Writing Plans

Overview

Write comprehensive implementation plans assuming the engineer has zero context for our codebase and questionable taste. Document everything they need to know with Shannon's quantitative rigor.

Core principle: Plans must be self-contained, quantitatively validated, and assume zero prior knowledge.

Announce at start: "I'm using the writing-plans skill to create the implementation plan."

Shannon enhancement: All plans include complexity scoring, validation gates, and MCP requirements.

Bite-Sized Task Granularity

Each step is one action (2-5 minutes):

• "Write the failing test" - step
• "Run it to make sure it fails" - step
• "Implement the minimal code to make the test pass" - step
• "Run the tests and make sure they pass" - step
• "Commit" - step

Plan Document Header

Every plan MUST start with this Shannon-enhanced header:

# [Feature Name] Implementation Plan

> **For Claude:** REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use shannon:executing-plans to implement this plan task-by-task.

**Goal**: [One sentence describing what this builds]

**Architecture**: [2-3 sentences about approach]

**Tech Stack**: [Key technologies/libraries]

---

## Shannon Quantitative Analysis

**Complexity Score**: 0.45/1.00 (MODERATE)

**8D Domain Distribution**:
- Backend: 60%
- Data: 25%
- Frontend: 10%
- DevOps: 5%

**Estimated Tasks**: 12 (formula: complexity × scope × domains)

**Estimated Duration**: 4-6 hours (based on complexity + task count)

**Risk Assessment**:
- High Risk: Database migrations (data layer)
- Medium Risk: API integration
- Low Risk: UI updates

---

## Validation Strategy

**Shannon 3-Tier Validation**:

**Tier 1 (Flow)**: 
- TypeScript: `tsc --noEmit`
- Linter: `ruff check .`

**Tier 2 (Artifacts)**:
- Tests: `npm test` (expect X/X pass)
- Build: `npm run build`

**Tier 3 (Functional - NO MOCKS)**:
- E2E: `npm run test:e2e` (Puppeteer required)
- Real database tests
- Real HTTP integration tests

---

## MCP Requirements

**Required MCPs**:
- puppeteer: Web testing (Tier 3 validation)
- sequential: Deep analysis for complex tasks

**Recommended MCPs**:
- context7: Framework documentation (if using React/etc)
- tavily: Best practices research (if new libraries)

---

Task Structure

### Task N: [Component Name]

**Shannon Metadata**:
- Complexity: 0.3/1.00 (SIMPLE)
- Estimated Time: 20 minutes
- Risk Level: LOW
- Validation Tier: 2 (Artifacts)

**Files**:
- Create: `exact/path/to/file.py`
- Modify: `exact/path/to/existing.py:123-145`
- Test: `tests/exact/path/to/test.py`

**MCP Tools Needed**:
- None (standard tools sufficient)

**Step 1: Write the failing test (TDD RED phase)**

**Shannon Requirement**: Test must use REAL systems (NO MOCKS)

```python
# tests/path/test_feature.py
def test_specific_behavior():
    # ✅ GOOD: Real database
    db = connect_real_test_database()
    
    result = function(input)
    assert result == expected

Step 2: Run test to verify it fails

Run: pytest tests/path/test.py::test_name -v Expected: FAIL with "function not defined"

Shannon Verification:

• Exit code: 1 (failure)
• Reason: Feature missing (not typo)
• NO MOCKS: Verified (test uses real DB)

Step 3: Write minimal implementation (TDD GREEN phase)

def function(input):
    return expected

Step 4: Run test to verify it passes

Run: pytest tests/path/test.py::test_name -v Expected: PASS

Shannon Verification:

• Exit code: 0 (success)
• Tests: 1/1 pass
• NO MOCKS: Still verified

Step 5: Run validation gates

# Tier 1: Flow
ruff check .  # Expect: 0 errors

# Tier 2: Artifacts  
pytest  # Expect: All tests pass

Step 6: Commit

git add tests/path/test.py src/path/file.py
git commit -m "feat: add specific feature

Shannon validation: 2/3 tiers PASS (Tier 3 N/A for this task)"

Shannon Tracking: Save to Serena:

serena.write_memory(f"plan_execution/task_{N}", {
    "task_id": N,
    "complexity": 0.3,
    "duration_actual": "18 minutes",
    "validation_tiers": [1, 2],
    "success": True
})

## Remember

- Exact file paths always
- Complete code in plan (not "add validation")
- Exact commands with expected output
- Shannon quantitative metrics (complexity, time, validation tiers)
- MCP requirements explicitly stated
- NO MOCKS requirement enforced
- Reference relevant skills with @ syntax
- DRY, YAGNI, TDD, frequent commits

## Execution Handoff

After saving the plan, offer execution choice:

**"Plan complete and saved to `docs/plans/<filename>.md`. Shannon quantitative analysis complete.**

**Complexity**: 0.45/1.00 (MODERATE)  
**Tasks**: 12  
**Estimated Duration**: 4-6 hours  
**Validation Strategy**: 3-tier with NO MOCKS

**Three execution options:**

**1. Intelligent Execution (shannon:do)** - Automatic wave orchestration, fast iteration

**2. Systematic Execution (shannon:executing-plans)** - Batch execution with review checkpoints, full control

**3. Manual Execution** - You execute tasks yourself using plan as guide

**Which approach?"**

**If Systematic chosen**:
- **REQUIRED SUB-SKILL**: Use shannon:executing-plans
- Batch execution (complexity-based sizing)
- Review between batches
- Quantitative progress tracking

**If Intelligent chosen**:
- **REQUIRED SUB-SKILL**: Use shannon:wave-orchestration
- Automatic parallelization
- Shannon validation gates
- Faster but less control

## Shannon-Specific Enhancements

### Complexity Scoring Per Task

**Formula**: 
```python
task_complexity = calculate_8d_complexity({
    "backend": lines_of_code / 100,
    "data": database_operations / 10,
    "frontend": components / 5,
    # ... other dimensions
})

