Workflow Spec To Pbi

---
name: workflow-spec-to-pbi
description: '[Workflow] Use when converting canonical tech-free Feature Specs into complete, prioritized, dependency-aware PBIs and stories.'
disable-model-invocation: false
---

> Codex compatibility note:
> - Invoke repository skills with `$skill-name` in Codex; this mirrored copy rewrites legacy Claude `/skill-name` references.
> - Task tracker mandate: BEFORE executing any workflow or skill step, create/update task tracking for all steps and keep it synchronized as progress changes.
> - User-question prompts mean to ask the user directly in Codex.
> - Ignore Claude-specific mode-switch instructions when they appear.
> - Strict execution contract: when a user explicitly invokes a skill, execute that skill protocol as written.
> - Subagent authorization: when a skill is user-invoked or AI-detected and its protocol requires subagents, that skill activation authorizes use of the required `spawn_agent` subagent(s) for that task.
> - Do not skip, reorder, or merge protocol steps unless the user explicitly approves the deviation first.
> - For workflow skills, execute each listed child-skill step explicitly and report step-by-step evidence.
> - If a required step/tool cannot run in this environment, stop and ask the user before adapting.
<!-- CODEX:PROJECT-REFERENCE-LOADING:START -->
## Codex Project-Reference Loading (Hook-Independent)

Claude and Codex use static project-reference loading as the authority; hooks may accelerate discovery but never replace the explicit read.
When coding, planning, debugging, testing, or reviewing, open project docs explicitly using this routing.

**Always read:**
- `docs/project-config.json` (project-specific paths, commands, modules, and workflow/test settings)
- `docs/project-reference/docs-index-reference.md` (routes to the full `docs/project-reference/*` catalog)
- `docs/project-reference/lessons.md` (always-on guardrails and anti-patterns)

**Missing/stale context route:** If `docs/project-config.json`, the docs index, `lessons.md`, `CLAUDE.md`, `AGENTS.md`, or any task-required reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run `$project-init` or the narrow setup route (`$project-config`, `$docs-init`, `$scan-all`, `$scan --target=<key>`, `$claude-md-init`) before ordinary project-specific work. If Codex mirrors or `AGENTS.md` are missing/stale, ask the user to run `$sync-codex`; do not auto-run it.

**Situation-based docs:**
- Project structure/architecture/tech-stack/deployment/setup (any layer — backend, frontend, or infra): `project-structure-reference.md`
- Backend/CQRS/API/domain/entity changes: `backend-patterns-reference.md`, `domain-entities-reference.md`
- Frontend/UI/styling/design-system: `frontend-patterns-reference.md`, `scss-styling-guide.md`, `design-system/README.md`
- Spec authoring, `docs/specs/` pathing, or TC format: `feature-spec-reference.md`, `spec-system-reference.md`, `spec-principles.md`
- Behavior/public-contract changes or spec-test-code sync: `workflow-spec-test-code-cycle-reference.md` plus the spec docs above
- Derived spec indexes/ERDs/reimplementation guides: `spec-system-reference.md` and source Feature Specs under `docs/specs/`
- Integration test implementation/review: `integration-test-reference.md`
- E2E test implementation/review: `e2e-test-reference.md`
- Code review/audit work: `code-review-rules.md` plus domain docs above based on changed files

Do not read all docs blindly. Start from `docs-index-reference.md`, then open only relevant files for the task.
<!-- CODEX:PROJECT-REFERENCE-LOADING:END -->

## Quick Summary

**Goal:** Convert canonical tech-free 8-section Feature Specs into a complete, prioritized, dependency-aware, sprint-ready PBI/story backlog with actor-facing outcomes, full UI flows, and evidence-backed review/sync gates.

**Summary:**

- **Main steps:** investigate/index → applicability/domain/rationale → clarify/scenario → plan/review/validate → refine → PBI/story/challenge/DoR → mock-up/design-spec → prioritize → docs/presentation/handoff.

- Load and audit the canonical Feature Specs, then evaluate the shared `isLargeIdea` rule and apply the embedded decomposition contract or the explicit isolated-change branch before decomposition.
- Map every spec requirement, business rule, test case, domain impact, and dependency to tech-agnostic PBIs and vertically sliced stories.
- Review, challenge, validate readiness, prioritize across PBIs, synchronize docs, and produce the backlog plus stakeholder evidence.
- Every generated PBI MUST be one independently releasable actor-facing outcome with a complete entry-to-result journey; technical/foundation/migration/setup work is attached enabling work, never a standalone PBI.
- For UI PBIs, the mockup MUST be a navigable mock app containing every required page/view, navigation edge, common/domain/page component, applicable state, and full-flow demo; one isolated screen is a blocking failure.

**Workflow:** Load/index → freshness audit → coverage/decomposition/domain gates → plan/review/validate → refine/review stories and PBIs → DoR + UI artifacts → prioritize → docs-update → presentation → close.

**Key Rules:**

- **MUST ATTENTION** keep every PBI independently releasable and actor-facing; attach technical enabling work to a releasable outcome.
- **MUST ATTENTION** preserve logical-ID citations, source evidence, full UI flows, priority propagation, and the final docs/presentation gates.
- **NEVER** invent product scope, emit standalone technical PBIs, or skip freshness, review, validation, priority, or synchronization gates.

**Canonical input:** `docs/specs/{Bucket}/README.{Feature}.md` (one tech-free 8-section Feature Spec per capability). There is no separate A-E engineering bundle — code is the technical source of truth.

**Primary outputs:**

- `team-artifacts/pbis/{date}-pbi-{slug}.md` for each generated PBI — each carries its rank/priority in frontmatter (written back by `$prioritize`).
- `team-artifacts/backlog/spec-to-pbi-{date}-backlog.md` with priority order and dependency graph.
- `team-artifacts/pbis/{slug}-mockup.html` for each UI PBI (header surfaces the PBI priority/rank).
- `team-artifacts/design-specs/{date}-designspec-{slug}.md` for each UI PBI.
- One standalone HTML stakeholder deck from `$feature-presentation` whose Scope & backlog slide surfaces each PBI's priority/rank.
- `plans/reports/spec-to-pbi-{date}-{bucket}.md` with coverage matrix and unresolved questions.

