Create A Big Plan

Use this skill when the user wants a large, high-risk, or open-ended plan before a repository change.

Setup

1. Read ../_shared/references/prime-planning-workflow.md, ../_shared/references/state-and-config.md, and ../_shared/references/plan-artifact-template.md.
2. Initialize state with python3 scripts/optim_plans.py init --repo <target-repo> --topic <topic> --plan-level create-a-big-plan --request-text <original-request>.
3. Use .git/optim-plans for controller state and docs/optim-plans/YYYY-MM-DD-topic/ for public artifacts.

Depth Contract

• Inspect the target Git repo read-only before the first product question.
• Ask at least 10 planning questions, one at a time. There is no maximum; stop only when the decision tree is resolved.
• Use web research during both brainstorming and refinement when outside facts, patterns, or ecosystem constraints matter.
• Use the standard choice prompt format: recommended first, Other second-last, Auto-complete last.
• Ask the mandatory final scope confirmation before writing PLAN_v1.md.
• Write PLAN_v1.md under docs/optim-plans/YYYY-MM-DD-topic/.
• Run reviewer or criticizer refinement until convergence while high-priority findings, unresolved criticizer questions, or evidence gaps remain.
• In each refinement round, surface at most five high-priority comments or questions.
• After convergence or user acceptance, ask the native execution handoff question without Auto-complete.

Fit

Choose this level for new systems, large feature surfaces, cross-repository work, open-ended architecture, safety-sensitive changes, unclear workflows, or plans where the shape is not yet known.

Use reference-before-plan instead when downloaded external projects, papers, articles, or documentation must be studied before planning choices are safe.