aiskillstore/project-creator

Project Creator for CCGG Business Operations

Quick Start

What this skill does: Automatically creates new CCGG Business Operations projects with all required mechanisms pre-implemented (PARENT SYSTEM INTEGRATION, Active Projects Index, operations logging, etc.).

Use when: Creating new incubator project, adding sub-project to CCGG, setting up project structure

Prevents: Forgetting critical mechanisms like PARENT SYSTEM INTEGRATION (the problem that triggered this skill's creation)

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When to Use This Skill

Trigger Phrases:

• "Create new project in CCGG Business Operations"
• "Initialize new incubator project"
• "Set up project structure for [project-name]"
• "Add new sub-project to CCGG"

Project Types Supported:

1. Simple Projects (majority): Research, single-purpose tools, straightforward deliverables
2. Complex Projects (strategic): Multi-project coordination, dependencies, integration requirements

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Project Creation Workflow

Step 1: Gather Project Information

Ask Daron These Questions (in conversational order):

1. "What's the project name?"

   • Format: hyphen-case (e.g., member-retention-sequences)
   • Max 40 characters
   • Will be used for folder name and project ID

2. "What's the project purpose?" (1-2 sentences)

   • Clear problem statement
   • Expected outcome
   • Example: "Design email sequences to re-engage churned members and improve retention rate"

3. Analyze project description for multi-phase indicators (SUGGESTION, not question):

   Claude analyzes project purpose and deliverables for signals:

   • Keywords: "validate", "test", "feedback", "iterate", "production rollout", "pilot"
   • Complex deliverables (3+ major components requiring testing)
   • Integration with existing systems (needs testing phase)
   • User mentions "experiment", "trial", or "phase"
   • Project type: infrastructure, framework, new system (vs simple content creation)

   If multi-phase indicators detected, SUGGEST phased approach:

   "Based on your project description, I recommend a multi-phase approach:
   
   Phase 1: [Research & Planning / Setup & Test / MVP]
   Phase 2: [Build & Test / Validation & Refinement / Production Rollout]
   Phase 3: [Deploy & Scale / Institutionalize / Maintenance]
   
   This allows testing and feedback before full rollout. Would you like to use this phased approach?"
   

   User can respond:

   • "Yes, use phases" → Generate PHASE_TRACKER.md with suggested phases
   • "No, single phase" → Skip Phase Tracker
   • "Let me customize phases" → Ask for phase names/durations

   If NO multi-phase indicators, skip suggestion and Phase Tracker

4. "Will this project coordinate with or depend on other projects?"

   • If YES → Complex project (needs Coordination Hub)
   • If NO → Simple project (standard structure only)

5. ALWAYS: Detect and Capture Dependencies (NEW - Forcing Function)

   Claude PROACTIVELY suggests dependencies based on project description:

   "Let me help identify dependencies for this project:
   
   BLOCKING DEPENDENCIES (must complete before starting this):
   - What existing work must finish before you can start?
   - What deliverables from other projects do you need?
   
   DOWNSTREAM DEPENDENCIES (projects waiting for this):
   - What other projects are waiting for this one?
   - What will this project enable or unblock?
   
   RELATED PARALLEL (connected but not blocking):
   - What other projects share themes/tools with this?
   
   [Based on your project description, I see potential dependencies:]
   - [Suggest upstream based on keywords/deliverables mentioned]
   - [Suggest downstream based on Active Projects needing this work]
   
   Should I add these to the dependency metadata?"
   

   Capture in YAML format:

   dependencies:
     blocks: ["project-id-1", "project-id-2"]  # Must complete first
     blocked_by: ["project-id-3"]              # Waiting for this
     related_parallel: ["project-id-4"]        # Connected, not blocking
   

   Even if "none", still create empty fields (forces conscious decision):

   dependencies:
     blocks: []        # No upstream dependencies
     blocked_by: []    # No downstream dependencies
     related_parallel: []  # No related work
   

6. If Complex: "Which projects does this coordinate with?"

   • Upstream dependencies (what this project needs)
   • Downstream dependencies (what other projects need from this)
   • Example: "Depends on hormozi-money-models (frameworks), feeds into retention-reengagement (implementation)"
   • NOTE: This is for Coordination Hub documentation (prose), Step 5 captures YAML metadata

