| name | vertical-slice-planner |
|---|---|
| description | Use when requirements, feature specs, architecture notes, or technical designs need to be split into small vertical delivery slices with validation and review checkpoints. |
Convert a reviewed requirement or design into small delivery slices that each produce usable learning, not just horizontal technical activity.
Use templates/vertical-slice-plan-template.md as the target structure.
Each slice should connect user, system, data, and validation behavior where possible. Avoid plans that only create backend, frontend, database, or documentation work in isolation unless a preparatory slice is explicitly justified.
- Confirm the source requirement, feature spec, impact analysis, and design direction.
- Identify the smallest useful end-to-end behavior that can be built and verified.
- Split the work into ordered slices with clear outcomes, acceptance checks, risks, and dependencies.
- Call out setup, migration, security, observability, and documentation work where they affect delivery.
- Define review checkpoints and the evidence needed before moving to the next slice.
Produce:
- linked source artifacts
- slicing principles used
- ordered slice list
- outcome for each slice
- included and excluded work per slice
- verification evidence per slice
- dependencies, risks, and rollback considerations
- review checkpoints
- follow-up backlog items
- Creating layers of technical tasks instead of vertical increments.
- Making the first slice too large to review quickly.
- Ignoring migration, telemetry, support, or rollback work until the end.
- Treating documentation and release notes as cleanup instead of part of delivery.
- Moving to the next slice without concrete verification from the current one.