Team Create Plan
Overview
This skill creates implementation plans through an agent team where independent teammates explore competing designs and challenge each other. Unlike the single-agent create-plan which researches and proposes serially, this skill spawns three specialists who work in parallel and debate trade-offs before the lead synthesizes a plan.
When to use this vs create-plan:
- Use
create-planfor straightforward plans with clear requirements (~15-20K tokens) - Use
team-create-planfor complex designs with multiple valid approaches, high-stakes decisions, or when adversarial review of the plan itself matters (~40-60K tokens)
Reference: See references/team-lifecycle.md for the standard team lifecycle pattern.
Initial Response
When this skill is invoked, respond:
"I'll set up a planning team to explore design options for your feature. An Architect will propose approaches, a Risk Analyst will stress-test them, and a Researcher will validate feasibility against the codebase. Share what you need built, and I'll ask clarifying questions before launching the team."
Workflow (7 Phases)
Phase 1: Requirements Capture
Parse the user's request to identify:
| Element | Description | |---------|-------------| | Task description | What needs to be implemented | | Context files | Relevant existing code or documentation | | Constraints | Timeline, technology, or scope limitations | | Brainstorm reference | If a brainstorm output exists, read it for context |
If a brainstorm path is provided as argument ($0), read it fully for pre-existing analysis.
Phase 2: Socratic Clarification (Lead-Driven)
Before spawning the team, the lead conducts focused clarification with the user. Teammates need a well-defined problem to be effective.
Present initial understanding from any referenced files, then ask:
- What is the most important quality of this implementation? (performance, correctness, maintainability, speed-to-ship)
- Are there constraints the codebase won't reveal? (timeline, team skills, deployment environment)
- Any approaches you've already considered or rejected?
After each round, offer: "I can ask more or launch the planning team. Your call."
Continue until user signals readiness.
Phase 3: Team Creation & Research
Step 3a: Create the team
TeamCreate(team_name="plan-{topic-slug}")
Step 3b: Create tasks
TaskCreate(subject="Architect: Design phase structure and technical approach",
description="Explore codebase, propose 2-3 design options with trade-offs, design phase structure",
activeForm="Designing technical approach")
TaskCreate(subject="Risk Analyst: Stress-test proposed designs",
description="Challenge Architect's proposals, identify risks per phase, propose exit conditions",
activeForm="Analyzing risks and exit conditions")
TaskCreate(subject="Researcher: Validate feasibility against codebase",
description="Verify Architect's claims against code reality, find existing patterns and precedents",
activeForm="Researching codebase and precedents")
Step 3c: Spawn teammates
All teammates are general-purpose subagents.
Architect
Task(subagent_type="general-purpose",
team_name="plan-{topic-slug}",
name="architect",
prompt="You are the Architect on a planning team.
TASK: {refined task description from Phase 2}
CONTEXT: {codebase/project context, constraints, brainstorm reference}
YOUR ROLE: Design the implementation approach and phase structure.
STEP 1 - RESEARCH:
- Use Glob and Grep to find all files related to the feature area
- Read relevant files completely (no partial reads)
- Map existing patterns, conventions, and integration points
- Identify dependencies and constraints from the codebase
STEP 2 - DESIGN OPTIONS:
Propose 2-3 design approaches. For each:
- Description: How it works technically
- Pros and cons
- Which existing codebase patterns it follows
- Estimated complexity (phases needed)
- File:line references for integration points
STEP 3 - PHASE STRUCTURE:
For your recommended approach, propose phases:
- Phase name and objective
- Key tasks per phase (tests first, then implementation)
- Dependencies between phases
- Which files each phase touches
DELIVERABLE: Send your complete design document to the team lead.
Also message 'risk-analyst' with your top recommendation so they can begin challenging it.
Also message 'researcher' with claims that need codebase verification.")
Risk Analyst
Task(subagent_type="general-purpose",
team_name="plan-{topic-slug}",
name="risk-analyst",
prompt="You are the Risk Analyst on a planning team.
TASK: {refined task description from Phase 2}
CONTEXT: {codebase/project context, constraints}
YOUR ROLE: Stress-test the Architect's proposals and ensure the plan is robust.
STEP 1 - WAIT FOR ARCHITECT:
The Architect will message you with their top design recommendation. Review it critically.
STEP 2 - RISK ANALYSIS:
For each design option the Architect proposes:
- What could go wrong in each phase?
- What assumptions might be wrong?
- What dependencies could break?
- What's the hardest part that's being underestimated?
- Apply premortem: 'This plan failed in 3 months — what went wrong?'
STEP 3 - EXIT CONDITIONS:
For each proposed phase, draft exit conditions:
- Build verification (what commands must pass)
- Runtime verification (what must start/respond)
- Functional verification (what behavior must work)
- Be specific — not 'tests pass' but which tests and what they verify
STEP 4 - RISK REGISTER:
Create a risk table:
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation | Phase Affected |
DELIVERABLE: Send your complete risk analysis + exit conditions to the team lead.
Message 'architect' with your top concerns — challenge their assumptions directly.
If Architect's claims seem unverified, message 'researcher' asking for validation.")
Researcher
Task(subagent_type="general-purpose",
team_name="plan-{topic-slug}",
name="researcher",
prompt="You are the Researcher on a planning team.