**Universal Rules:**

- MUST ATTENTION define success criteria before execution and loop until observable verification passes.
- MUST ATTENTION when creating/reviewing specs or tests, name `Business Intent / Invariant Guarded` or the protected business intent/invariant and ensure the test would fail if that intent breaks.
- **[BLOCKING] Tech-agnostic output:** PBI / backlog / report prose stays tech-agnostic per `docs/project-reference/spec-principles.md` §3 — no framework/product/language/design-pattern names; source paths and class names appear ONLY in evidence fields (`**Evidence**`, `[Source:]`), frontmatter, and Mermaid.
- **[BLOCKING] Inherit M1-M5/M7 + logical-ID carry:** See `.claude/skills/shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md` → "AI-SDD Mandates (M1-M7)" for BLOCKING criteria. Every generated PBI MUST satisfy M1-M5 and M7. **M7 — business-visibility:** a PBI is a business-tree artifact, so apply the demo test to each acceptance criterion's BODY — *"what would a stakeholder SEE change?"*; no answer → FAIL as TECHNICAL-ONLY. Every `Given` = a state a user could arrange; every `When` = an action a user could take; every `Then` = an outcome a user could see. FAIL a `When` that is an invocation (a handler runs, a consumer receives, a job fires, data syncs) or a `Then` asserting schema/type/nullability/call-count, and NEVER derive a PBI's AC count from an architecture inventory. Judge the BODY, never the title or ID. **M1 governs vocabulary; M7 governs subject matter — a technical AC in impeccably tech-free prose satisfies M1 while violating M7**, and that gap is the most common way business specs rot. Carry each requirement's logical ID (`FR-`/`BR-`) from the spec's requirement/rule statements into the PBI as the PRIMARY citation spine, keeping the spec's `[Source: namespace/service/id]` abstract-anchor evidence as the SECONDARY carrier (KEEP it). Generated acceptance criteria stay tech-agnostic and observable — one valid interpretation, named failure modes, no implementation details.
- **[BLOCKING] Decomposition scope chain:** read `.claude/skills/shared/product-roadmap-contract.md`. For a large spec, carry the complete `large_idea_decomposition` block (`outcome_slices`, `dependencies_order`, `non_goals`, `risks_evidence`, `deferred_work_owner`) through every generated PBI, story, mock-up, and the all-PBI presentation. For an isolated spec, omit the block and roadmap fields. An explicitly supplied roadmap is read-only context; only an explicit roadmap-deliverable request invokes the standalone writer.
- **[BLOCKING] Releasable PBI contract:** read `.claude/skills/shared/releasable-pbi-contract.md`. Every generated PBI must name an actor-facing outcome, complete the entry-to-result journey, and carry evidence. UI PBIs must carry the complete page/view, navigation, component, state, and mock-app flow surface. A blocked gate cannot advance by assumption.

## When to Use

- User wants to create all PBIs from an existing Feature Spec (or a bucket of them).
- User wants to split a very large Feature Spec into small sprint-ready PBIs.
- User wants a dependency-aware and priority-ranked backlog from `docs/specs/`.
- User wants shared/foundation tasks identified before feature PBIs.

## When Not to Use

- Raw product vision without any Feature Spec -> use `$workflow-idea-to-spec` (then chain back here for the backlog).
- One informal idea -> use `$workflow-idea-to-pbi`.
- Spec creation/update only -> use `$workflow-code-to-spec` (from code) or `$workflow-idea-to-spec` (from an idea).
- Implementation after PBIs are ready -> use `$workflow-feature` or `$workflow-big-feature`.

## Protocol

### 1. Activate

Run `$start-workflow workflow-spec-to-pbi` with the user's prompt as context.

### 2. Load Spec Context

Locate and read, per target capability:

- `docs/specs/{Bucket}/INDEX.md` — the bucket catalog (which capabilities exist)
- `docs/specs/{Bucket}/README.{Feature}.md` — the canonical 8-section Feature Spec. Each PBI is decomposed from its sections:
    - §1 Overview / §3 User Stories & Acceptance Criteria → PBI scope + acceptance criteria
    - §4 Business Rules (`BR-`) + §3 (`US-`/`AC-`) → logical-ID citation spine (M3)
    - §5 Domain Model (Mermaid ERD) → entity/aggregate impact for `## Domain Impact`
    - §6 Process Flows → vertical-slice story boundaries
    - §7 Permissions & Roles → access-control acceptance criteria
    - §8 Test Specifications (`TC-`) → expected TC categories per PBI

- `large_idea_decomposition` from the Feature Spec and its source evidence when the spec is large. If an explicit roadmap path is supplied, read it as context and verify its approval; do not create or update one. Run `$scenario` conditionally when slice risks require it.

If the spec path is missing or ambiguous, ask the user for the exact bucket / Feature Spec path before generating PBIs.

### 3. Freshness Gate

Run `$spec-index` in audit mode before PBI generation.

- If stale behavior is found, run/update the impacted spec sections before generating PBIs.
- If only structural/doc formatting is stale, record the risk and continue.
- If critical domain/API/business-rule sections are stale, stop and ask whether to update specs first.

