Refine Backlog

Refine Backlog

An audit-then-apply loop: find what makes backlog items not-ready, propose fixes, and apply only what the user approves.

Steps

1. Scope the audit. Default: every non-Done item on the board (node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/monday/list-items.mjs" — board id from <scrum-context>). The user may narrow to one group/Epic.

2. Inspect each item. get-item.mjs <itemId> for column values; where an Epic snapshot exists (manage-monday-backlog's Epic snapshot layout), also check pbi/<itemId>-*/acceptance.md. Audit against the readiness checks:

   • Acceptance criteria — an acceptance.md or a filled criteria/doc column exists and is non-empty.
   • Estimate — the points/estimate column has a value.
   • Size — estimate above the team's threshold (default: > 8 points, or the board's obvious outliers) → split candidate.
   • Clarity — title states an outcome, not a vague topic ("Improve UX" fails; "Show validation errors inline on the signup form" passes).
   • Completion criterion: every in-scope item has a verdict on all four checks — ready, or listed with its specific gaps.

3. Report the audit. A table in chat: item (id + title) → gaps → proposed fix. For each gap the proposal is concrete, not generic:

   • Missing criteria → draft 2–4 Given/When/Then criteria from the item's title, docs, and updates.
   • Missing estimate → don't invent one; flag it for the team's estimation (sizing is a team act, not the agent's).
   • Oversized → a concrete split into independently-valuable slices, each with a proposed title.
   • Vague title → a rewritten outcome-stating title.

4. Apply what's approved. monday writes are workspace-visible — apply only items the user explicitly approves, and per approved item:

   • Criteria for an item with a scaffolded pbi folder → write them into its acceptance.md.
   • Title rewrites, new items from a split, or column edits → beyond the bundled scripts' surface (they only do status and links). Use the monday-api-mcp server (confirm connected via /mcp; list the available mcp__monday-api-mcp__* tools before assuming names). If it isn't connected, deliver the approved changes as a paste-ready list for the user to apply by hand instead of failing.

5. Summarize — items now ready, items still blocked (and on what, e.g. awaiting team estimation), and changes applied vs. handed back.

Failure modes

• MONDAY_TOKEN missing → scripts exit 1; point to the plugin README.
• No board id → run setup-scrum-context or ask.
• Board tracks no estimate column at all → skip the estimate/size checks and say so, rather than failing every item on them.