---
name: planning-34a4a12808a0
description: 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.
---

# 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](https://github.com/23blocks-OS/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

```bash
PLAN_DIR="${AIMAESTRO_PLANNING_DIR:-docs_dev}"
mkdir -p "$PLAN_DIR"
```

Then create `task_plan.md` with:
```markdown
# 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

1. **Create plan first** -- Never start complex work without `task_plan.md`
2. **Read before decide** -- Re-read the plan before any major decision
3. **Update after act** -- Mark phases complete, log what changed
4. **2-action rule** -- After every 2 search/browse operations, save findings to `findings.md`
5. **Log all errors** -- Every error goes in the plan with attempt number and resolution
6. **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:

1. Where am I? (current phase in `task_plan.md`)
2. Where am I going? (remaining phases)
3. What's the goal? (goal section)
4. What have I learned? (`findings.md`)
5. 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](https://github.com/23blocks-OS/ai-maestro) platform.


---
Source attribution: davila7
Original project: https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates/blob/4efb68547887d2a4dd714074bd7ecb4171dc9fee/cli-tool/components/skills/ai-maestro/planning/SKILL.md
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Mega AI Hub.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2025 Daniel (San) Ávila

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.


# Mega AI Hub resource metadata

Creator / publisher: davila7
Original project: https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates/blob/4efb68547887d2a4dd714074bd7ecb4171dc9fee/cli-tool/components/skills/ai-maestro/planning/SKILL.md
Attribution basis: Source repository record

Fields of work: Operations, Project & Program Management
Roles: Business Process Analyst, Operations Manager, Project Manager
Specialties: Specialty not specified
Tools: Ai Maestro
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: 61dca2495ad62cb4827256cbc57bf185d559b91c0e853adb10bcf372607b653d