# Planning Patterns

> Structured planning methodology with research, brainstorming, phased plan creation, risk assessment, and plan-to-build continuity.

- Skill: `a5c-ai/planning-patterns` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add a5c-ai/planning-patterns`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/a5c-ai/planning-patterns/raw
- Safety review: PASS (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Research & Search
- Author: a5c-ai (https://skillmd.com/u/a5c-ai)
- Updated: 2026-08-19
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/a5c-ai/planning-patterns

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- Search for existing solutions and patterns
- Identify relevant libraries and tools
- Find best practices in the domain
- Check for known pitfalls

### 2. Brainstorming Phase
- Generate at least 3 alternative approaches
- Evaluate trade-offs: complexity, time, risk, scalability
- Consider build-vs-buy decisions
- Rank by feasibility and alignment

### 3. Plan Creation
- Structure with phases, tasks, and milestones
- Define acceptance criteria per phase
- Map dependencies between tasks
- Include risk assessment with mitigations
- Define TDD strategy per coding phase
- Estimate effort and timeline

### 4. Review Gate
- Verify completeness against original request
- Validate logical phase ordering
- Check actionability of risk mitigations
- Score plan completeness (>=80 to pass)

## Plan-to-Build Continuity

- Save plans to `docs/plans/` directory
- Reference plan file in session memory
- BUILD workflow reads plan during requirements clarification
- Component-builder follows documented phases

## When to Use

- PLAN workflow (primary)
- Any task requiring strategic thinking before execution

## Agents Used

- `planner` (primary consumer)
- `github-researcher` (research phase)