Exploration Plan

/exploration-plan - Planning & Beads Creation

Turn ideas into executable plans, and plans into Beads. This skill handles the full journey from exploration to tracked work items.

The Process

1. Ask which mode - Use AskUserQuestion with the three options
2. Execute the selected mode
3. After creating plan.md - Always offer to create Beads

Mode Selection

Which planning mode?
  • Plan from brainstorm  → reads ideas/<topic>/spec.md
  • Plan from scratch     → start with just an idea
  • Create Beads from plan → reads planned/<topic>/plan.md

Mode 1: Plan from Brainstorm

Input: exploration/ideas/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>/spec.md Output: plan.md in same folder, then move to planned/

Steps

1. List available explorations in exploration/ideas/
2. Confirm selection with user
3. Read spec.md - Form your own view first
   • Fallback: If spec.md not found, check for legacy exploration.md
4. Ask to convene council - "Ready to send planning agents?"
5. Spawn council - 3 agents analyze sequentially (see Council section)
6. Synthesize - Combine your analysis + council input
7. Present for approval - Feature structure, sequence, implementation approach
8. Write plan.md - In the same folder
9. Move folder - ideas/<topic>/ → planned/<topic>/
10. Offer Beads - "Create these as Beads now?"

If user says yes to Beads, execute Mode 3.

Mode 2: Plan from Scratch

Input: User describes idea Output: planned/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>/plan.md

Steps

1. Discuss the idea - Ask clarifying questions (use AskUserQuestion)
2. Ask to convene council - Same as Mode 1
3. Spawn council - 3 agents analyze sequentially
4. Synthesize - Combine your analysis + council input
5. Present for approval - Feature structure, sequence, implementation approach
6. Create folder - exploration/planned/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>/
7. Write plan.md - No exploration.md (that's fine)
8. Offer Beads - "Create these as Beads now?"

If user says yes to Beads, execute Mode 3.

Mode 3: Create Beads from Plan

Input: exploration/planned/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>/plan.md Output: Beads (feature + tasks), move folder to mission/staged/

Steps

1. List available plans in exploration/planned/

2. Confirm selection with user

3. Read plan.md - Parse the feature and tasks

4. Show what will be created - List feature name + task names

5. Create Beads:

   # Get active epic
   EPIC_ID=$(bd list -t epic --status open --json | jq -r '.[0].id')
   
   # Create feature under epic
   bd create "Feature title" -t feature --parent "$EPIC_ID" -p 2
   
   # Get the feature ID just created
   FEATURE_ID=$(bd list -t feature --status open --json | jq -r '.[-1].id')
   
   # Create tasks under feature with descriptions from plan.md
   bd create "Task 1" -t task --parent "$FEATURE_ID" -p 1 -d "$(cat <<'EOF'
   **Goal:** [One sentence goal from plan]
   
   **Files:**
   - [file list from plan]
   
   **Steps:**
   1. [steps from plan]
   
   **Tests:**
   - [ ] [test criteria from plan]
   EOF
   )"
   
   bd create "Task 2" -t task --parent "$FEATURE_ID" -p 2 -d "$(cat <<'EOF'
   **Goal:** [One sentence goal from plan]
   
   **Files:**
   - [file list from plan]
   
   **Steps:**
   1. [steps from plan]
   
   **Tests:**
   - [ ] [test criteria from plan]
   EOF
   )"
   
   # Set up dependencies if specified in plan
   bd dep add <task-id> <depends-on-id>
   
   bd sync
   

   Description format: Extract from each ### Task: section in plan.md:

   • **Goal:** from task's Goal line
   • **Files:** from task's Files line
   • **Steps:** from task's Steps list
   • **Tests:** from task's Tests checklist

6. Rename and move folder - Use the feature number (e.g., 1.5 from space-agents-1.5) instead of the date: planned/YYYY-MM-DD-<topic>/ → mission/staged/<feature-num>-<topic>/

7. Confirm - "Feature ready. Run /mission to begin execution."

The Council

Advisors, not decision makers. HOUSTON synthesizes and can override.

• space-agents:plan-task-planner - Breaks feature into tasks
• space-agents:plan-sequencer - Analyzes dependencies, execution order
• space-agents:plan-implementer - Creates TDD task breakdown per task

Spawn all 3 sequentially (NOT as background tasks). Wait for each agent to complete and return results before spawning the next. HOUSTON must have all council input before synthesizing.

plan.md Structure

Use explicit hierarchy that maps to Beads:

# Feature: [Feature Name]

**Goal:** [One sentence description]

## Overview

[Context, motivation, what this achieves]

## Tasks

### Task: [Task 1 Name]

**Goal:** [One sentence]
**Files:** [Create/Modify/Test]
**Depends on:** [None or other task names]

**Steps:**
1. [Step description]
2. [Step description]

**Tests:**
- [ ] [Observable behaviour or outcome to verify]
- [ ] [Another verifiable criterion]

### Task: [Task 2 Name]

**Goal:** [One sentence]
**Files:** [Create/Modify/Test]
**Depends on:** Task 1 Name

**Steps:**
1. [Step description]
2. [Step description]

**Tests:**
- [ ] [Observable behaviour or outcome to verify]
- [ ] [Another verifiable criterion]

## Sequence

1. Task 1 (no dependencies)
2. Task 2 (depends on Task 1)
3. Task 3 (can run parallel with Task 2)

## Success Criteria

- [ ] [Criterion 1]
- [ ] [Criterion 2]

Parsing rules:

• # Feature: → Creates Beads feature
• ### Task: → Creates Beads task
• **Depends on:** → Sets up bd dep add
• **Tests:** → Included in task description for Builder/Inspector

Folder Lifecycle

exploration/
  ideas/       ← /brainstorm creates spec.md here
  planned/     ← /plan creates plan.md, moves from ideas/

mission/
  staged/      ← /plan creates Beads, moves from exploration/planned/
  complete/    ← /land moves here when feature closes

Remember

• Always use AskUserQuestion for mode selection and approvals
• Council are advisors - synthesize their input, don't just accept it
• After writing plan.md, always offer to create Beads
• Move folders at each transition
• Beads auto-generates IDs