groom-backlog

Refines GitHub issues until dispatchable and promotes them to Ready status.

Updated Mar 26, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/Sassy-Dog/sassydog-skills --skill groom-backlog-sassy-dog
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: groom-backlog
Source: https://github.com/Sassy-Dog/sassydog-skills/tree/main/skills/groom-backlog
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/Sassy-Dog/sassydog-skills --skill groom-backlog-sassy-dog

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Open backlogs accumulate vague, under-scoped issues that no agent or developer can pick up cold. This Skill refines each open issue against a nine-point dispatchability rubric, splits epics into child issues, reconciles board drift, and promotes only genuinely dispatchable work to Ready. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Dispatchability rubric: Validates every candidate issue for problem statement, scope touchpoints, acceptance criteria, recorded dependencies, and a machine-readable touches: line before promotion. - Board reconciliation: Detects drift between GitHub Projects columns and actual issue state (closed issues in Backlog, reopened issues stranded in Done, stale claims) and fixes it on confirmation. - Epic splitting and site labels: Splits multi-workstream issues into child issues with a parent tracking table, and applies site:<name> labels for work executable only on specific machines. - Use Case: Run it before a dispatch loop so that every issue labeled ready can be handed to a cold worktree sub-agent with zero conversation context. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to groom the backlog and promote every dispatchable issue to Ready.

Frequently Asked Questions about groom-backlog

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I groom a GitHub backlog so issues are ready to dispatch?

Run the groom-backlog skill, which reads each open issue in full, refines bodies against a nine-point dispatchability rubric, records dependencies and touch-sets, then promotes qualifying issues to Ready via label or board column.

What makes a GitHub issue dispatchable to an autonomous agent?

An issue is dispatchable when it states the problem and outcome, names real code touchpoints, has acceptance criteria, contains no open decisions, records `Depends on #N` lines, and carries a `touches:` line listing the paths its PR will edit.

Does groom-backlog work without a GitHub Projects board?

Yes. Without a `board:` config block it runs boardless, treating all open issues as the backlog and using the `ready` label as the Ready signal. Board-specific reconciliation is skipped entirely in that mode.

Can groom-backlog close or delete issues?

No. It only edits issue bodies, promotes or demotes Ready status, creates epic-split sub-issues, and applies `site:` labels. Suspected-complete tracking parents are reported for a human to close, never closed by the skill.

Why does groom-backlog refuse to promote an issue that looks complete?

Promotion is blocked by unresolved decision markers, failed code-reference verification against the live tree, unrecorded dependencies, or operational work that produces no PR. Each blocked issue is parked with a named reason in the final report.