7. "What are the key deliverables?" (3-5 items)

   • Specific outputs this project will produce
   • Example: "Email sequence templates, DM scripts, retention playbook"

8. "Which avatars does this serve?" (optional, for strategic alignment)

   • From Target_Avatars_Complete_Profiles.md
   • If "all avatars" → note that
   • If specific → list them

---

Step 2: Determine Project Complexity

Based on Question 3 answer:

SIMPLE PROJECT (if NO coordination):

• Standard folder structure
• CLAUDE.md with PARENT SYSTEM INTEGRATION
• README.md
• Active Projects Index
• operations_log entry

COMPLEX PROJECT (if YES coordination):

• All simple project components PLUS:
• Coordination Hub/ folder
  • PROJECT_DEPENDENCIES.md
  • INTEGRATION_CHECKLIST.md
  • OUTPUT_LIBRARY.md
• Enhanced CLAUDE.md (cross-project knowledge access patterns)
• Integration sections in related projects' CLAUDE.md files

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Step 3: Create Project Structure

Location: Active Projects/_Incubator/[project-name]/

Manual Creation (automated script planned for future):

1. Create folder: mkdir "Active Projects/_Incubator/[project-name]"
2. Use Write tool to create CLAUDE.md from templates/CLAUDE_SIMPLE.md OR templates/CLAUDE_COMPLEX.md
3. If multi-phase project: Use Write tool to create PHASE_TRACKER.md from templates/PHASE_TRACKER_TEMPLATE.md
4. Fill all placeholders (marked with {{VARIABLE}})

This creates:

[project-name]/
├── CLAUDE.md                    # Project guidance (PARENT SYSTEM INTEGRATION included)
├── README.md                    # Quick start + overview
├── [folders based on project type]
└── Coordination Hub/            # If complex project
    ├── PROJECT_DEPENDENCIES.md
    ├── INTEGRATION_CHECKLIST.md
    └── OUTPUT_LIBRARY.md

Note: Full automation script (create_project.sh) is planned but not yet implemented. Current workflow uses templates + manual variable replacement.

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Step 4: Generate CLAUDE.md Content

Use Template:

• Simple: templates/CLAUDE_SIMPLE.md
• Complex: templates/CLAUDE_COMPLEX.md

Required Sections (ALL projects):

1. PROJECT IDENTITY (name, type, status, created date, owner)
2. PROJECT MISSION (purpose, core focus, expected outcomes)
3. SCOPE & BOUNDARIES (in scope, out of scope)
4. PARENT SYSTEM INTEGRATION ⚠️ CRITICAL
   • Project Memory Index Sync (path, when/how to update)
   • Operations Logging (format, actions to auto-log, examples)
   • Strategic Alignment Validation (OOBG check, UV check, Avatar targeting)
   • Cross-Project Intelligence (search related projects)
5. PROJECT STRUCTURE (folder organization, key files)
6. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES (phased if applicable)
7. SUCCESS CRITERIA (how to measure completion)

Additional Sections (Complex projects): 8. AUTONOMOUS KNOWLEDGE ACCESS (cross-project references, access commands) 9. COORDINATION WITH OTHER PROJECTS (dependency chain, integration points)

Populate Variables:

• Replace {{PROJECT_NAME}} with actual name
• Replace {{PROJECT_PURPOSE}} with purpose from Step 1
• Replace {{DELIVERABLES}} with list from Step 1
• Replace {{UPSTREAM_DEPS}} and {{DOWNSTREAM_DEPS}} with projects from Step 1 (if complex)
• Replace {{AVATARS}} with avatars from Step 1
• Add current date in {{CREATED_DATE}}
• Replace {{PHASE_TRACKER_SECTION}} with:
  • If multi-phase: "This is a multi-phase project. See PHASE_TRACKER.md for phase timeline, completion criteria, and proactive reminders.\n\nCurrent Phase: [Phase 1 name]\nNext Milestone: [Phase 1 completion]\n\nManual Check: Say 'Check phase tracker' anytime for status update."
  • If single-phase: "This is a single-phase project. No phase tracker needed."

