Project Execution

Table of Contents

• When to Use
• Integration
• Execution Framework
• Pre-Execution Phase
• Task Execution Loop
• Post-Execution Phase
• Task Execution Pattern
• TDD Workflow
• Checkpoint Validation
• Progress Tracking
• Execution State
• Progress Reports
• Yesterday
• Today
• Blockers
• Metrics
• Completed ([X] tasks)
• In Progress ([Y] tasks)
• Blocked ([Z] tasks)
• Burndown
• Risks
• Blocker Management
• Blocker Detection
• Systematic Debugging
• Escalation
• Blocker: [TASK-XXX] - [Issue]
• Quality Assurance
• Definition of Done
• Testing Strategy
• Velocity Tracking
• Burndown Metrics
• Velocity Adjustments
• Related Skills
• Related Agents
• Related Commands
• Examples

Project Execution Skill

Execute implementation plan systematically with checkpoints, validation, and progress tracking.

When To Use

• After planning phase completes
• Ready to implement tasks
• Need systematic execution with tracking
• Want checkpoint-based validation
• Executing task lists with dependencies
• Monitoring progress and velocity

When NOT To Use

• No implementation plan exists (use Skill(attune:project-planning) first)
• Still planning or designing (complete planning phase before execution)
• Single isolated task (execute directly without framework overhead)
• Exploratory coding or prototyping (use focused development instead)

Integration

With superpowers:

• Uses Skill(superpowers:executing-plans) for systematic execution
• Uses Skill(superpowers:systematic-debugging) for issue resolution
• Uses Skill(superpowers:verification-before-completion) for validation
• Uses Skill(superpowers:test-driven-development) for TDD workflow

Without superpowers:

• Standalone execution framework
• Built-in checkpoint validation
• Progress tracking patterns

Execution Framework

Pre-Execution Phase

Actions:

1. Load implementation plan
2. Validate project initialized
3. Check dependencies installed
4. Review task dependency graph
5. Identify starting tasks (no dependencies)

Validation:

• ✅ Plan file exists and is valid
• ✅ Project structure initialized
• ✅ Git repository configured
• ✅ Development environment ready

Task Execution Loop

For each task in dependency order:

1. PRE-TASK
   - Verify dependencies complete
   - Review acceptance criteria
   - Create feature branch (optional)
   - Set up task context

2. IMPLEMENT (TDD Cycle)
   - Write failing test (RED)
   - Implement minimal code (GREEN)
   - Refactor for quality (REFACTOR)
   - Repeat until all criteria met

3. VALIDATE
   - All tests passing?
   - All acceptance criteria met?
   - Code quality checks pass?
   - Documentation updated?

4. CHECKPOINT
   - Mark task complete IMMEDIATELY (do NOT batch)
   - Update execution state
   - Report progress
   - Identify blockers

Task Completion Discipline: Always call TaskUpdate(taskId: "X", status: "completed") right after finishing each task—never defer completions to end of session.

Verification: Run pytest -v to verify tests pass.

Post-Execution Phase

Actions:

1. Verify all tasks complete
2. Run full test suite
3. Check code quality metrics
4. Generate completion report
5. Prepare for deployment/release

Terminal Phase Notice

This is the final phase of the attune workflow. No auto-continuation occurs after execution completes. The workflow terminates here. Unlike brainstorming, specification, and planning phases, execution does NOT auto-invoke any subsequent phase.

Task Execution Pattern

TDD Workflow

RED Phase:

# Write test that fails
def test_user_authentication():
    user = authenticate("user@example.com", "password")
    assert user.is_authenticated
# Run test → FAILS (feature not implemented)

Verification: Run pytest -v to verify tests pass.

GREEN Phase:

# Implement minimal code to pass
def authenticate(email, password):
    # Simplest implementation
    user = User.find_by_email(email)
    if user and user.check_password(password):
        user.is_authenticated = True
        return user
    return None
# Run test → PASSES

Verification: Run pytest -v to verify tests pass.

REFACTOR Phase:

# Improve code quality
def authenticate(email: str, password: str) -> Optional[User]:
    """Authenticate user with email and password."""
    user = User.find_by_email(email)
    if user is None:
        return None

    if not user.check_password(password):
        return None

    user.mark_authenticated()
    return user
# Run test → STILL PASSES

Verification: Run pytest -v to verify tests pass.

Checkpoint Validation

Quality Gates:

- [ ] All acceptance criteria met
- [ ] All tests passing (unit + integration)
- [ ] Code linted (no warnings)
- [ ] Type checking passes (if applicable)
- [ ] Documentation updated
- [ ] No regression in other components

Verification: Run pytest -v to verify tests pass.

Automated Checks:

# Run quality gates
make lint          # Linting passes
make typecheck     # Type checking passes
make test          # All tests pass
make coverage      # Coverage threshold met

Verification: Run pytest -v to verify tests pass.