### 4. Coverage Matrix

Create a matrix with one row per independently deliverable item:

| Spec Source      | Capability     | Feature/Operation | Domain Impact             | Shared Dependency | PBI Type                                      | Status  |
| ---------------- | -------------- | ----------------- | ------------------------- | ----------------- | --------------------------------------------- | ------- |
| `{Feature §sec}` | `{capability}` | `{feature}`       | entity/state/event/API/UI | yes/no            | releasable feature / enabling task / existing reference / out-of-scope | planned |

Every source feature/operation must map to exactly one of:

- Generated releasable PBI
- Enabling task attached to a releasable PBI (not a standalone PBI)
- Existing releasable PBI reference
- Explicit out-of-scope decision with reason

### 5. Large Spec Decomposition

Apply these scale rules before creating PBIs:

| Scope                      | Required Breakdown                                                    |
| -------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1-3 capabilities           | Process inline with one task per capability and feature group         |
| 4-10 capabilities          | Split by capability, then feature/operation group                     |
| 10+ capabilities           | Incremental capability-group batches with coverage matrix checkpoints |
| Any PBI > 8 story points   | Split with SPIDR until each PBI is <= 8 story points                  |
| Cross-cutting prerequisite | Attach enabling work to the dependent releasable PBI, or define a separate actor-facing releasable outcome; never emit a technical-only PBI |

### 6. Domain Analysis Gate

Run `$domain-analysis` when any spec item includes:

- New or changed entities, aggregates, value objects, or ownership boundaries
- State machines or lifecycle transitions
- Cross-service event ownership or synchronization
- Data migration or seed/test-data needs

Record domain findings in each affected PBI under `## Domain Impact`.

### 7. PBI Generation Loop

For each matrix row that needs a new PBI:

1. Run `$refine` to create the PBI artifact and pass its Releasable Outcome Gate.
2. Run `$artifact-review --type=pbi` and fail any technical-only, incomplete-journey, or missing UI-surface PBI.
3. Run `$story` to create vertical-slice stories.
4. Run `$artifact-review --type=story`.
5. Run `$pbi-challenge`.
6. Run `$dor-gate`.
7. Run `$pbi-mockup` only when UI is involved. The generated mockup MUST be a navigable multi-view mock app covering the full outcome flow, required components/states, and all stories; it MUST also surface the PBI's priority/rank (header badge) so the prototype carries the same priority info as the backlog.
8. Run `$design-spec` only when UI is involved (after `$pbi-mockup`) — mirrors `workflow-idea-to-pbi` so the spec→pbi half is step-for-step IDENTICAL.

> **Spec-hub coupling (§6 interaction surface ↔ UI artifacts):** for UI PBIs the `$pbi-mockup` and `$design-spec` produced here are NOT standalone artifacts — they are the deep companions of the existing canonical Feature Spec's **§6 interaction surface** (View Inventory / Navigation Map / Key UI States / per-story click-path) you decomposed in step 2. Both couple to §6: the §6 thin intent seeds them, and `design-spec` records its path in the spec's `design_spec:` frontmatter (the mockup in `mockup:`) so the spec stays the navigable hub: a reader goes spec → §6 thin intent → mockup + `design-spec` deep companions, and the three never drift. Keep deep visual fidelity (layout, tokens, pixel detail) in the mockup/`design-spec`, never in §6. See the `SYNC:ui-intent-layer` block below for the full rule — do not restate it here. Backend-only PBIs (no UI) → skip `$pbi-mockup` + `$design-spec` and state that reason.

Each PBI MUST include:

- Logical requirement IDs (`FR-`/`BR-`) carried from the spec as the primary citation spine (M3).
- Source spec references with `file:section` evidence (secondary, re-anchorable carrier — KEEP).
- GIVEN/WHEN/THEN acceptance criteria — tech-agnostic and observable (M1/M4).
- Story points and complexity.
- Dependencies table with `must-before`, `can-parallel`, `blocked-by`, or `independent`.
- Priority input data for `$prioritize`.
- Test specification needs, including expected TC categories.
- Domain impact and enabling-task/dependency references; shared/foundation work is never emitted as a standalone technical-only PBI.
- Releasable Outcome Gate evidence: actor, observable outcome, entry-to-result journey, visible/persisted truth, applicable access/failure/recovery behavior, and explicit non-goals.
- For UI: page/view inventory, navigation map, common/domain/page component inventory, applicable states, and full-flow mock-app evidence; backend-only: explicit no-UI reason.

### 8. Cross-PBI Prioritization

After all PBI loops finish, run `$prioritize` once across the full generated set. `$prioritize` is NON-OPTIONAL whenever PBIs were generated — a backlog without priority is incomplete.

The backlog artifact MUST include:

- Rank and recommended implementation order.
- Dependency graph and first-do/blocked/defer groups.
- Required enabling work is attached to and ordered with the releasable PBIs it enables; never emit a standalone technical/foundation/setup/migration PBI.
- RICE or MoSCoW rationale.
- DoR status per PBI.
- Remaining open questions.

**PRIORITY PROPAGATION (MANDATORY):** `$prioritize` MUST write the resulting rank/priority back into EACH PBI's frontmatter (`priority:` + numeric rank), not only into the standalone backlog file. Every generated PBI carries its own priority so downstream consumers (`$pbi-mockup`, `$feature-presentation`) can surface it without re-deriving the ranking.

### 8.5 Near-Final Documentation Synchronization

Run `$docs-update` after `$prioritize` and before `$workflow-end`.

Purpose:

- Sync generated PBIs/stories/backlog outputs back into the canonical Feature Specs where applicable.
- Sync Feature Spec §8 Test Specifications with the generated TC needs.
- Verify Feature Specs, derived bucket `INDEX.md`, and TDD/spec docs do not drift after PBI generation.
- Record skipped sub-phases explicitly when no impacted docs exist.

### 8.6 Stakeholder Presentation

Run `$feature-presentation` after `$docs-update` and before `$workflow-end` — mirrors `workflow-idea-to-pbi` so the spec→pbi half is step-for-step IDENTICAL.

The standalone HTML deck MUST:

- Synthesize the generated PBIs, stories, mockups, and design-specs into one stakeholder presentation.
- Surface each PBI's **priority/rank** in the Scope & backlog slide (ranked order + priority label per PBI card), reusing the priority written back into PBI frontmatter by `$prioritize` and the ranked backlog artifact.

