MichaelVessia/to-issues

To Issues

Break a plan into independently-grabbable issues using vertical slices (tracer bullets).

Issue tracker: local markdown. Issues live under .scratch/<feature>/ in the repo. Pick a kebab-case <feature> slug from the source PRD/plan, or reuse the existing one if .scratch/<feature>/PRD.md already exists.

Process

1. Gather context

Work from whatever is already in the conversation context. If the user passes an issue reference (file path under .scratch/), read its full body.

2. Explore the codebase (optional)

If you have not already explored the codebase, do so to understand the current state of the code. Issue titles and descriptions should use the project's domain glossary vocabulary, and respect ADRs in the area you're touching.

3. Draft vertical slices

Break the plan into tracer bullet issues. Each issue is a thin vertical slice that cuts through ALL integration layers end-to-end, NOT a horizontal slice of one layer.

Slices may be 'HITL' or 'AFK'. HITL slices require human interaction, such as an architectural decision or a design review. AFK slices can be implemented and merged without human interaction. Prefer AFK over HITL where possible.

<vertical-slice-rules> - Each slice delivers a narrow but COMPLETE path through every layer (schema, API, UI, tests) - A completed slice is demoable or verifiable on its own - Prefer many thin slices over few thick ones </vertical-slice-rules>

4. Quiz the user

Present the proposed breakdown as a numbered list. For each slice, show:

• Title: short descriptive name
• Type: HITL / AFK
• Blocked by: which other slices (if any) must complete first
• User stories covered: which user stories this addresses (if the source material has them)

Ask the user:

• Does the granularity feel right? (too coarse / too fine)
• Are the dependency relationships correct?
• Should any slices be merged or split further?
• Are the correct slices marked as HITL and AFK?

Iterate until the user approves the breakdown.

5. Publish the issues to the issue tracker

For each approved slice, write a new file to .scratch/<feature>/NN-slug.md (zero-padded sequence + kebab-case slug). Use the issue body template below. Add YAML frontmatter with status: needs-triage and type: HITL or type: AFK.

Write issues in dependency order (blockers first) so you can reference real filenames in the "Blocked by" field.

<issue-template> ## Parent

A reference to the parent issue on the issue tracker (if the source was an existing issue, otherwise omit this section).

What to build

A concise description of this vertical slice. Describe the end-to-end behavior, not layer-by-layer implementation.

Acceptance criteria

• [ ] Criterion 1
• [ ] Criterion 2
• [ ] Criterion 3

Blocked by

• A reference to the blocking ticket (if any)

Or "None - can start immediately" if no blockers.

</issue-template>

Do NOT close or modify any parent issue.