# Elsa Whats Next

> Find and rank the next Elsa-brain work unit from unfinished work, reports, specs, and source markers. Use when a user asks what is next, what is unfinished, what is unratified, what is weakly implemented, or which unit should be planned next in elsa-foundation.

- Skill: `elsa-workflows/elsa-whats-next` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add elsa-workflows/elsa-whats-next`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/elsa-workflows/elsa-whats-next/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: elsa-workflows (https://skillmd.com/u/elsa-workflows)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/elsa-workflows/elsa-whats-next

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## User Input

```text
$ARGUMENTS
```

## Outline

1. Read `AGENTS.md`, especially source-of-truth layers and the program goals / drift guard.
2. Read `docs/skills/catalog.md#whats-next--unfinished-work`.
3. Inspect `docs/program-goals/` to identify the current program-goal state when it affects ranking or is unclear: a named bucket, `none/free-flow`, or temporarily `unknown/not-assessed`.
4. Read `.agent-prefs/session-execution-model.md` if it exists.
5. Read `docs/reports/unfinished-work.md` as inventory/evidence, not an active queue.
6. Refresh context with the marker search from `unfinished-work.md` when the user asks for current state or when freshness is uncertain.
7. Rank candidates by current program-goal state when applicable, user intent, severity, and unblock value.
8. Return a concise drift check, top candidates, recommendation, source-of-truth layer, program-goal route, program-goal state when used, and execution route. If the recommended unit requires substantial planning or implementation and the local session preference favors fresh workers or ask-each-time, ask whether to plan/execute here or prepare a reviewed handoff prompt for a fresh agent/thread.

Do not implement from this skill. If the user approves a unit, hand off to `elsa-work-unit-planner` or the relevant implementation skill.