Planning
Create and manage persistent markdown planning files for structured task execution. Use when the user asks to "create a plan", "track progress", "start a research project", or when a task requires more than 5 tool calls and needs structured phase tracking to stay focused and avoid goal drift.
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Content
AI Maestro Planning
Solve the execution problem -- staying focused during complex, multi-step tasks. Uses persistent markdown files to track goals, findings, and progress so you never lose context. Part of the AI Maestro suite.
When to Use
- Multi-step tasks (3+ steps)
- Research projects
- Building features requiring >5 tool calls
- Any task where you might lose track of the goal
The 3-File Pattern
Create in docs_dev/ (or $AIMAESTRO_PLANNING_DIR):
| File | Purpose | Update When |
|---|---|---|
task_plan.md |
Goals, phases, decisions, errors | After each phase |
findings.md |
Research, discoveries, resources | During research |
progress.md |
Session log, test results | Throughout session |
Quick Start
PLAN_DIR="${AIMAESTRO_PLANNING_DIR:-docs_dev}"
mkdir -p "$PLAN_DIR"Then create task_plan.md with:
# Task: [Goal]
## Phases
- [ ] Phase 1: Research
- [ ] Phase 2: Design
- [ ] Phase 3: Implement
- [ ] Phase 4: Test
## Decisions
| Decision | Rationale | Date |
|----------|-----------|------|
## Errors Encountered
| Error | Attempt | Resolution |
|-------|---------|------------|The 6 Rules
- Create plan first -- Never start complex work without
task_plan.md - Read before decide -- Re-read the plan before any major decision
- Update after act -- Mark phases complete, log what changed
- 2-action rule -- After every 2 search/browse operations, save findings to
findings.md - Log all errors -- Every error goes in the plan with attempt number and resolution
- Never repeat failures -- If an action failed, change your approach
The 3-Strike Protocol
| Strike | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Diagnose root cause, apply targeted fix |
| 2 | Try a different approach entirely |
| 3 | Question assumptions, search for similar issues |
| After 3 | Escalate to user with all attempts documented |
The 5-Question Reboot
Lost? Answer these from your planning files:
- Where am I? (current phase in
task_plan.md) - Where am I going? (remaining phases)
- What's the goal? (goal section)
- What have I learned? (
findings.md) - What have I done? (
progress.md)
Full AI Maestro Experience
This skill works standalone with no dependencies. For the complete experience including memory search, docs search, graph query, agent messaging, and agent management, install the full AI Maestro platform.