What is a vertical slice in this planning skill?

A vertical slice is a task that delivers end-to-end functionality (like 'Add a book to the library') rather than an implementation detail (like 'Create the Book class').

What is the output format of a planning session?

The skill produces a structured Markdown list of tasks with checkboxes and acceptance criteria, identifying the specific first task to begin.

Can this skill be used for existing projects?

Yes, it is ideal for planning new features or refactors within existing codebases by breaking the work into small, testable increments.

How does this help with Test-Driven Development (TDD)?

The skill generates small, specific tasks with clear acceptance criteria, providing a perfect roadmap for writing unit tests and validating functionality.

Why does the skill require a clarifying question?

To prevent miscommunication, the skill enforces a 'understand before decomposing' rule, ensuring all ambiguities are resolved before the plan is created.

XP Planning & Task Slicing

Name: XP Planning & Task Slicing
Author: channingwalton

bychanningwalton

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Productivity & Workflow

Facilitates the Extreme Programming (XP) planning phase by breaking down complex features into small, vertical slices ready for implementation.

The Planning skill implements a disciplined XP workflow to ensure requirements are fully understood before any code is written. It guides Claude through a collaborative four-step cycle—Discuss, Clarify, Slice, and Confirm—to decompose complex features into testable, end-to-end vertical slices. This approach prevents common pitfalls like horizontal slicing or jumping into implementation prematurely, resulting in a clear, ordered task list with actionable acceptance criteria that align perfectly with Test-Driven Development (TDD) cycles.

Key Features

01TDD-ready task breakdown with explicit, testable acceptance criteria

02Collaborative 4-step planning cycle: Discuss, Clarify, Slice, and Confirm

033 GitHub stars

04Ordered task sequencing based on technical dependencies and business value

05Requirement ambiguity detection through mandatory clarifying questions

06Vertical slicing to ensure every task delivers working end-to-end functionality

Use Cases

01Breaking down a complex feature request into a manageable, ordered task list

02Ensuring complete alignment on requirements and edge cases before writing code

03Structuring a development plan specifically for Test-Driven Development workflows

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add channingwalton/dotfiles planning

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill