Tableau Spec

tableau-spec

Step 7 of 8, and non-skippable. It turns the approved mock.html into an IMPLEMENTATION-SPEC.md that maps every mock element to a concrete Tableau construct, so tableau-build builds from an explicit spec instead of guessing. It ends with a coverage reconciliation — the mirror of the mock's checklist — proving every mock element is mapped, and applies a simplest-primitive guard so the workbook uses the simplest construct that does the job.

The mechanical guarantees — the entry gate, the coverage reconciliation (every mock element mapped, nothing unmapped), the simplest-primitive guard (any advanced feature carries a justification), the version bump, and the STATE.md transition — live in spec.py (CLI) and reconcile.py (the reconciliation + guard core). Your job is the judgment part: choosing the right, simplest Tableau construct for each element and justifying any escalation. Run the script at the points below; do not hand-edit STATE.md.

The two conventions the reconciliation depends on

reconcile.py decides "mapped" and "laid out" mechanically, so the spec must carry a single Element Mapping table and a Layout section (see references/IMPLEMENTATION-SPEC-TEMPLATE.md):

• The table's first column header is id and it has a column whose header contains construct and one whose header contains justif.
• One row per mock element, with the id matching a data-plan-id from mock.html exactly. A mock id with no row is an unmapped element that blocks approval — this is what makes "nothing unmapped" a guarantee.
• The construct cell names the Tableau construct; the justification cell explains any escalation (leave it blank / - for a simple primitive).
• The ## Layout section holds a short summary and a fenced JSON container tree derived from the approved mock: the mock's canvas dimensions, nested vert/horz containers, and element-id leaves with percentage sizes (siblings sum to ~100). Every mapped zone id appears exactly once; interaction ids (int-*) are actions, not zones, and never appear. This is how the mock's geometry reaches tableau-build — a missing or inconsistent Layout blocks approval exactly like an unmapped element.
• Siblings meant to stay equal must be a container's only children. Tableau holds a row of equal cards equal by distributing the container evenly, so an equal group stranded beside a smaller sibling (three chart cards above a 3% legend strip) cannot be held — the build pins every child but the biggest, and the group drifts apart on any dashboard taller than its minimum. Wrap the group in its own container; the validator flags this.

The simplest-primitive guard

Default every element to the simplest sufficient Tableau primitive. Only escalate to an advanced feature when the simpler option genuinely cannot do the job — and when you do, write why in the justification cell (what simpler alternative you rejected and the concrete reason). The guard flags these advanced features when their justification is blank:

The concrete "what's simplest for this interaction" knowledge lives in the validated snippet library. Map the shared interaction terms to their simplest construct first (CONTRACT.md §6): cross-filter → a Filter action (Use as Filter); highlight → a Highlight action; drill → a hierarchy expand/collapse; swap view / toggle panel / parameter swap → these legitimately need DZV / parameter — justify them.

How to run

1. Precheck. From the project directory, run:

   python "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/tableau-spec/scripts/spec.py" precheck "<project-dir>"
   

   (Use python3 if python is unavailable.) If it prints [BLOCKED], relay the reason and stop — the analyst must resolve the named upstream step (tableau-mock for the approved mock, tableau-plan for the blueprint) first. Otherwise note its signals: the mock path to map from, the list of element ids every one of which needs a mapping row, and the target path to write IMPLEMENTATION-SPEC.md into (the mock's current_version — spec writes beside the mock.html it maps and never bumps the version).

2. Read the inputs. Read mock.html at the reported mock path — its data-plan-id attributes are your exact mapping list. Read DASHBOARD-PLAN.md for what each id is (KPI / chart kind / filter / interaction) and the interaction intents, so you map to the right construct.

3. Author IMPLEMENTATION-SPEC.md at the precheck's target path. Fill the Element Mapping table with one row per mock element, defaulting to the simplest primitive and justifying every escalation. Write the ## Layout section by reading the mock's actual geometry (its rows, columns, and nesting) into the JSON container tree — sizes as percentages of the parent, canvas from the plan's Screen Size. Add the supporting detail the build needs (calculated fields, data source / joins, actions, parameters) following the template. When refining an existing spec at this version, Edit it in place.

4. Self-check, then present. Validate the draft before showing it:

   python "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/tableau-spec/scripts/spec.py" validate "<project-dir>"
   

   It prints the reconciliation checklist (one line per mock element, each [x] mapped or [ ] unmapped / unjustified-escalation), the guard result, and the layout check (the container tree present and consistent with the mapping). If it prints [INVALID], map the missing element(s) / add the missing justification(s) / fix the named layout problem(s) and re-run. When it prints [OK], show the checklist to the analyst (it's the proof nothing was dropped and nothing is over-engineered) and present the spec for approval.

5. Commit — only after the analyst approves:

   python "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/tableau-spec/scripts/spec.py" commit "<project-dir>"
   

   Commit re-runs the full reconciliation + guard (spec is non-skippable, so it only ever sets approved). If it prints [REFUSED], fix what the checklist names and re-run. On success it records spec = approved, sets current_version to the target v_N, and reports any downstream step it marked stale. Relay the summary and tell the analyst to open a fresh conversation and run the next step (tableau-build, or tableau-route to confirm).

Notes

• Non-skippable. The build needs an explicit spec; commit only ever sets approved.
• Versioned deliverable. IMPLEMENTATION-SPEC.md lives under mock-version/<v_N>/ beside its mock.html (CONTRACT.md §4.3). Spec writes into the mock's current_version and overwrites in place on a re-run; it never bumps current_version. A new spec version is created by re-running tableau-mock (which bumps and stales spec). The target path is reported by precheck.

The full STATE.md schema and the ordering / staleness / versioning rules live in CONTRACT.md at the repo root. This skill restates only its own slice; spec.py / reconcile.py are the executable mirror of the contract it enforces.