Progress Tracking

Execution State

Save to .attune/execution-state.json:

{
  "plan_file": "docs/implementation-plan.md",
  "started_at": "2026-01-02T10:00:00Z",
  "last_checkpoint": "2026-01-02T14:30:22Z",
  "current_sprint": "Sprint 1",
  "current_phase": "Phase 1",
  "tasks": {
    "TASK-001": {
      "status": "complete",
      "started_at": "2026-01-02T10:05:00Z",
      "completed_at": "2026-01-02T10:50:00Z",
      "duration_minutes": 45,
      "acceptance_criteria_met": true,
      "tests_passing": true
    },
    "TASK-002": {
      "status": "in_progress",
      "started_at": "2026-01-02T14:00:00Z",
      "progress_percent": 60,
      "blocker": null
    }
  },
  "metrics": {
    "tasks_complete": 15,
    "tasks_total": 40,
    "completion_percent": 37.5,
    "velocity_tasks_per_day": 3.2,
    "estimated_completion_date": "2026-02-15"
  },
  "blockers": []
}

Verification: Run pytest -v to verify tests pass.

Progress Reports

Daily Standup:

# Daily Standup - [Date]

## Yesterday
- ✅ [Task] ([duration])
- ✅ [Task] ([duration])

## Today
- 🔄 [Task] ([progress]%)
- 📋 [Task] (planned)

## Blockers
- [Blocker] or None

## Metrics
- Sprint progress: [X/Y] tasks ([%]%)
- [Status message]

Verification: Run the command with --help flag to verify availability.

Sprint Report:

# Sprint [N] Progress Report

**Dates**: [Start] - [End]
**Goal**: [Sprint objective]

## Completed ([X] tasks)
- [Task list]

## In Progress ([Y] tasks)
- [Task] ([progress]%)

## Blocked ([Z] tasks)
- [Task]: [Blocker description]

## Burndown
- Day 1: [N] tasks remaining
- Day 5: [M] tasks remaining ([status])
- Estimated completion: [Date] ([delta])

## Risks
- [Risk] or None identified

Verification: Run the command with --help flag to verify availability.

Blocker Management

Blocker Detection

Common Blockers:

• Failing tests that can't be fixed quickly
• Missing dependencies or APIs
• Technical unknowns requiring research
• Resource unavailability
• Scope ambiguity

Systematic Debugging

When blocked, apply debugging framework:

1. Reproduce: Create minimal reproduction case
2. Hypothesize: Generate possible causes
3. Test: Validate hypotheses one by one
4. Resolve: Implement fix or workaround
5. Document: Record solution for future

Escalation

When to escalate:

• Blocker persists > 2 hours
• Requires architecture change
• Impacts critical path
• Needs stakeholder decision

Escalation format:

## Blocker: [TASK-XXX] - [Issue]

**Symptom**: [What's happening]

**Impact**: [Which tasks/timeline affected]

**Attempted Solutions**:
1. [Solution 1] - [Result]
2. [Solution 2] - [Result]

**Recommendation**: [Proposed path forward]

**Decision Needed**: [What needs to be decided]

Verification: Run the command with --help flag to verify availability.

Quality Assurance

Definition of Done

Task is complete when:

• ✅ All acceptance criteria met
• ✅ All tests written and passing
• ✅ Code reviewed (self or peer)
• ✅ Linting passes with no warnings
• ✅ Type checking passes (if applicable)
• ✅ Documentation updated
• ✅ No known regressions
• ✅ Deployed to staging (if applicable)

Testing Strategy

Test Pyramid:

**Verification:** Run `pytest -v` to verify tests pass.
     /\
    /E2E\      Few, slow, expensive
   /------\
  /  INT  \    Some, moderate speed
 /----------\
/   UNIT    \  Many, fast, cheap

Verification: Run the command with --help flag to verify availability.

Per Task:

• Unit tests: Test individual functions/classes
• Integration tests: Test component interactions
• E2E tests: Test complete user flows (for user-facing features)

Velocity Tracking

Burndown Metrics

Track daily:

• Tasks remaining
• Story points remaining
• Days left in sprint
• Velocity (tasks or points per day)

Formulas:

**Verification:** Run `pytest -v` to verify tests pass.
Velocity = Tasks completed / Days elapsed
Estimated completion = Tasks remaining / Velocity
On track? = Estimated completion <= Sprint end date

Verification: Run the command with --help flag to verify availability.

Velocity Adjustments

If ahead of schedule:

• Pull in stretch tasks
• Add technical debt reduction
• Improve test coverage
• Enhance documentation

If behind schedule:

• Identify causes (blockers, underestimation)
• Reduce scope (drop low-priority tasks)
• Increase focus (reduce distractions)
• Request help or extend timeline

Related Skills

• Skill(superpowers:executing-plans) - Execution framework (if available)
• Skill(superpowers:systematic-debugging) - Debugging (if available)
• Skill(superpowers:test-driven-development) - TDD (if available)
• Skill(superpowers:verification-before-completion) - Validation (if available)
• Skill(attune:mission-orchestrator) - Full lifecycle orchestration

Related Agents

• Agent(attune:project-implementer) - Task execution agent

Related Commands

• /attune:execute - Invoke this skill
• /attune:execute --task [ID] - Execute specific task
• /attune:execute --resume - Resume from checkpoint

Examples

See /attune:execute command documentation for complete examples.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Command not found Ensure all dependencies are installed and in PATH

Permission errors Check file permissions and run with appropriate privileges

Unexpected behavior Enable verbose logging with --verbose flag