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Step 5: Generate README.md Content

Use Template: templates/README.md

Required Sections:

1. Project Title + Overview (1 paragraph)
2. Quick Start (how to begin working on this project)
3. Context (why this project exists, what problem it solves)
4. Key Deliverables (checklist format)
5. Related Projects (if complex project)
6. Timeline (if applicable)
7. Success Criteria

Keep it Concise: Max 200 lines. README is for quick orientation, CLAUDE.md has details.

---

Step 6: Generate PHASE_TRACKER.md (If Multi-Phase Project)

Skip This Step If: Single-phase project (no phases suggested/accepted in Step 1)

If Multi-Phase Project:

Location: Active Projects/_Incubator/[project-name]/PHASE_TRACKER.md

Use Template: templates/PHASE_TRACKER_TEMPLATE.md

Populate Variables:

• {{PROJECT_NAME}}, {{PROJECT_TITLE}}, {{CREATED_DATE}} - From Step 1
• For each phase (1-3):
  • {{PHASE_N_NAME}} - Phase name (e.g., "Setup & Test", "Validation & Refinement")
  • {{PHASE_N_GOAL}} - What this phase accomplishes
  • {{PHASE_N_DURATION}} - Time estimate (e.g., "4 weeks", "1 week")
  • {{PHASE_N_TARGET_DATES}} - Date range (calculate from project start + duration)
  • {{PHASE_N_CRITERIA}} - Completion criteria (suggest based on deliverables)
  • {{PHASE_N_DELIVERABLES}} - Phase-specific deliverables checklist
  • {{PHASE_N_REMINDER_LOGIC}} - How Claude checks weekly
  • {{PHASE_N_TRANSITION_TRIGGER}} - When to prompt next phase
  • {{PHASE_N_NEXT_TRIGGER}} - Date or criteria
  • {{PHASE_N_CHECK_LOGIC}} - How to validate completion
  • {{PHASE_N_SUCCESS_INDICATORS}} - What signals success
  • {{PHASE_N_SUCCESS_DEFINITION}} - Overall phase success
• {{PROJECT_COMPLETION_DEFINITION}} - What "project complete" means
• {{OVERALL_SUCCESS_DEFINITION}} - Final success definition
• {{NEXT_CHECK_DATE}} - Calculate (project start + 1 week)

Default Phase Structure (if user accepts suggestion):

Phase 1: Setup & Test / MVP / Research & Planning (2-4 weeks)

• Goal: Create system, test basic functionality, validate approach
• Criteria: Core deliverables complete, basic testing done

Phase 2: Validation & Refinement / Production Rollout / Build & Test (1-2 weeks)

• Goal: Review Phase 1 results, refine approach, confirm effectiveness
• Criteria: Patterns identified, template/system refined, frequency/scope confirmed

Phase 3: Institutionalize / Scale / Deploy (1 week)

• Goal: Promote to production, document final workflow, mark production-ready
• Criteria: Integrated into root CLAUDE.md, added to registries, sustainable

Proactive Reminder Example:

Phase 1 Reminder Logic:
- Weekly: Check if [X weeks] passed OR [N deliverables] complete
- Transition: After [criteria met] OR [deadline] → "Ready for Phase 2?"

Phase 2 Reminder Logic:
- After Phase 1 complete → Prompt immediately
- After Phase 2 tasks done → "Ready for Phase 3?"

Phase 3 Reminder Logic:
- After Phase 2 complete → Prompt immediately
- After Phase 3 tasks done → "Project complete!"

