Epic Planning Document Generator
**Epic Key:** $ARGUMENTS
Overview
Epic Planning Document Generator
Epic Key: $ARGUMENTS
Workflow Chain
This command creates a comprehensive planning document (Overview Document) for an epic:
/create-epic-plan <epic-key> → Creates Overview Document (YOU ARE HERE)
↓
/create-implementation-plan <overview-doc-url> → Creates Implementation Plan
↓
/execute-ticket <ticket-key> → Executes individual tickets
Phase 0: Context Retrieval
-
Fetch the epic from Jira using
{Epic_Key} -
Extract from epic:
{Epic_Title}- The epic title/name{Jira_Project}- The Jira project URL- Linked tickets
-
Determine Confluence location:
- Default:
/Epics/In Progress/{Epic_Key}/ - If location unclear, ask user
- Default:
-
FAILURE CONDITION - Missing Information:
If epic cannot be found or has no linked tickets:
STOP and prompt the user:
I was unable to retrieve epic {Epic_Key}. Issue: [epic not found / no linked tickets / access denied] Please provide: 1. Confirm the epic key is correct 2. Jira Project URL: [paste link] 3. Confluence publish location: [paste link or confirm default]DO NOT PROCEED until confirmed.
-
MANDATORY CHECKPOINT - Epic Confirmation:
Please confirm before I proceed: Epic Key: {Epic_Key} Epic Title: {Epic_Title} Linked Tickets: [count] tickets found Publish Location: [Confluence path] Is this correct? (Yes / No / Correct)DO NOT PROCEED without explicit user confirmation.
Phase 1: Discovery
-
Read all Jira tickets linked to epic
{Epic_Key}- Use JQL query:
"Epic Link" = {Epic_Key}to find all child tickets - Extract acceptance criteria from each ticket
- Identify ticket dependencies and relationships
- Note any technical constraints mentioned
- Use JQL query:
-
Explore the codebase using parallel agents
Launch these agents in parallel to analyze different aspects of the codebase:
Agent Task Output for Section 11 ExploreFind all files/modules affected by this epic based on ticket requirements → Affected Modules ExploreDiscover API patterns, middleware conventions, response formats → Patterns Discovered (API) ExploreDiscover component patterns, naming conventions, state management → Patterns Discovered (Components) ExploreFind test file locations, testing framework, fixture patterns → Test Locations & Conventions ExploreFind similar features that can serve as implementation references → Reference Implementations Agent Prompts:
Agent 1 - Affected Modules: "Find all directories and files that will be affected by implementing [epic summary]. List the key modules, their purposes, and how they relate to the epic requirements." Agent 2 - API Patterns: "Analyze the API layer in packages/server/. Document the route structure, middleware patterns, authentication approach, response formats, and error handling conventions." Agent 3 - Component Patterns: "Analyze the frontend components in packages/web/src/components/. Document naming conventions, folder structure, state management patterns, and common UI patterns used." Agent 4 - Test Patterns: "Analyze the test structure in tests/ and e2e/. Document the testing framework, file naming conventions, available test utilities, fixture patterns, and mock approaches." Agent 5 - Reference Implementations: "Find existing features similar to [epic summary] that can serve as templates. List the files and explain what patterns from each can be reused."Wait for all agents to complete, then synthesize findings into Section 11.
-
Document unknowns:
- Missing information or ambiguous requirements
- Technical decisions that need architectural input
- Integration points that need clarification
Phase 2: Planning Document Creation
Create a comprehensive planning document with these sections:
1. Epic Overview
- Purpose: What problem does this epic solve?
- User Value: How does this improve the user experience?
- Scope: What is included/excluded from this epic?
- Key Stakeholders: Who is impacted by this work?
2. Epic Goals & Success Metrics
- Primary Goal: Main objective of this epic
- Success Metrics: How will we measure success?
- KPIs: Quantifiable outcomes (if applicable)
3. Requirements Summary
- Functional Requirements: What the system must do
- Non-Functional Requirements: Performance, security, accessibility, etc.
- Business Rules: Constraints and validation rules
- Edge Cases: Error handling and boundary conditions
4. Technical Change Overview
List all technical changes with risk assessment. For each change:
| Component | Type | Description | Risk Score | Dependencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [file/component] | [New/Enhancement/Refactor/Fix] | [summary] | [Low/Med/High] | [blockers] |
5. Impact Analysis
- Codebase Impact: Files, components, APIs affected
- Data Model Changes: Database migrations required
- API Changes: New endpoints, modified contracts, breaking changes
- UI/UX Changes: New screens, modified flows
- Migration Strategy: How will existing users/data transition?
- Rollback Plan: How can this be safely reverted?
- Tradeoffs: What compromises are being made and why?
