av Skip entirely for trivial one-step work (single edit, single command, single read).
Pick a short kebab-case <slug> for the task (e.g. auth-refactor, fix-retry-bug) and reuse the same slug for any execution-state list under /tmp/mi-<slug>/tasks.md so plan and tasks move together. If a plan already exists for the task, reuse the same slug rather than starting a new one (ls -d /tmp/mi-*/ 2>/dev/null to check).
Create the directory and write the plan file with one command:
mkdir -p /tmp/mi-<slug> && cat > /tmp/mi-<slug>/plan.md <<'EOF'
# Goal
...
# Approach
- ...
# Risks / Open Questions
- ...
EOF
Slug collisions: When multiple concurrent mi sessions may run simultaneously (e.g. parallel subagents each starting their own plan), append a timestamp or random suffix to avoid clobbering each other's files: auth-refactor-$(date +%s). Single-session sequential work does not need this.
Write /tmp/mi-<slug>/plan.md with three sections, nothing else:
# Goal
<one line: what "done" looks like>
# Approach
- <ordered bullets: the strategy, not every keystroke>
- <keep it to 3-6 bullets>
# Risks / Open Questions
- <unknowns, assumptions, things that could bite>
- <omit section if genuinely none>
This is strategy, not a task list. No checkboxes, no status fields — execution state belongs in /tmp/mi-<slug>/tasks.md, not here. To track step-by-step progress alongside this plan, call skill("tasks") and follow its body.
Re-read /tmp/mi-<slug>/plan.md before each major step. If reality diverges from the plan, revise the file before continuing — do not let it rot.
Revise (don't append) when direction changes. The doc should always reflect current intent, not history.