---

Step 7: Create Active Projects Index Entry

Location: Project Memory/Active Projects Index/[project-name]-index.md

Use Template: templates/PROJECT_INDEX.md

Required Content (YAML frontmatter + sections):

---
project_id: "incubator-[project-name]"
title: "[Project Title]"
project_type: "incubator-program"
status: "incubating"
date_created: "YYYY-MM-DD"
date_modified: "YYYY-MM-DD"
folder_path: "Active Projects/_Incubator/[project-name]"
tags: ["tag1", "tag2", "tag3"]
strategic_alignment:
  oobg_relevance: "[How this serves OOBG]"
  unique_vehicle_fit: "[How this leverages YouTube + CCGG community]"
  avatar_targets: ["Avatar1", "Avatar2"]

# NEW: Dependency tracking (from Step 5)
dependencies:
  blocks: []                    # Projects that BLOCK this one (must complete first)
  blocked_by: []                # Projects this one BLOCKS (waiting for this)
  related_parallel: []          # Connected but not blocking

dependency_status:
  is_blocked: false             # Auto-calculated from blocks[]
  blocking_count: 0             # Auto-calculated from blocked_by[]
  ready_to_start: true          # Auto-calculated

last_sync: "YYYY-MM-DD (Project creation)"
---

## Current Status
[Project status description]

## Key Deliverables
[Checklist of deliverables]

## Last Activity
[Most recent work]

## Quick Access
[Links to project folder and key files]

Populate with Data from Step 1

---

Step 7: Create Coordination Hub (Complex Projects Only)

If Simple Project: Skip this step.

If Complex Project: Create 3 coordination files:

PROJECT_DEPENDENCIES.md

Purpose: Track what this project needs from/provides to other projects

Use Template: templates/coordination/PROJECT_DEPENDENCIES.md

Populate:

• Upstream dependencies (projects this depends on)
• Downstream dependencies (projects that depend on this)
• Integration checkpoints
• Blocker tracking section

INTEGRATION_CHECKLIST.md

Purpose: Ensure all dependencies met before execution/handoff

Use Template: templates/coordination/INTEGRATION_CHECKLIST.md

Populate:

• Pre-requisites from upstream projects
• Execution checklist (this project's phases)
• Post-implementation checklist (handoffs to downstream)
• Validation criteria

OUTPUT_LIBRARY.md

Purpose: Catalog deliverables for other projects to reference

Use Template: templates/coordination/OUTPUT_LIBRARY.md

Populate:

• List expected outputs with status (PENDING/IN PROGRESS/COMPLETE)
• Link to files when created
• Note which projects consume each output

---

Step 8: Log Project Creation

Auto-log to operations_log.txt:

[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS] - CREATE - [project-name] - New incubator project created. [Simple/Complex] structure. [Key context]. Deliverables: [list]. Dependencies: [if complex].

Example:

[2025-10-29 14:30:00] - CREATE - member-retention-sequences - New incubator project created. Simple structure. Email sequences to re-engage churned members. Deliverables: 5 email templates, 3 DM scripts, retention playbook.

---

Step 9: Validate All Mechanisms Implemented

Run Checklist (automated validation):

bash scripts/validate_project.sh [project-name]

Manual Checklist (if script unavailable):

• [ ] CLAUDE.md exists with PARENT SYSTEM INTEGRATION section
• [ ] PARENT SYSTEM INTEGRATION has all 4 sub-sections:
  • [ ] Project Memory Index Sync
  • [ ] Operations Logging
  • [ ] Strategic Alignment Validation
  • [ ] Cross-Project Intelligence
• [ ] CLAUDE.md has MULTI-PHASE PROJECT TRACKER section with appropriate text
• [ ] README.md exists with Quick Start section
• [ ] Active Projects Index entry created
• [ ] operations_log.txt entry added
• [ ] Folder structure matches project complexity (simple vs complex)
• [ ] If complex: Coordination Hub created with 3 files
• [ ] If multi-phase: PHASE_TRACKER.md created and populated
• [ ] All template variables replaced (no {{PLACEHOLDER}} remaining)

If any checks fail: Fix before proceeding.