### 9. Completion Criteria

Workflow can close only when:

- Every spec source item is represented in the coverage matrix.
- Every generated PBI has dependency and priority fields.
- `$prioritize` has run and written rank/priority back into EACH PBI's frontmatter (priority propagation), not just the standalone backlog.
- Every generated PBI passes the Releasable Outcome Gate; enabling/foundation work is attached to a releasable outcome and ordered before the behavior it enables, never emitted as a technical-only PBI.
- Domain-analysis findings are attached where domain changes are implied.
- The final backlog artifact ranks all PBIs and explains what to do first.
- `$docs-update` has run as the near-final sync gate, with Feature Specs (§8) and derived bucket indexes either updated or explicitly marked unchanged.
- The generated PBIs carry the complete decomposition block and stable slice/dependency IDs when the spec is large; scenario proof is mapped to the appropriate PBI/TC or recorded in `deferred_work_owner`. No separate roadmap artifact is required.
- `$feature-presentation` has run, producing one standalone HTML deck whose Scope & backlog slide surfaces each PBI's priority/rank.

**IMPORTANT MANDATORY Steps:** $investigate -> $spec-index -> $domain-analysis -> $why-review -> $spec-clarify -> $scenario -> $plan -> $plan-review -> $plan-validate -> $why-review -> $refine -> $why-review -> $artifact-review --type=pbi -> $story -> $why-review -> $artifact-review --type=story -> $pbi-challenge -> $dor-gate -> $pbi-mockup -> $design-spec -> $prioritize -> $docs-update -> $feature-presentation -> $workflow-end -> $watzup

> **[BLOCKING]** Each selected step MUST invoke its skill invocation. `$scenario` is conditional: run it only when the selected decomposition/slice risks need adversarial replay, state, ownership, recovery, or evidence analysis; otherwise mark the step skipped with evidence and an explicit reason. Marking a selected workflow step completed without skill invocation is a workflow violation.

<!-- SYNC:nested-task-creation -->

> **Nested Task Expansion Contract** — For workflow-step invocation, the `[Workflow] ...` row is only a parent container; the child skill still creates visible phase tasks.
>
> 1. Call the current task list first. If a matching active parent workflow row exists, set `nested=true` and record `parentTaskId`; otherwise run standalone.
> 2. Create one task per declared phase before phase work. When nested, prefix subjects `[N.M] /skill-name — phase`.
> 3. When nested, link the parent with `TaskUpdate(parentTaskId, addBlockedBy: [childIds])`.
> 4. Orchestrators must pre-expand a child skill's phase list and link the workflow row before invoking that child skill or sub-agent.
> 5. Mark exactly one child `in_progress` before work and `completed` immediately after evidence is written.
> 6. Complete the parent only after all child tasks are completed or explicitly cancelled with reason.
>
> **Blocked until:** the current task list done, child phases created, parent linked when nested, first child marked `in_progress`.

<!-- /SYNC:nested-task-creation -->

<!-- SYNC:critical-thinking-mindset -->

> **Critical Thinking Mindset** — Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act.
> **Anti-hallucination:** Never present guess as fact — cite sources for every claim, admit uncertainty freely, self-check output for errors, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence — certainty without evidence root of all hallucination.

<!-- /SYNC:critical-thinking-mindset -->

<!-- SYNC:ai-mistake-prevention -->

> **AI Mistake Prevention** — Failure modes to avoid on every task:
>
> **Re-read files after context changes.** Context compaction, resume, or long-running work can make memory stale; verify current files before acting.
> **Verify generated content against source evidence.** AI hallucinates APIs, names, claims, and document facts. Check the relevant source before documenting or referencing.
> **Check downstream references before deleting or renaming.** Removing an artifact can stale docs, generated mirrors, configs, and callers; map references first.
> **Trace the full impact chain after edits.** Changing a definition can miss derived outputs and consumers. Follow the affected chain before declaring done.
> **Verify ALL affected outputs, not just the first.** One green check is not all green checks; validate every output surface the change can affect.
> **Assume existing values are intentional — ask WHY before changing OR flagging one as a defect.** Before changing or reporting a constant, limit, flag, cutoff, wording, or pattern, read nearby context and history, the CALLER's ordering, and 2+ sibling call sites of the same convention. A doc stating WHAT without WHY is missing rationale, not proof of a missing guard.
> **Surface ambiguity before acting — don't pick silently.** Multiple valid interpretations require an explicit question or stated assumption with risk.
> **Assert the outcome your system owns, not the intermediate state your infrastructure owns.** When verifying async work, assert the final business state — never the delivery/retry bookkeeping held in shared infrastructure that any co-running process can write. Such a check passes when run alone and flakes the moment anything else shares that infrastructure.
> **Keep shared guidance role-relevant.** Universal guidance must help every receiving skill or agent; code-specific obligations belong only in code-specific protocols.

<!-- /SYNC:ai-mistake-prevention -->

<!-- SYNC:incremental-persistence -->

> **Incremental Result Persistence** — MANDATORY for all sub-agents or heavy inline steps processing >3 files.
>
> 1. **Before starting:** Create report file `plans/reports/{skill}-{date}-{slug}.md` and record Run ID, Task ID, Attempt ID, target scope, and target fingerprint.
> 2. **After each file/section reviewed:** Append findings, evidence, changed paths, and gaps immediately — never hold them in memory.
> 3. **Delegated return:** A sub-agent emits only the structured `SYNC:subagent-return-contract` envelope with exact totals, salient Critical/High findings (maximum ten), current attempt, and `Full report:` path. **Inline user-facing output:** Preserve the skill's requested explanation or teaching, with links to the persisted evidence; the delegated transport limit does not replace that deliverable. Do not paste a full review report into an envelope.
> 4. **Parent synthesis:** The main agent reads the full report for synthesis, acceptance, deduplication, and repair planning — not only when a named blocker exists. It preserves all severities beyond the transport cap.
> 5. **Read-only boundary:** A read-only leaf may write its report/repair proposal but MUST NOT edit source, generated output, or user data; the parent/owner performs repairs after acceptance.
> 6. **Advancement gate:** The parent records `ACCEPTED` for the current Attempt ID only after reconciling target, totals, gaps, and changed paths; stale or late attempts cannot advance dependent work.
>
> **Why:** Context cutoff mid-execution loses ALL in-memory findings. Each disk write survives compaction. Partial results are better than no results, while explicit identity prevents a late result from being mistaken for the current run.
>
> **Report naming:** `plans/reports/{skill-name}-{YYMMDD}-{HHmm}-{slug}.md`