6. Testing Strategy
- Unit Testing: Coverage targets (aim for 90% branch coverage)
- Integration Testing: Cross-component interactions
- API Testing: Endpoint validation and error handling
- Test Data: Fixtures and mock data requirements
- Coverage Goals: Specific areas requiring high coverage
7. User Behavior Testing
- E2E Scenarios: Critical user journeys to validate
- Acceptance Test Cases: Scenarios derived from requirements
- User Flows: Step-by-step validation paths
- Regression Testing: Existing flows that must not break
8. Implementation Notes
- Patterns to Follow: Existing code patterns to replicate
- Architecture Decisions: Key technical choices and rationale
- Technical Debt: Known shortcuts or future improvements
- Security Considerations: Authentication, authorization, data protection
9. Acceptance Criteria
Definition of done for this epic:
- All functional requirements implemented
- Test coverage meets targets (90% branch coverage)
- Documentation updated
- Security review completed (if applicable)
- Performance benchmarks met (if applicable)
- Accessibility standards met (if applicable)
10. Open Questions & Risks
- Blockers: Items preventing progress
- Unknowns: Information still needed
- Assumptions: Things we're assuming to be true
- Risks: Potential issues and mitigation strategies
11. Codebase Analysis
Capture findings from codebase exploration to inform the implementation plan:
Affected Modules:
- List directories and modules that will be modified
- Example:
packages/server/routes/- API endpoints affected
Patterns Discovered:
- API conventions (route structure, middleware patterns, response formats)
- Test patterns (framework, file locations, fixture patterns)
- Component patterns (naming, structure, state management)
- Database patterns (query patterns, transaction handling)
Reference Implementations:
- Similar features that can serve as templates
- Example: "See
packages/web/src/components/events/for CRUD component patterns"
Test Locations & Conventions:
- Unit tests:
tests/unit/- pattern:[feature].test.ts - Integration tests:
tests/integration/- pattern:[endpoint].test.ts - E2E tests:
e2e/- pattern:[flow].spec.ts - Test utilities available: List helpers, fixtures, mocks
12. Linked Tickets
Epic: {Epic_Key} - {Epic_Title} Jira Project: {Jira_Project}
| Key | Summary | Type | Story Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TICKET-123 | Ticket summary | Task/Bug/Story | X |
Use JQL "Epic Link" = {Epic_Key} to fetch current ticket list.
Risk Assessment Framework
Evaluate each technical change across 7 dimensions (score 1-3 each):
| Dimension | Low (1) | Medium (2) | High (3) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope | ≤3 files, isolated change | 4-10 files, single feature | 10+ files, cross-cutting |
| Dependencies | All prerequisites exist | Some foundation work needed | Requires significant groundwork |
| Blocking Factor | Independent work | Soft dependency for 1-2 tickets | Hard blocker for multiple streams |
| Stability | Well-defined, existing patterns | Some unknowns, new patterns | Novel approach, high uncertainty |
| UX Impact | Backend/internal only | Secondary flows affected | Core user journey affected |
| Testing Complexity | Simple assertions, existing fixtures | New mocks/fixtures needed, async flows | Complex integration, E2E required, hard to isolate |
| Reversibility | Easily reverted, no data changes | Moderate effort to rollback | Database migrations, breaking API changes, one-way door |
Risk Levels:
- 7-11 (Low): Proceed with standard implementation
- 12-16 (Medium): Incremental delivery, extra code review
- 17-21 (High): Spike/POC first, decompose further, architectural review required
Phase 3: Review & Publish
MANDATORY CHECKPOINT - Document Review:
Before publishing, present the complete planning document to the user:
## Planning Document Preview for {Epic_Key}
[Full planning document content]
---
Gaps/Unknowns Identified:
- [List any missing information]
- [Technical decisions needing input]
- [High-risk changes requiring spikes]
Ready to publish this planning document to Confluence? (Yes / No / Modify)
- Yes → Publish to Confluence
- No → Ask what changes are needed
- Modify → User provides feedback, regenerate and re-confirm
DO NOT PUBLISH without explicit user approval.
Phase 4: Publish & Output
-
Publish to Confluence at:
/epics/In Progress/{Epic_Key}/- Page title: "{Epic_Key} {Epic_Title}"
-
Verify the document was published successfully
-
Get the published document URL (
{Overview_Document})
Failure Conditions
| Condition | Action |
|---|---|
| Epic key not found | Error message, ask user to verify epic key |
| No linked tickets | Warn user, ask if they want to continue with minimal document |
| Confluence location invalid | Ask user for correct location |
| Missing Jira/Confluence access | Provide instructions for credential setup |
| Codebase exploration inconclusive | Document unknowns, proceed with available information |
Output
When complete, you MUST provide:
## Epic Planning Complete!
**Overview Document:** {Overview_Document}
### Summary
- Epic: {Epic_Key} - {Epic_Title}
- Tickets Analyzed: [count]
- Technical Changes: [count]
- Risk Profile: [X low, Y medium, Z high]
- Test Coverage Target: 90% branch coverage
### Open Questions
1. [Question needing clarification]
2. [Technical decision needing input]
### Next Step
Run the following command to generate the implementation plan:
/create-implementation-plan {Overview_Document}
CRITICAL: The Overview Document URL is required for the next step in the workflow chain.
Agent Delegation
Before creating the planning document:
- Codebase Analysis: Thoroughly explore existing patterns, architecture, and conventions
- Architecture Review: Have proposed structure reviewed for completeness
- Deep Exploration: Understand current implementation, affected components, dependencies, and test coverage
- Design Review: Validate approach for scalability, maintainability, and alignment with existing patterns