Executing plans

Executing Plans

Execute implementation plans systematically with quality gates between batches.

When to Use

• When given a plan document to implement
• After writing-plans skill produces a plan
• For batch execution with human checkpoints

The Five-Step Process

Step 1: Load and Review Plan

1. Read the plan document carefully
2. Identify potential issues or ambiguities
3. Raise concerns with user before beginning work
4. Create TodoWrite with all tasks if plan seems sound

If issues found: Stop and clarify before proceeding

Step 2: Execute Batch

Default batch size: 3 tasks

For each task in batch:

1. Update status to in_progress
2. Execute each step as written
3. Run specified verifications
4. Mark as completed only when verified

Step 3: Report

After completing a batch:

## Batch Complete

**Tasks Completed:** [List]

**Verifications:**

- Task 1: [Pass/Fail] - [Details]
- Task 2: [Pass/Fail] - [Details]
- Task 3: [Pass/Fail] - [Details]

**Issues Found:** [If any]

Ready for feedback.

Step 4: Continue

1. Incorporate any requested changes
2. Execute next batch
3. Repeat cycle

Step 5: Complete Development

After all tasks finished and verified:

1. Run full test suite
2. Announce completion
3. Transition to finishing workflow (merge/PR decision)

Critical Rules

STOP Immediately When:

• Blockers (missing dependencies, failed tests)
• Plan gaps preventing progress
• Unclear instructions
• Repeated verification failures (2+ on same task)

When blocked: Ask for clarification, don't force through.

Return to Step 1 When:

• User updates the plan
• Approach needs fundamental revision
• Architecture issues discovered

Never:

• Skip verifications
• Force through blockers
• Batch completions (mark done one at a time)
• Proceed with unresolved critical issues

Batch Size Guidelines

Scenario	Batch Size
Simple tasks	3-5
Complex tasks	1-2
High-risk changes	1
User preference	As specified

Integration with Other Skills

• test-driven-development: Each task follows TDD
• systematic-debugging: If tests fail, use debugging skill
• code-review: Request review after significant batches