<!-- /SYNC:incremental-persistence -->

<!-- SYNC:subagent-return-contract -->

> **Sub-Agent Return Contract** — When this skill spawns a sub-agent, the sub-agent MUST return ONLY the structured envelope below. Main agent reads the envelope first, then opens the referenced report for synthesis, acceptance, deduplication, or repair planning; a full report is never pasted inline.
>
> ```markdown
> ## Sub-Agent Result: [skill-name]
>
> Status: ✅ PASS | ⚠️ PARTIAL | ❌ FAIL
> Confidence: [0-100]%
> Run ID: [stable run identifier]
> Task ID: [parent task or phase identifier]
> Attempt ID: [monotonic attempt/revision identifier]
> Target: [exact files/paths or scope] @ [target fingerprint/commit]
> Changed paths: [none | exact paths]
> Finding totals: Critical=[n] | High=[n] | Medium=[n] | Low=[n]
> Acceptance: PENDING | ACCEPTED | REJECTED — parent records the decision
>
> ### Findings (Critical/High surfaced — max 10 bullets)
>
> - [severity] [file:line] [finding]
>
> ### Gaps / Unverified
>
> - [missing host, runtime, coverage, or evidence limitation]
>
> ### Actions Taken
>
> - [file changed] [what changed]
>
> ### Blockers (if any)
>
> - [blocker description, or `none`]
>
> Full report: plans/reports/[skill-name]-[date]-[slug].md
> ```
>
> The ten-bullet limit is a transport limit, not a visibility limit: the full report may contain more than ten Medium/Low findings when no named blocker exists, and the parent MUST read it when synthesizing or deduplicating. The parent MUST reject a stale, duplicate, or superseded `Attempt ID` and MUST accept the current attempt before advancing a dependent step. Read-only leaves write repair proposals/reports only; they do not edit source, generated carriers, or user files.
>
> **Context budget** — the return payload is a SUMMARY, not a transcript: no raw file contents / full diffs / verbatim logs inline, no re-pasted source. Everything beyond the envelope lives in the incrementally-written report. A sub-agent that would exceed the summary shape MUST persist the detail and return only the pointer; bounded transport must never become bounded visibility.

<!-- /SYNC:subagent-return-contract -->

<!-- SYNC:ui-intent-layer -->

> **[BLOCKING] Capture a tech-agnostic UI/UX intent layer in every UI-bearing spec — a reader must be able to visualize how the feature works without naming any technology.** When the feature has a user interface, the spec MUST ATTENTION carry an interaction-surface section so the application — not just its API — can be rebuilt on any stack:
>
> 1. **View Inventory** — list each view/screen by its UX ROLE and purpose (e.g. "list of items", "item editor", "confirmation step") and what information it presents. Describe by role, never by an implementation name.
> 2. **Navigation Map** — how a user moves between views: entry points, transitions, and exits. Trace how this surface connects to neighboring features already in the system.
> 3. **Key observable UI States** — the distinct states a user can observe per view (empty, loading, populated, error, success, permission-denied, etc.) — described as what the user perceives, not how it is rendered.
> 4. **Per-story interaction flow** — for each user story, the step-by-step click/action path from intent to outcome, cross-referenced to the logical IDs the spec already owns (`US-`/`OP-`/`BR-`).
> 5. **Couple to the companion design artifact** — keep deep visual fidelity (layout, tokens, pixel detail) OUT of the spec; it lives in the linked `design-spec`/mockup. Record that companion's path in the spec frontmatter so the spec stays the navigable hub.
>
> **M1-clean (NON-NEGOTIABLE):** the prose names ZERO frameworks, routes/URLs, CSS, or component-class names — only roles, information, states, and flows. Technology detail belongs in the companion design artifact, never here.
>
> **Skip ONLY** when the feature is backend-only (no UI) — state that reason explicitly in the section.

<!-- /SYNC:ui-intent-layer -->

<!-- SYNC:nested-task-creation:reminder -->

- **MANDATORY** Parent workflow rows do not replace child phase tracking; expand phases and link the parent when nested.
- **MANDATORY** Orchestrators pre-expand child skill phases before invocation; use `[N.M] /skill-name — phase` prefixes and one-`in_progress` discipline.

<!-- /SYNC:nested-task-creation:reminder -->

<!-- SYNC:ui-intent-layer:reminder -->

- **MANDATORY** For UI-bearing specs, author/maintain the tech-agnostic interaction-surface layer (View Inventory + Navigation Map + observable UI States + per-story `US-/OP-/BR-`-traced flow); keep deep visual fidelity in the linked `design-spec`/mockup recorded in frontmatter; name ZERO frameworks/routes/CSS/component classes; skip ONLY for backend-only features with a stated reason.

<!-- /SYNC:ui-intent-layer:reminder -->

<!-- SYNC:project-protocol-overlay -->

> **Project Protocol Overlay** — Before executing this skill, resolve any PROJECT overlay rules layered onto it: match this skill's name against the `Target` column of the project's skill-protocol index (`docs/project-reference/skill-protocols-reference.md` by default; a `referenceDocs` entry in `docs/project-config.json` overrides the path), taking the most specific matching tier ONLY — exact name > glob > `*`. **That precedence orders overlays against EACH OTHER, never against this skill.** Read ONLY the matched bodies, resolved as `<protocols-dir>/<Name>.md`; a row's Body link is display text, never a read path. A matched body that is missing or malformed is REPORTED and skipped — never reconstructed from the index Description. No index, or no match -> proceed with no overlay, silently. Full contract: `.claude/skills/project-skill-protocol/references/registry.md`.
>
> Overlays are **ADDITIVE ONLY**: they ADD rules on top of this skill's own protocol and NEVER replace, override, disable, or reinterpret a rule it already states — removing every overlay must return this skill to exactly its documented behavior. An overlay is a BRIEF, not an authority escalation: it can NEVER waive a workflow gate, git discipline, a review gate, or a user-confirmation gate. A genuine overlay-vs-skill conflict, or two equally-specific overlays that directly contradict -> surface both to the user; NEVER resolve silently.

