-content Skill activates]
Reading RULE.md... This is a project directory.
Article is technical documentation.
Target: docs/technical/ (per RULE.md structure)
[Proceeds with adding article, updates README.md]

Both plugins share governance, ensuring consistency.

Best Practices

1. Complete the Q&A thoroughly

Don't rush through questions. Accurate answers ensure the RULE.md matches your team's actual workflow.

2. Start simple, iterate

If unsure about configuration, use defaults and refine RULE.md later as the team's process becomes clearer.

3. Customize templates immediately

After initialization, review document templates in RULE.md and adjust to match your team's preferences.

4. Involve the team

Show the generated RULE.md to your team and gather feedback. Update before creating real content.

5. Document custom workflows

If your team has unique processes, add them to the "Auto Workflows" section in RULE.md immediately.

6. Test with a real item

After initialization, create one meeting note or sprint to verify the structure works as expected.

Examples

Example 1: Scrum Project

User: I want to start a new project for our e-commerce platform redesign

Claude: I'll help you set up a new project! Let me gather information about your team's workflow.

📋 Development Methodology
What development process does your team follow?

User: [Selects Scrum]

Claude: Great! A few details about your Scrum setup:
- Sprint length: 2 weeks
- Daily standups: Yes
- Ceremonies to track: All (planning, review, retrospective)

👥 Team Structure
- Team size: 6
- Roles: Product Owner (Alice), Scrum Master (Bob), 4 Developers

📝 Documentation
- Format: Structured with frontmatter
- Naming: Date-prefixed (2025-11-13_meeting-name.md)

🔗 Integrations
- Git (GitHub)
- Issue tracking (GitHub Issues)
- Communication (Slack)

[Shows summary, user confirms]

✅ Project Initialized Successfully!

📁 Created: ecommerce-redesign/
   ✓ RULE.md configured for 2-week Scrum sprints
   ✓ Directory structure with meetings/, sprints/, docs/
   ✓ milestones.yaml for tracking
   ✓ README.md with project overview

🚀 Next: "Create sprint 1 for user authentication"

Example 2: Kanban Project

User: Set up a Kanban board for our bug fix project

Claude: I'll initialize a Kanban-based project! Let me ask a few questions...

[Q&A for Kanban workflow, team, etc.]

✅ Project Initialized: bug-fix-kanban/
   ✓ RULE.md configured for Kanban workflow
   ✓ board/ directory with backlog/, in-progress/, review/, done/
   ✓ WIP limits enabled in RULE.md
   ✓ Weekly board review meetings configured

🚀 Next: "Add a bug to the backlog"

Example 3: Minimal Quick Setup

User: Quick project setup for prototyping, no fancy stuff

Claude: I'll create a minimal project with default settings.

✅ Project Initialized: prototype/
   ✓ RULE.md with Agile defaults
   ✓ Basic structure: meetings/, work/, docs/
   ✓ Simple markdown format

💡 You can customize RULE.md later as your needs evolve.

🚀 Ready to go! Add your first note or meeting.

Notes

This Skill only initializes the structure. Actual content is created by other Skills (track-meeting, manage-sprint, etc.).
The generated RULE.md is a living document - teams should update it as their process evolves.
All generated templates are customizable - edit RULE.md to change formats.
Integration details can be added later if not known during initialization.
The Skill creates a foundation; the team shapes it into their ideal workflow.

This Skill is the entry point to ProjectMaster. A well-configured initialization ensures all other Skills work seamlessly with your team's unique workflow.

Install Skill

SKILL.md

Initialize Project Skill

When to use this Skill

Workflow

Phase 1: Project Identification

Phase 2: Interactive Q&A

Question Set 1: Development Methodology

Question Set 2: Team Structure

Question Set 3: Documentation Preferences

Question Set 4: Integration Requirements

Phase 3: Analysis & RULE.md Generation

Sprint Format

Card Format

Phase Document Format

File Naming Convention

Auto Workflows

When Claude creates meeting notes:

When Claude creates/updates [sprint|iteration|card|phase]:

When Claude marks milestone complete:

When Claude searches project:

Integrations

[Integration Name]

Allowed Operations

Special Instructions

Notes

Phase 4: User Confirmation

Phase 5: Create Structure

Phase 6: Report

Special Cases

Case 1: Initializing in existing directory

Case 2: Multiple projects in workspace

Case 3: Minimal initialization

Case 4: Template-based initialization

Error Handling

Error: Directory already exists

Error: Invalid project name

Error: Cannot write files

Error: User cancels during Q&A

Integration with AkashicRecords Governance

Best Practices

1. Complete the Q&A thoroughly

2. Start simple, iterate

3. Customize templates immediately

4. Involve the team

5. Document custom workflows

6. Test with a real item

Examples

Example 1: Scrum Project

Example 2: Kanban Project

Example 3: Minimal Quick Setup

Notes