Process Task List

Task List Management

Guidelines for managing task lists in Markdown files to track progress on completing a PRD.

Required Companion Skill

Use /interrogate-me when selecting, sequencing, or committing tasks from a PRD task list. Let it stress-test the next task, assumptions, dependencies, risks, and acceptance criteria one question at a time before implementation begins. Capture resulting decisions, risks, or unresolved issues in the task list and "Relevant Files" section as appropriate.

Guardrails

• State the next sub-task, assumptions, and verification command before coding.
• Implement the smallest change that satisfies the active sub-task. Do not add speculative tasks or abstractions.
• Touch only files required by the active sub-task. Mention unrelated cleanup instead of doing it.
• Remove only temporary files and unused code introduced by your own changes.

Task Implementation

• One sub-task at a time: Do not start the next sub-task until you ask the user for permission and they say "yes" or "y".
• Completion protocol:

1. When you finish a sub-task, immediately mark it as completed by changing [ ] to [x].
2. If all subtasks underneath a parent task are now [x], follow this sequence:

• Run the relevant test suite (pytest, npm test, bin/rails test, etc.).
• Only if tests pass, stage changes with git add.
• Remove temporary files and temporary code introduced by the task.
• Commit with a descriptive conventional commit message.

1. Once all subtasks are completed and committed, mark the parent task as completed.

• Stop after each sub-task and wait for the user's go-ahead.

Task List Maintenance

1. Update the task list after significant work.
2. Mark finished sub-tasks [x].
3. Mark the parent task [x] once all its subtasks are [x].
4. Add newly discovered tasks only when they are required by the current PRD scope. Otherwise, mention them or add them to a backlog only with user approval.
5. Keep "Relevant Files" accurate and include a one-line purpose for each file.
6. Before starting work, check which sub-task is next.
7. After implementing a sub-task, update the file and pause for user approval.

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> Install: `npx skills add ChristopherAlphonse/calphonse-skills --skill process-task-list`

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: ChristopherAlphonse
• Source: ChristopherAlphonse/calphonse-skills
• License: MIT
• Homepage: https://www.skills.sh/christopheralphonse/calphonse-skills

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.