<!-- /SYNC:project-protocol-overlay -->

<!-- SYNC:project-protocol-overlay:reminder -->

**MUST ATTENTION** resolve project protocol overlays for this skill BEFORE executing — most specific matching tier only (exact > glob > `*`, which ranks overlays against each other, NEVER against this skill), read only matched bodies at `<protocols-dir>/<Name>.md`; a missing or malformed body is reported, never reconstructed. Overlays are ADDITIVE ONLY (they never replace this skill's own rules) and are a brief, NEVER an authority escalation; an equal-specificity contradiction goes to the user.

<!-- /SYNC:project-protocol-overlay:reminder -->

## Closing Reminders

**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION Goal:** Convert canonical tech-free 8-section Feature Specs into a complete, prioritized, dependency-aware, sprint-ready PBI/story backlog with actor-facing outcomes, full UI flows, and evidence-backed review/sync gates.
**IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION Main steps:** `$investigate` → `$spec-index` (audit freshness) → `$domain-analysis` → `$why-review` → `$spec-clarify` → conditional `$scenario` → `$plan` → `$plan-review` → `$plan-validate` → `$why-review` → `$refine` → `$why-review` → `$artifact-review --type=pbi` → `$story` → `$why-review` → `$artifact-review --type=story` → `$pbi-challenge` → `$dor-gate` → conditional `$pbi-mockup` → conditional `$design-spec` → `$prioritize` → `$docs-update` → `$feature-presentation` → `$workflow-end` → `$watzup`. **NEVER** skip coverage, releasable-outcome, priority-propagation, or synchronization gates.

**Protocols in force (concise digest of the SYNC/shared blocks this skill carries):**

- **Nested Task Creation:** Expand child phases under workflow rows; link parent when nested.
- **Critical Thinking:** Apply critical/sequential thinking; trace every claim, confidence >80%.
- **AI Mistake Prevention:** verify generated content against evidence, trace downstream references, verify all affected outputs, re-read after context loss, surface ambiguity.
- **Incremental Persistence:** Append findings to report file per file; never hold in memory.
- **Subagent Return Contract:** Sub-agents return summary plus report path only, no transcripts.

- **MUST** use the canonical Feature Specs as input; do not invent unrelated opportunities.
- **MUST** decompose big Feature Specs into small PBIs before story generation.
- **MUST** include dependency, priority, domain impact, and shared-task details.
- **MUST** apply `.claude/skills/shared/releasable-pbi-contract.md`: no standalone technical/foundation/migration/setup PBI; enabling work belongs under a releasable outcome.
- **MUST**, for UI PBIs, carry the complete page/view inventory, navigation map, common/domain/page components, applicable states, and a navigable full-flow mock-app outcome; one isolated screen is a FAIL.
- **MUST** write artifacts incrementally after each capability/feature.
- **MUST** run `$prioritize` once at the end across all generated PBIs, and write the resulting rank/priority back into EACH PBI's frontmatter (priority propagation) — not only the standalone backlog.
- **MUST**, for UI PBIs, run `$pbi-mockup` then `$design-spec` (both UI-conditional) — mirrors `workflow-idea-to-pbi` so the spec→pbi half is step-for-step IDENTICAL.
- **MUST** surface each PBI's priority/rank in the `$pbi-mockup` generated files (header badge) and in the `$feature-presentation` deck (Scope & backlog slide).
- **MUST** run `$docs-update` after `$prioritize` and before `$workflow-end` to keep specs, feature docs, and TDD/spec docs synchronized.
- **MUST** run `$feature-presentation` after `$docs-update` and before `$workflow-end` to synthesize a single standalone stakeholder deck.

<!-- CODEX:SYNC-PROMPT-PROTOCOLS:START -->
## Static Prompt Protocol Mirror (Auto-Synced)

Source: `.claude/.ck.json` + `.claude/skills/shared/sync-inline-versions.md` (`:full` blocks) + `.claude/scripts/lib/hookless-prompt-protocol.cjs` (legacy filename; static protocol composer)

## [WORKFLOW-EXECUTION-PROTOCOL] [BLOCKING] Workflow Execution Protocol — MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST CRITICAL. Do not skip for any reason.

**Generic portability boundary:** Reusable skills and protocol text stay project-neutral; project-specific conventions are discovered from docs/project-config.json and docs/project-reference/. Apply shared AI-SDD from `shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md`. Read `docs/project-config.json` and `docs/project-reference/docs-index-reference.md`, then open the project reference docs named there immediately before the first target read, grep, edit, test, or analysis. For spec, test-case, behavior-change, public-contract, or `docs/specs/` work, route through the local spec docs named by the docs index: `feature-spec-reference.md`, `spec-system-reference.md`, `spec-principles.md`, and `workflow-spec-test-code-cycle-reference.md` when specs/tests/code must stay synchronized. If either file or a required reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run `$project-init` (or the narrow lower-level route such as `$project-config`, `$docs-init`, `$scan-all`, or `$scan --target=<key>`) before ordinary project-specific work. After compaction, resume, delegation, or a material context change, re-read the required docs and state `Reference docs read: ... | Not applicable: ...`; a hook reminder or prior conversation is not proof that the files are loaded. Any supported AI tool may execute when this shared context and local docs are available.