TASK: {refined task description from Phase 2}
CONTEXT: {codebase/project context, constraints}
YOUR ROLE: Validate the team's claims against codebase reality and gather evidence.
STEP 1 - CODEBASE INVESTIGATION:
- Use Glob/Grep/Read to find all relevant files
- Map the actual architecture (not what's assumed)
- Find similar implementations in the codebase
- Identify existing patterns that must be followed
- Document file:line references for everything
STEP 2 - WEB RESEARCH:
- Search for best practices relevant to this implementation
- Find similar implementations and their lessons learned
- Look for common pitfalls and anti-patterns
- Check for library/framework recommendations
STEP 3 - VALIDATE CLAIMS:
When Architect or Risk Analyst message you with claims to verify:
- Check claims against actual code
- Report back whether claims are accurate or incorrect
- Provide corrected information with file:line references
STEP 4 - FEASIBILITY REPORT:
Document:
- Existing patterns the implementation must follow (with examples)
- Integration points (exact files and functions)
- Similar implementations in the codebase (reference code)
- External best practices that apply
- Anti-patterns to avoid
DELIVERABLE: Send your complete research report to the team lead.
Share relevant findings with 'architect' and 'risk-analyst' as you discover them — don't wait until the end.")
Phase 4: Team Coordination
While teammates work:
- Monitor progress via TaskList
- Facilitate debate — if teammates aren't engaging:
- Message architect: "The Risk Analyst identified concerns about [X]. How do you address this?"
- Message risk-analyst: "The Architect's revised approach addresses [Y]. Does this satisfy your concern?"
- Message researcher: "Can you verify [specific claim] from the Architect?"
- Relay findings between teammates that haven't communicated
- Wait for all teammates to send consolidated findings before proceeding
Phase 5: Synthesis & User Checkpoint
After receiving all findings, the lead:
5a. Present design options to user
Synthesize the team's work into a clear presentation:
## Design Options
### Option A: [Architect's recommendation]
- How it works: [from Architect]
- Risks: [from Risk Analyst]
- Feasibility: [from Researcher]
- Risk Analyst's concerns: [specific challenges]
### Option B: [Alternative]
- How it works: [from Architect]
- Risks: [from Risk Analyst]
- Feasibility: [from Researcher]
### Recommendation: [Option X]
Rationale: [synthesized from all three perspectives]
Wait for user to approve approach before writing plan.
5b. Present phase structure
Proposed phases (from Architect, stress-tested by Risk Analyst):
Phase 1: [Name] - [Description]
Key risk: [from Risk Analyst]
Phase 2: [Name] - [Description]
Key risk: [from Risk Analyst]
...
Does this structure make sense?
Wait for user approval.
5c. Document decision as ADR
If a significant design decision was made:
Skill(skill="adr"): Document the design decision.
Context: [from team analysis]
Options: [from Architect]
Decision: [user's choice]
Rationale: [from team debate]
Phase 6: Write Plan & Bootstrap Tasks
After user approves, write the plan file using the same format as create-plan:
Path: docs/plans/YYYY-MM-DD-{topic-slug}.md
The plan must include:
- Overview and Context (from Researcher's findings)
- Design Decision with ADR reference
- Implementation Phases (from Architect, with Risk Analyst's exit conditions)
- Risk register (from Risk Analyst)
- Dependencies (from Researcher's codebase analysis)
- All exit conditions with three verification categories
Bootstrap tasks via TaskCreate with sequential dependencies (same pattern as create-plan Phase 7).
Completion message:
Plan created: [path]
Tasks created: [count] phases with dependencies
Method: Team-based planning (Architect + Risk Analyst + Researcher)
To implement:
Solo: /implement-plan [path]
Small team: /team-implement-plan [path]
Full team: /team-implement-plan-full [path]
Phase 7: Shutdown & Cleanup
- Send shutdown requests to all teammates
- Wait for confirmations
- TeamDelete
- Present plan summary to user
Quality Checklist
Before finalizing, verify:
- [ ] All three teammates completed their analysis
- [ ] Architect's design was challenged by Risk Analyst
- [ ] Researcher verified claims against actual codebase
- [ ] User approved design approach and phase structure
- [ ] Plan format matches create-plan output format
- [ ] Exit conditions cover all three verification categories per phase
- [ ] Risk register included with mitigations
- [ ] Tasks bootstrapped with dependencies
- [ ] ADR created for significant decisions
- [ ] All teammates shut down and team cleaned up
- [ ] Plan file written successfully
Team Interaction Protocol
Expected Communication Flow
Architect ──────► Risk Analyst (shares design for challenge)
Architect ──────► Researcher (requests claim verification)
Risk Analyst ───► Architect (challenges assumptions)
Risk Analyst ───► Researcher (requests validation)
Researcher ─────► Architect (provides evidence)
Researcher ─────► Risk Analyst (provides evidence)
All ────────────► Lead (consolidated findings)
Handling Stalls
| Scenario | Action | |----------|--------| | Architect hasn't messaged in 2+ minutes | Message asking for status | | Risk Analyst waiting for Architect | Relay Architect's initial findings | | Researcher has evidence nobody asked for | Prompt them to share with relevant teammate | | Disagreement between Architect and Risk Analyst | Present both positions to user for input |