# Result: 0.00-1.00 scale

Use this to:

• Estimate task duration
• Determine validation requirements
• Size batches for execution
• Assess risk

MCP Discovery Integration

Auto-detect MCP requirements:

# Scan task for keywords
if "web" in task or "browser" in task:
    mcps.append("puppeteer")

if "analyze" in task or "complex" in task:
    mcps.append("sequential")

if framework in ["React", "Next.js", "Vue"]:
    mcps.append("context7")

if "research" in task or "best practices" in task:
    mcps.append("tavily")

Validation Gates Per Task

Determine which tiers apply:

Serena Persistence

Save plan metadata:

plan_metadata = {
    "plan_id": plan_id,
    "feature_name": feature_name,
    "complexity": 0.45,
    "domain_distribution": {
        "backend": 0.60,
        "data": 0.25,
        "frontend": 0.10,
        "devops": 0.05
    },
    "total_tasks": 12,
    "estimated_duration_hours": 5.0,
    "validation_tiers": [1, 2, 3],
    "mcp_requirements": ["puppeteer", "sequential"],
    "created": ISO_timestamp
}

serena.write_memory(f"plans/{plan_id}/metadata", plan_metadata)

Track execution later:

# When executing, reference the plan
execution = serena.read_memory(f"plans/{plan_id}/metadata")

Integration with Other Skills

This skill requires:

• forced-reading-protocol - If analyzing existing requirements
• spec-analysis - For complexity scoring (8D analysis)

This skill produces plans for:

• executing-plans - Systematic batch execution
• wave-orchestration - Intelligent parallel execution

Complementary skills:

• brainstorming - Use before writing-plans (design first)
• verification-before-completion - Use during execution

Example Plan Header

# User Authentication System Implementation Plan

> **For Claude:** REQUIRED SUB-SKILL: Use shannon:executing-plans

**Goal**: Implement secure user authentication with email/password and session management

**Architecture**: JWT-based authentication with bcrypt password hashing, session stored in Redis, protected routes via middleware

**Tech Stack**: Express.js, PostgreSQL, Redis, bcrypt, jsonwebtoken

---

## Shannon Quantitative Analysis

**Complexity Score**: 0.62/1.00 (COMPLEX)

**8D Domain Distribution**:
- Backend: 70% (auth logic, middleware)
- Data: 20% (user storage, sessions)
- Security: 10% (password hashing, JWT)

**Estimated Tasks**: 18
**Estimated Duration**: 8-10 hours

**Risk Assessment**:
- HIGH: Security (password storage, JWT secrets)
- MEDIUM: Session management (Redis integration)
- LOW: Route protection (standard middleware)

---

## Validation Strategy

**Tier 1 (Flow)**:
- `tsc --noEmit` (0 errors)
- `eslint .` (0 errors)

**Tier 2 (Artifacts)**:
- `npm test` (expect 45/45 pass)
- `npm run build` (exit 0)

**Tier 3 (Functional - NO MOCKS)**:
- `npm run test:e2e:auth` (Puppeteer)
- Real PostgreSQL database tests
- Real Redis session tests
- NO mocking of bcrypt, JWT, or database

---

## MCP Requirements

**Required**:
- puppeteer: Browser-based auth flow testing
- sequential: Security analysis for auth patterns

**Recommended**:
- context7: Express.js middleware patterns
- tavily: JWT best practices research

---

The Bottom Line

Plans are contracts. Be specific. Be quantitative. Assume nothing.

Shannon's enhancements transform vague plans into quantitatively validated roadmaps.

Not "implement auth" - "implement auth (complexity 0.62, 18 tasks, 8-10 hours, 3-tier validation with NO MOCKS)".