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name: writing-plans category: workflow version: 1.0.0 description: Create detailed implementation strategies and architecture documentation author: obra/superpowers verified: true tags: [planning, architecture, documentation, strategy]

Writing Plans

Overview

Create detailed, actionable implementation plans that break down complex features into clear steps with proper architecture consideration.

When to Use This Skill

✅ Complex features requiring multiple steps ✅ System design and architecture decisions ✅ Technical specifications and implementation docs ✅ Multi-person coordination

Plan Structure

Executive Summary

Copy## Overview
[2-3 sentences explaining what we're building and why]

## Goals
- [ ] Primary goal: what success looks like
- [ ] Secondary goals: additional benefits
- [ ] Non-goals: explicitly out of scope

## Success Metrics
- Performance: [specific metrics]
- Quality: [test coverage, etc.]
- Timeline: [when it's needed]

Technical Approach

Copy## Architecture
[High-level architecture description]

## Components
1. **Component A**: [purpose and responsibility]
2. **Component B**: [purpose and responsibility]
3. **Component C**: [purpose and responsibility]

## Data Flow
[How data moves through the system]

## Alternatives Considered
| Approach | Pros | Cons | Decision |
|----------|------|------|----------|
| Option A | Fast | Complex | ❌ Not worth complexity |
| Option B | Simple | Slower | ✅ **Chosen** |
| Option C | Modern | Risky | ❌ Too experimental |

Implementation Steps

Copy## Phase 1: Foundation (Days 1-2)
- [ ] Step 1.1: [specific task]
- [ ] Step 1.2: [specific task]
- [ ] Step 1.3: [specific task]

**Dependencies**: None
**Deliverable**: [what's complete]

## Phase 2: Core Features (Days 3-5)
- [ ] Step 2.1: [specific task]
- [ ] Step 2.2: [specific task]
- [ ] Step 2.3: [specific task]

**Dependencies**: Phase 1 complete
**Deliverable**: [what's complete]

## Phase 3: Integration & Polish (Days 6-7)
- [ ] Step 3.1: [specific task]
- [ ] Step 3.2: [specific task]
- [ ] Step 3.3: [specific task]

**Dependencies**: Phase 2 complete
**Deliverable**: [production-ready feature]

Testing Strategy

Copy## Unit Tests
- [ ] Core business logic
- [ ] Edge cases and error handling
- [ ] Data validation

## Integration Tests
- [ ] API endpoints
- [ ] Database operations
- [ ] External service integrations

## Manual Testing
- [ ] User flows
- [ ] Performance under load
- [ ] Cross-browser/device testing

## Test Coverage Goal: >80%

Risk Assessment

Copy## Technical Risks
| Risk | Impact | Probability | Mitigation |
|------|--------|-------------|------------|
| Performance bottleneck | High | Medium | Implement caching, add monitoring |
| Third-party API changes | Medium | Low | Version pinning, fallback strategy |
| Data migration complexity | High | High | Thorough testing, rollback plan |

## Dependencies
- [ ] External API approval
- [ ] Database schema approval
- [ ] Security review

## Rollback Plan
[How to revert if things go wrong]

Planning Best Practices

Make Steps Atomic

❌ Bad: "Build the payment system" ✅ Good: "Create Stripe checkout form"

Include Definition of Done

Each step should have clear completion criteria:

• Code written and reviewed
• Tests passing
• Documentation updated
• No regressions

Consider Edge Cases

Copy## Edge Cases to Handle
- What happens if the API is down?
- How do we handle malformed input?
- What if the user has no internet connection?
- Concurrent requests for the same resource?
- Extremely large datasets?

Plan for Iteration

Copy## Iteration 1 (MVP)
- Core functionality
- Basic error handling
- Happy path only

## Iteration 2
- Enhanced error handling
- Edge case coverage
- Performance optimization

## Iteration 3
- Advanced features
- Polish and UX improvements

Common Planning Mistakes

❌ Skipping the "why" - context matters ❌ No alternative analysis - first idea isn't always best ❌ Unrealistic timelines - buffer time for the unknown ❌ Ignoring risks - what could go wrong? ❌ Testing as afterthought - plan tests upfront ❌ No rollback plan - assume you'll need it

Integration with Claude

When planning, say:

• "Help me create a plan for [feature]"
• "Break down this implementation into steps"
• "What are the risks with this approach?"
• "Create an architecture doc for [system]"

Claude will:

• Structure comprehensive plans
• Identify potential issues
• Suggest alternatives
• Break down complex tasks
• Ensure nothing is forgotten
• Create clear, actionable steps