Plan Review
Overview
Review implementation plans before execution to catch sizing issues, dependency problems, and gaps that would cause implementation failures. This is a pre-flight check that prevents wasted effort.
When to Use
- After a Planner creates an implementation plan
- Before handing off a plan to implementation
- When RPIV requests plan validation before proceeding
- When user asks to review/validate a plan
Review Checklist
1. Phase Sizing Assessment
For each phase, evaluate:
| Factor | Acceptable | Concerning | Flag for Decomposition | |--------|------------|------------|------------------------| | File changes | 1-3 files | 4-6 files | 7+ files | | New functions/classes | 1-5 | 6-10 | 10+ | | Test additions | 1-10 tests | 11-20 tests | 20+ tests | | Estimated context | <30% | 30-40% | >40% |
Context estimation heuristic:
- Each file read: ~2-5% context (depending on size)
- Each code generation: ~5-10% context
- Each test run + analysis: ~3-5% context
2. Dependency Analysis
For each phase, verify:
- [ ] Phases are correctly ordered (no forward dependencies)
- [ ] Each phase builds on previous phases' outputs
- [ ] No circular dependencies
- [ ] Optional/parallel phases are clearly marked
3. Completeness Check
For each phase, verify it includes:
- [ ] Clear description of what to implement
- [ ] Specific files to create/modify
- [ ] Success criteria (automated and manual separated)
- [ ] Any code snippets or patterns to follow
4. Gap Analysis
Identify missing elements:
- Are there phases that should exist but don't?
- Are there implicit steps that should be explicit?
- Are error cases and edge cases addressed?
- Is there a testing strategy for each phase?
Review Process
Step 1: Read Full Plan
Read the entire plan without making judgments. Understand:
- What is being built
- Why it's structured this way
- What the end state looks like
Step 2: Phase-by-Phase Assessment
For each phase, create an assessment:
### Phase N: [Title]
**Sizing**: ✓ Acceptable / ⚠️ Borderline / ✗ Too Large
- Estimated files: X
- Estimated context: Y%
**Dependencies**: ✓ Clear / ⚠️ Implicit / ✗ Circular
**Completeness**: ✓ Complete / ⚠️ Missing details / ✗ Insufficient
**Notes**: [Any specific concerns or suggestions]
Step 3: Synthesize Verdict
Based on all assessments:
APPROVED - Plan is ready for implementation
- All phases are appropriately sized
- Dependencies are clear and logical
- Each phase has sufficient detail
NEEDS DECOMPOSITION - Specific phases must be broken down
- List which phases need decomposition
- Explain why (too large, too complex, etc.)
- Suggest how to split if obvious
NEEDS REVISION - Plan has structural issues
- List what needs to be fixed
- Dependencies need reordering
- Gaps need to be addressed
Output Template
# Plan Review: [Plan Name]
## Overview
[1-2 sentence summary of what the plan implements]
## Phase Assessments
### Phase 1: [Title]
**Sizing**: ✓ / ⚠️ / ✗
**Dependencies**: ✓ / ⚠️ / ✗
**Completeness**: ✓ / ⚠️ / ✗
**Notes**: ...
[Repeat for each phase]
## Dependency Graph
Phase 1 → Phase 2 → Phase 3 ↘ Phase 4 (parallel)
## Issues Found
### Must Fix Before Implementation
- [Critical issue 1]
- [Critical issue 2]
### Recommendations (Optional)
- [Suggestion 1]
- [Suggestion 2]
## Verdict
**[APPROVED / NEEDS DECOMPOSITION / NEEDS REVISION]**
[Explanation of verdict with specific action items if not approved]
Integration with RPIV
When operating within RPIV:
- Receive plan from Planner via RPIV orchestration
- Perform review using this skill
- Return verdict to RPIV
- If NEEDS DECOMPOSITION: RPIV triggers Planner to revise specific phases
- If APPROVED: RPIV proceeds to implementation orchestration