Workflow manager

Workflow Manager Skill - Process Automation & Tracking

Overview

The Workflow Manager ensures that the software development lifecycle (SDLC) is followed consistently. It automates the "buraucracy" of tracking progress and following standard procedures.

Core Capabilities

1. Workflow Execution

Specialized protocols for:

• new-feature: Spec -> Design -> Implementation -> Security -> QA -> Docs -> Deploy.
• bug-fix: Reproduction -> Root Cause Analysis -> Fix -> Regression Testing.
• refactor: Identify Smells -> Coverage Check -> Incremental Refactor -> Validation.
• quick-fix: Lightweight process for minor changes (<3 files, <2 hours).

2. Track Management

• Registry: Maintain registry.md to track all active and completed initiatives.
• Lifecycle Gates: Ensure a spec.md is approved BEFORE a plan.md is created, and a plan.md is verified BEFORE implementation.
• State Updates: Proactively update task status and clear flags as work progresses.

3. Artifact Maintenance

• Generate and update standard documentation:
  • current-task.md (What is happening right now?)
  • plan.md (The step-by-step implementation map)
  • decisions.md (Logging tactical and architectural choices)

When to Use

• Starting a new feature or bug fix initiative.
• Transitioning between phases of development.
• Generating a "Status Report" on current progress.
• Updating project administrative files (Scribe-like behavior).

Constraints

• RESTRICTED to administrative files. No source code edits.
• DO NOT proceed to next phase unless all checklists for the current phase are complete.

Outputs & Deliverables

• Primary Output: Standardized workflow artifacts (spec.md, plan.md, current-task.md, decisions.md)
• Secondary Output: Status reports and registry updates (registry.md)
• Success Criteria: Workflow gates satisfied and artifacts approved by the relevant owners
• Quality Gate: orchestrator or project owner sign-off before entering implementation

Additional Constraints

• Technical Constraints: Do not modify source code; focus on administrative and planning artifacts
• Governance Constraints: Ensure all handoffs reference project-context.md and AGENT.md where applicable

Common Pitfalls

• Skipping Workflow Gates: Rushing to implementation without completing design gates. Enforce phase completion before proceeding.
• Generic Artifact Updates: Creating empty plan.md files without actionable steps. Plans must be specific and executable.
• Missing Phase Checklists: Not validating that a phase is actually complete. Use explicit checklists at each gate.
• No Artifact Versioning: Overwriting previous plan.md without backup. Version artifacts and keep history.
• Forgetting State Updates: Implementing features but never updating current-task.md or registry.md. Keep these current in real-time.
• Ignoring Integration Failures: Not catching when phases didn't properly hand off to each other. Always validate handoff completeness.

Integration Points

Phase	Input From	Output To	Context
New Feature Kickoff	User request	Workflow selection	Route to appropriate workflow (new-feature, bug-fix, etc.)
Phase Gates	Phase completion checklist	Artifact updates	Update current-task.md, registry.md
Handoff Prep	Current phase ready	Next phase	Validate artifacts are complete and linked
Status Reporting	Progress updates	User visibility	Generate status reports from registry entries
Completion	All phases done	Closure	Archive workflow artifacts, mark complete