1. **DETECT:** If the prompt starts with an explicit slash skill/workflow command, execute it directly. Otherwise match the prompt against the workflow catalog and skill list.
2. **ANALYZE:** Choose the best option: execute directly, invoke a skill, activate a standard workflow, or compose a custom step combination.
3. **AUTO-SELECT:** Pick the best option yourself. Do not ask the user to choose between direct execution, skill, standard workflow, or custom workflow.
4. **ACTIVATE:** For a selected workflow, call `$start-workflow <workflowId>`; for a selected skill, invoke that skill; for a custom workflow, sequence custom steps directly; for direct execution, proceed with the task.
5. **CREATE TASKS:** task tracking for ALL workflow/skill/custom steps before execution when the selected path has multiple steps.
6. **PARALLELIZE:** Before executing the task list, tag each task `PAR` (independent inputs + write set disjoint from every other `PAR` task) or `SEQ` (name the blocking dependency), group `PAR` tasks into waves, declare the wave plan, and spawn each wave's sub-agents in ONE message — all-return barrier per wave, fan-out one level deep unless a sub-agent's own definition authorizes further fan-out. Sequential-by-default is a defect when tasks are independent; do not parallelize shared write targets, output-consuming tasks, trivial single-file work, ordering a skill or workflow explicitly fixes, or user-approval gates.
7. **EXECUTE:** Advance per the **Workflow Step Advancement & Parallel Phases** rule in your context instructions — model-driven; a sub-agent completion advances a step identically to an inline call; a parallel-phase group is an all-return barrier (advance only after ALL members return, never serialize it)
## Shared AI-SDD Protocol Markers

Source: `.claude/skills/shared/sync-inline-versions.md`

## SYNC:ai-sdd-artifact-contract

> **AI-SDD Artifact Contract** — Shared spec-driven development rules stay portable and source-owned.
>
> 1. Keep reusable AI-SDD principles in `.claude`; put repository-specific paths, commands, owners, products, and formats in project config/reference docs.
> 2. Preserve cycle: `spec -> plan -> tasks -> implement -> verify -> update spec/docs`.
> 3. Trace every requirement or invariant through decision, task, TC/test, source evidence, and docs/spec update.
> 4. Treat code-to-spec extraction as reference-only until accepted by the canonical spec owner.
> 5. Any supported AI tool may plan, implement, review, or verify with synced context; using multiple tools is optional.
> 6. Update `.claude` source first, then sync generated mirrors; do not manually edit `.agents`, `.codex`, or `AGENTS.md`. — why: mirrors are generated artifacts; hand-edits are overwritten on the next sync
> 7. If `docs/project-config.json`, root instruction files, or a required project-reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run `$project-init` or the narrow lower-level route before ordinary project-specific work.
>
> **Active reference:** `shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md` in the active skills root.

---

## SYNC:ai-sdd-artifact-contract:reminder

- **MANDATORY** Apply `shared/sdd-artifact-contract.md`; keep reusable AI-SDD in `.claude` and local rules in project docs.
- **MANDATORY** Code-to-spec extraction is reference-only until canonical acceptance; any supported AI tool may execute with synced context.
- **MANDATORY** Update `.claude` source before syncing generated mirrors; do not manually edit `.agents`, `.codex`, or `AGENTS.md`.
- **MANDATORY** Missing or stale project config, root instruction files, or required reference docs route project-specific work through `$project-init` or the narrow setup route automatically.
**[TASK-PLANNING] [MANDATORY]** BEFORE executing any workflow or skill step, create/update task tracking for all planned steps, then keep it synchronized as each step starts/completes.
## [LESSON-LEARNED-REMINDER] [BLOCKING] Task Planning & Continuous Improvement — MANDATORY. Do not skip.

Break work into small tasks (task tracking) before starting. Add final task: "Analyze AI mistakes & lessons learned".

**Extract lessons — ROOT CAUSE ONLY, not symptom fixes:**
1. Name the FAILURE MODE (reasoning/assumption failure), not symptom — "assumed API existed without reading source" not "used wrong enum value".
2. Generality test: does this failure mode apply to ≥3 contexts/codebases? If not, abstract one level up.
3. Write as a universal rule — strip project-specific names/paths/classes. Useful on any codebase.
4. Consolidate: multiple mistakes sharing one failure mode → ONE lesson.
5. **Recurrence gate:** "Would this recur in future session WITHOUT this reminder?" — No → skip `$learn`.
6. **Auto-fix gate:** "Could `$code-review`/`$code-simplifier`/`$security-review`/`$lint` catch this?" — Yes → improve review skill instead.
7. BOTH gates pass → ask user to run `$learn`.
**[CRITICAL-THINKING-MINDSET]** Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act.
**Anti-hallucination principle:** Never present guess as fact — cite sources for every claim, admit uncertainty freely, self-check output for errors, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence — certainty without evidence root of all hallucination.
**AI Attention principle (Primacy-Recency):** Put the 3 most critical rules at both top and bottom of long prompts/protocols so instruction adherence survives long context windows.
**Goal-driven execution:** Define success criteria first, loop until verified, and stop only when observable checks pass.
**Tests verify intent:** Tests must protect business rules/invariants and fail when the protected intent breaks, not only mirror current behavior.
## Common AI Mistake Prevention (System Lessons)

