Idea Queue Capture Skill Skill

Idea Queue Capture Skill

When to Use

User provides a feature request, bug report, or improvement idea
User mentions multiple related ideas that should be grouped together
User wants to queue work without interrupting current execution
Quick capture needed without planning overhead
User says things like: "add this to my ideas", "queue this for later", "capture this"

Purpose

This skill provides fast, interruption-free idea capture for the autonomous work queue system. It follows Matt Maher's "do-work" pattern where one Claude instance (Capture) collects ideas while another instance (Work) executes them.

Key Principle: Capture is FAST. No planning, no validation, no execution - just preserve the full context and queue it.

Process

1. Parse User Input

Extract all distinct ideas from the user's message:

Identify keywords: "feature", "bug", "fix", "improve", "add", "change", "update", "create"
Look for numbered lists or bullet points
Detect multiple sentences with distinct ideas
Preserve full context verbatim - don't summarize

2. Intelligent Grouping Logic

Analyze if ideas should be grouped or separated:

Group together (create single queue item) if:

Ideas affect the same UI component (e.g., "Fix button padding AND change button color")
Ideas have dependencies (e.g., "Add field to form AND update validation")
Ideas are variations/options for same change (e.g., "Make button blue OR green")
Ideas are in the same domain (e.g., all R&D related, all UI related)

Separate (create multiple queue items) if:

Ideas are independent with no relationship
Ideas belong to different domains (e.g., tax calculation vs UI change)
Ideas have different priority levels explicitly stated
User explicitly separates with "Also..." or "Separately..."

Example Grouping:

Input: "Fix the copy icon overlap in description panel AND adjust the panel spacing"
Output: 1 queue item (both affect description panel)

Input: "Fix copy icon overlap. Also analyze R&D transactions for FY2023-24"
Output: 2 queue items (UI vs tax analysis - completely different domains)

3. Auto-Detect Queue Item Type

Based on keywords and context:

| Keywords | Type | |----------|------| | "bug", "fix", "broken", "error", "issue" | bug | | "feature", "add", "new", "create", "build" | feature | | "improve", "enhance", "optimize", "refactor", "better" | improvement | | "client", "customer", "stakeholder", "requested" | client_request | | Everything else | task |

4. Generate Title

Create concise title (max 80 chars):

Extract action verb + subject (e.g., "Fix copy icon overlap")
If grouped, summarize both (e.g., "Fix description panel UI issues")
Capitalize first letter
No trailing punctuation
If title > 80 chars, truncate and add "..."

5. Create Queue Item

import { addToQueue } from '@/lib/queue/work-queue-manager';

const queueItem = await addToQueue({
  title: generatedTitle,
  description: userInputVerbatim, // Full user message preserved
  queue_item_type: detectedType,
  payload: {
    original_message: userInput,
    context: currentContext,
    timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
    source: 'capture-skill',
  },
});

6. Confirmation Response

Return clear confirmation with:

Number of items captured
Title(s) of created item(s)
Type(s) detected
Queue position(s)

Configuration

Environment Variables

# Required (already configured in ATO)
SUPABASE_URL=https://your-project.supabase.co
SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY=your-service-role-key

Database Table

Uses the work_queue table created by migration 20260129_create_work_queue.sql.

Workflow Commands

`/capture-idea`

Capture the current user message as an idea.

Usage:

User: Fix the navigation header padding in mobile view
User: /capture-idea

`/capture-request <text>`

Capture specific text as a request.

Usage:

/capture-request Add dark mode toggle to settings page

`/capture-multiple`

Explicitly capture multiple separate ideas from the message.

Usage:

User: Fix button color. Also update the form validation. And review tax calculations.
User: /capture-multiple

Creates 3 separate queue items.

`/list-queue`

Show pending queue items and their positions.

Usage:

/list-queue

Output:

📋 Work Queue Status

Pending (3 items):
1. Fix copy icon overlap - P2 - Bug - 2 mins ago
2. Add R&D analysis for FY2023-24 - P1 - Feature - 15 mins ago
3. Update navigation spacing - P3 - Improvement - 1 hour ago

Validated (1 item):
1. Fix description panel spacing - P2 - Bug - Ready for execution

Currently processing: Analyzing deduction opportunities (12% complete)

Total in queue: 4 items

`/queue-stats`

Show detailed queue statistics.

