planning

Decomposes complex projects under uncertainty using spikes, tasks, and dependency rules.

3|4|Updated Mar 11, 2026

Search Tags:#planning #task management #dependencies #decomposition #spikes #knowledge flow

Ready to run

npx skills add https://github.com/nicsuzor/academicOps --skill planning-nicsuzor

💬 Prompt for ChatGPT / Claude Chat▼

Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: planning
Source: https://github.com/nicsuzor/academicOps/tree/main/aops-core/skills/planning
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/nicsuzor/academicOps --skill planning-nicsuzor

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

This Skill provides patterns and guidance for breaking down complex goals when the path forward is unknown, helping to manage uncertainty and discover hidden requirements.

Core Features & Use Cases

Spike vs Placeholder Guidance: Helps decide when to investigate unknowns versus capturing intent for future definition.
Dependency Management: Offers heuristics for choosing between hard and soft dependencies to sequence work effectively.
Knowledge Flow: Establishes patterns for propagating findings from one task to related tasks, ensuring context is shared.
Use Case: When starting a multi-month project with unclear dependencies, use this Skill to structure the initial decomposition, identify potential spikes, and define how learnings will be shared across the team.

Quick Start

Use the planning skill to understand how to structure tasks when the implementation approach is unclear.

Frequently Asked Questions about planning

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

FAQPage Schema

How do I decompose tasks for a project with unclear dependencies?▼

Task decomposition under uncertainty involves creating a hierarchy that distinguishes between spike tasks for investigating unknowns and placeholder tasks for capturing future intent.

What is the difference between a spike task and a placeholder task?▼

A spike task is used to investigate unknowns and gather information, while a placeholder task captures intent for future definition when the implementation path is not yet clear.

How do I manage hard and soft dependencies when planning complex work?▼

Dependency management relies on heuristics to choose between hard dependencies that strictly sequence work and soft dependencies that allow flexible execution based on knowledge flow.

How do you handle knowledge flow across related tasks in a multi-month project?▼

Knowledge flow is handled by establishing patterns that propagate findings from one task to related tasks, ensuring context is shared and hidden requirements are discovered across the team.

When should I use a task decomposition approach designed for genuine uncertainty?▼

Use this task decomposition approach when starting multi-month projects with unclear dependencies, where the implementation approach is unknown and hidden requirements must be actively discovered.