- **Re-read files after context compaction.** Edit requires prior Read in same context; compaction wipes read state. Re-read before editing.
- **Grep for old terms after bulk replacements.** AI over-trusts find/replace completeness. Grep full repo after bulk edits for missed refs in docs/configs/catalogs.
- **Check downstream references before deleting.** Deletions cascade doc/code staleness. Map referencing files before removal.
- **After memory loss, check existing state before creating new.** Compaction wipes prior-work memory. Query current state to resume — never blindly duplicate.
- **Verify AI-generated content against actual code.** AI hallucinates APIs, class names, method signatures. Grep to confirm existence before documenting/referencing.
- **Trace full dependency chain after edits.** Changing a definition misses downstream consumers. Trace the full chain.
- **When renaming, grep ALL consumer file types.** Some file types silently ignore missing refs (no compile error). Search code, templates, configs, generated files.
- **Trace ALL code paths when verifying correctness.** Code existing ≠ code executing. Trace early exits, error branches, conditional skips — not just happy path.
- **Update docs that embed canonical data when source changes.** Docs inlining derived data (workflows, schemas, configs) go stale silently. Update all embedding docs alongside source.
- **Verify sub-agent results after context recovery.** Background agents may finish while parent compacted — grep-verify output, don't trust assumed completion.
- **Cross-check full target list against sub-agent assignments.** Parallel sub-agents by category miss boundary items. Reconcile union of assignments against target list before proceeding.
- **Sub-agents inherit knowledge only from their agent .md definition — use custom agent types, not built-in Explore.** Tool adoption = permission + knowledge + enforcement (numbered workflow step).
- **Persist sub-agent findings incrementally, not as a final batch.** Long sub-agents hit cutoffs before final write — findings lost. Instruct append-per-section to report file.
- **When debugging, ask "whose responsibility?" before fixing.** Trace caller (wrong data) vs callee (wrong handling). Fix at responsible layer — never patch symptom site.
- **Test failure → record a provisional verdict before trace/edit, then investigate.** Use the full five-way taxonomy: SOURCE-WRONG (production violates intent), TEST-WRONG (assertion/setup is stale), TEST-NOT-OPTIMAL (valid but fragile or low-signal test), ENVIRONMENT-BLOCKED (external state prevents a verdict), or AMBIGUOUS (intent/evidence cannot choose safely). Then trace root cause and triangulate against the governing spec (`docs/specs/**` if one exists) AND source. NEVER weaken an assertion, add a skip, relax a timeout, or change source merely to force green.
- **Grep ALL removed names after extraction/refactoring.** Primary file "done" ≠ secondary files clean. Grep entire scope for every removed symbol before declaring complete.
- **Assume existing values are intentional — ask WHY before changing OR flagging one as a defect.** Pattern-matching as "wrong" skips context. Before changing or reporting any constant/limit/flag/cutoff: read comments, git blame, the CALLER's ordering (the guarantee that makes the value correct usually lives in code running immediately BEFORE the cited line), and 2+ sibling call sites of the same convention. A doc stating WHAT without WHY is missing rationale, not proof of a missing guard — and in a validation pass, an accurate `file:line` citation proves the transcription, never the defect.
- **Verify ALL affected outputs, not just the first.** One build green ≠ all green. Multi-stack changes (backend/frontend/tests/docs) require verifying EVERY output.
- **Evaluate fit before copying a nearby pattern.** Closest example ≠ matching preconditions — verify the new context shares the same constraints, base classes, scope, lifetime.
- **Holistic-first debugging — resist nearest-attention trap.** Don't dive into first plausible cause. List EVERY precondition (config, env vars, paths, DB, endpoints, creds, versions, DI, data). Verify each against evidence (grep/query — not reasoning). Ask "what would falsify this?" — if nothing, it's not a hypothesis. Most expensive failure: going deeper in "obvious" layer while bug sits in layer never questioned.
- **Surgical changes — apply the diff test (context-aware).** Two modes: (1) Bug fix → every line traces to the bug; no restyling; orphan cleanup only for imports YOUR changes made unused. (2) Review/enhancement → implement improvements AND announce as "Enhancement beyond main request: [what]". Never silently scope-creep. Diff test: "Would this line exist if I wasn't asked to do X?" — if no, delete or announce.
- **Surface ambiguity before coding — don't pick silently.** Multiple valid interpretations → present each with effort: "[Request] could mean (1) [N h], (2) [N h]. Which matters?" List scope/format/volume/constraints assumptions first. If simpler path exists, say so. Never silently pick.
- **[MANDATORY FIRST ACTION] ALWAYS activate a suitable skill or workflow BEFORE responding.** Match task against workflow catalog + skill list; invoke via skill invocation or `$start-workflow <workflowId>`. NEVER answer or write code before checking. Skip = protocol violation.
- **Why-Review adversarial mindset — apply when reviewing any plan, decision, or design.** Default SKEPTIC not VALIDATOR: steel-man a rejected alternative, invert each stated reason ("what does it sacrifice?"), stress-test top 2-3 assumptions, run pre-mortem ("ships, fails in 3 months — what breaks?"), surface 1-2 alternatives author missed. Section presence ≠ quality; quality = causal reasoning + concrete mitigations + evidence, not "it's better" or "monitor closely".
- **Front-load report-write in sub-agent prompts for large reviews.** Many-file sub-agents hit budget before final write — findings lost. Design prompts so: (1) report-write is first explicit deliverable, (2) append per-file/section (not batched), (3) scope bounded so reads don't exhaust budget. Truncated mid-sentence with no report file → spawn narrower scope, don't retry same prompt.
- **After context compaction, re-verify all prior phase outcomes before continuing.** Summaries describe intent, not environment state (git index, filesystem, processes). On resume, FIRST audit: git status, re-read modified files, verify filesystem. Every "completed" claim is an untested hypothesis until evidence confirms.
- **OOM/memory: check row count before row size.** Triage: (1) Unbounded query — no DB filter for trigger? Push filter to DB; eliminates OOM. (2) Large rows? Projection reduces proportionally. Row reduction > projection in ROI.
- **Assert the outcome your system OWNS, never the intermediate state your INFRASTRUCTURE owns.** When testing anything asynchronous (queue/broker delivery, retries, background jobs, caches, replication), assert the final business/entity state. NEVER assert the delivery bookkeeping — consume/send status, attempt counts, last-error, row existence or counts in a broker, scheduler, or outbox/inbox table. That bookkeeping lives in shared infrastructure that ANY co-running process (a peer worker, a second replica, a leftover local container) can write, usually under a deterministic shared key, so the assertion silently tests the developer's environment instead of the system: green when run alone, flaky the instant anything else shares that broker + database. Gate question for every assertion: "would this hold no matter WHICH process did the work?" — if no, assert the converged data state instead. Corollary: process-local fault injection and in-process telemetry cannot gate work any process may perform — use them as stress amplifiers (arm → bounded window → disarm → assert convergence), never as preconditions.
- **Keep domain concepts out of generic/shared/infrastructure layers.** Reusable layer (shared library, framework, infra module) must reference NO consumer-specific domain concept — tenant/customer/product IDs, business entities, feature rules. Leak compiles + runs → passes review silently while coupling the "reusable" layer to one consumer. Keep shared type domain-free; push domain fields/logic down into the consumer via subclass/composition. — why: a layer coupled to one consumer's domain is no longer reusable.

<!-- CODEX:SYNC-PROMPT-PROTOCOLS:END -->