Usage:

/queue-stats

Output:

📊 Queue Statistics

Total items processed: 127
Average execution time: 8.3 minutes
Total token usage: 45,230 PTS

Status breakdown:
- Pending: 3
- Validated: 1
- Processing: 1
- Completed: 119
- Failed: 2
- Archived: 115

Success rate: 98.4%

Output Format

Success Response

{
  "status": "success",
  "captured": [
    {
      "id": "uuid-123",
      "title": "Fix copy icon overlap in description panel",
      "type": "bug",
      "status": "pending",
      "queue_position": 3,
      "created_at": "2026-01-29T10:30:00Z"
    }
  ],
  "message": "1 idea captured successfully",
  "next_steps": "The Senior PM agent will validate this idea and create a Linear issue if approved."
}

Multiple Items Response

{
  "status": "success",
  "captured": [
    {
      "id": "uuid-123",
      "title": "Fix navigation header padding",
      "type": "bug",
      "status": "pending",
      "queue_position": 3
    },
    {
      "id": "uuid-456",
      "title": "Analyze R&D transactions for FY2023-24",
      "type": "feature",
      "status": "pending",
      "queue_position": 4
    }
  ],
  "message": "2 ideas captured successfully",
  "next_steps": "The Senior PM agent will validate these ideas and create Linear issues if approved."
}

Error Response

{
  "status": "error",
  "error": "Failed to add item to queue: Database connection failed",
  "suggestions": [
    "Check SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY is configured",
    "Verify Supabase project is running",
    "Run migration: supabase migration up"
  ]
}

User-Facing Messages

When capturing ideas, use clear, friendly language:

Success Messages

✅ Idea captured successfully!

**Title**: Fix copy icon overlap in description panel
**Type**: Bug
**Queue position**: #3

The Senior PM agent will validate this and create a Linear issue shortly.
You can continue working - this won't interrupt your current task.

Multiple Ideas Captured

✅ 2 ideas captured successfully!

1. **Fix navigation header padding** (Bug) - Position #3
2. **Analyze R&D transactions** (Feature) - Position #4

Both ideas will be validated by the Senior PM agent.

Queue is Processing

⚙️ Idea captured! The work queue is currently processing other items.

**Your idea**: Add dark mode toggle
**Position**: #5 in queue
**Estimated wait**: ~15 minutes

You'll be notified when your idea reaches validation.

Integration Points

Upstream

User messages: Captures ideas from natural conversation
Slash commands: Explicit capture commands

Downstream

work_queue table: Writes to Supabase queue
Senior PM Agent: Items flow to validation
Work Loop Processor: Eventually executed autonomously

Error Handling

Database Errors

If queue write fails:

Log error with full context
Return user-friendly error message
Suggest: Check Supabase connection, verify migration ran
DO NOT lose user's idea - store in local fallback if possible

Validation Errors

If title/description too long:

Truncate title to 200 chars
Preserve full description in payload
Add note to payload: truncated: true

Duplicate Detection

NOT performed at capture stage (deferred to PM validation):

Capture is fast, validation is thorough
Senior PM will detect duplicates with Linear search
If duplicate found, PM merges context into existing Linear issue

Performance Targets

| Metric | Target | |--------|--------| | Capture time | < 2 seconds | | User wait time | Immediate response | | Database write | < 500ms | | Message parsing | < 100ms |

Security Considerations

Uses SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY for database access
No user authentication required (internal tool)
Queue items are not user-specific (shared queue)
Sensitive data in user messages is preserved as-is (no filtering)

Important: If user provides sensitive information (passwords, API keys), capture includes it. Warn user:

⚠️ Warning: Your idea contains what looks like sensitive information.
Please review the queue item before the Senior PM validates it.

Testing Checklist

[ ] Single idea capture works
[ ] Multiple related ideas group correctly
[ ] Multiple unrelated ideas separate correctly
[ ] Type detection is accurate
[ ] Title generation follows 80-char limit
[ ] Queue position calculation is correct
[ ] Error handling gracefully fails
[ ] /list-queue shows correct status
[ ] /queue-stats calculates correctly
[ ] Database connection errors are handled

Example Usage Sessions

Session 1: Simple Bug Fix

User: The navigation header has too much padding on mobile devices. It's covering content.

User: /capture-idea

Claude: ✅ Idea captured successfully!

**Title**: Fix navigation header padding on mobile
**Type**: Bug
**Queue position**: #1

The Senior PM agent will validate this and create a Linear issue shortly.

Session 2: Multiple Related Ideas

User: The description panel on the right has two issues:
1. The copy icon overlaps with text
2. There's not enough spacing between sections

User: /capture-idea

Claude: ✅ Idea captured successfully!

**Title**: Fix description panel UI issues
**Type**: Bug
**Queue position**: #2

Grouped 2 related issues into 1 queue item since they affect the same component.
The Senior PM will validate and route to the appropriate agent.

Session 3: Multiple Unrelated Ideas

User: Fix the copy icon overlap. Also, I need an analysis of all R&D eligible transactions for FY2023-24.

User: /capture-idea

Claude: ✅ 2 ideas captured successfully!

1. **Fix copy icon overlap** (Bug) - Position #3
2. **Analyze R&D eligible transactions for FY2023-24** (Feature) - Position #4

Created separate queue items since these are different domains (UI vs tax analysis).
Both will be validated by the Senior PM agent.

Notes

This skill is capture-only - no planning, no validation, no execution
Designed to run in dedicated "Capture Claude" instance
Complements the "Work Claude" instance running /process-queue
Follows Matt Maher's two-Claude pattern for context isolation
Queue items remain pending until Senior PM validates them
Validation includes feasibility check, duplicate detection, priority assignment

Agent Skills: Idea Queue Capture Skill

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