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Step 10: Report Completion

Generate Summary Report:

✅ Project Created: [project-name]

**Location**: Active Projects/_Incubator/[project-name]/
**Complexity**: [Simple/Complex]
**Multi-Phase**: [Yes (3 phases) / No (single-phase)]
**Purpose**: [One-sentence purpose]

**Files Created**:
- CLAUDE.md (with PARENT SYSTEM INTEGRATION ✓)
- README.md
- [If multi-phase] PHASE_TRACKER.md (Phase 1: [name], Phase 2: [name], Phase 3: [name])
- [List other files/folders]

**Index Entry**: Project Memory/Active Projects Index/[project-name]-index.md ✓
**Operations Log**: Logged at [timestamp] ✓

**Phase Tracker** (if multi-phase):
- Current Phase: Phase 1 ([name])
- Next Check: [date] (weekly during strategic planning)
- Manual Check: Say "Check phase tracker [project-name]" anytime

**Next Steps**:
1. Review CLAUDE.md for project-specific guidance
2. [If multi-phase] Review PHASE_TRACKER.md for phase timeline
3. Begin work on first deliverable: [first item from Step 1]
4. Update index after major progress

**Quick Access**: [Link to project folder]

Present to Daron for confirmation before moving on.

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Templates Reference

All templates are in templates/ folder:

Core Templates:

• CLAUDE_SIMPLE.md - Standard project CLAUDE.md (with PARENT SYSTEM INTEGRATION)
• CLAUDE_COMPLEX.md - Complex project CLAUDE.md (adds cross-project coordination)
• README.md - Standard README structure
• PROJECT_INDEX.md - Active Projects Index entry template

Coordination Templates (complex projects only):

• coordination/PROJECT_DEPENDENCIES.md
• coordination/INTEGRATION_CHECKLIST.md
• coordination/OUTPUT_LIBRARY.md

See: templates/README.md for template usage guide

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Scripts Reference

create_project.sh - Automates project structure creation

bash scripts/create_project.sh [project-name] [simple|complex]

validate_project.sh - Validates all mechanisms implemented

bash scripts/validate_project.sh [project-name]

See: scripts/README.md for script documentation

---

Common Scenarios

Scenario 1: Simple Research Project

Example: "Create project to research Dream 100 strategies"

Workflow:

1. Name: dream-100-research
2. Purpose: "Research and document Dream 100 implementation strategies for CCGG traffic growth"
3. Coordination: NO (simple project)
4. Deliverables: Research document, implementation plan, resource list
5. Avatars: All (traffic benefits everyone)
6. Create → Simple structure
7. Validate → Done

Time: 10-15 minutes

---

Scenario 2: Complex Strategic Project

Example: "Create project for CCGG offers and pricing strategy"

Workflow:

1. Name: ccgg-offers-pricing
2. Purpose: "Design CCGG pricing structure and offer ladder to maximize revenue per customer"
3. Coordination: YES
   • Depends on: hormozi-money-models (frameworks), claude-code-business-os (offer ladder)
   • Feeds into: member-onboarding-ascension (upgrade sequences), retention-reengagement (win-back pricing)
4. Deliverables: Tier definitions, pricing structure, implementation plan, annual member presentation
5. Avatars: All avatars
6. Create → Complex structure (with Coordination Hub)
7. Populate dependency maps
8. Validate → Done

Time: 20-30 minutes

---

Validation Failures & Fixes

Problem: "PARENT SYSTEM INTEGRATION section missing" Fix: Add section from templates/CLAUDE_SIMPLE.md lines 40-120

Problem: "Template variables not replaced ({{PROJECT_NAME}} still present)" Fix: Search for {{ and replace all placeholders with actual values

Problem: "Operations log entry missing" Fix: Add entry manually:

echo "[$(date +%Y-%m-%d\ %H:%M:%S)] - CREATE - [project-name] - [description]" >> "operations_log.txt"

Problem: "Active Projects Index missing strategic_alignment section" Fix: Add to YAML frontmatter:

strategic_alignment:
  oobg_relevance: "[description]"
  unique_vehicle_fit: "[description]"
  avatar_targets: ["avatar1"]

---

Important Notes

On PARENT SYSTEM INTEGRATION

⚠️ CRITICAL: This section is REQUIRED in every project CLAUDE.md. It is the integration point with CCGG Business Operations.

Why it matters:

• Enables automatic operations logging
• Keeps Project Memory Index in sync
• Validates strategic alignment
• Enables cross-project intelligence

If forgotten: Project will be orphaned from CCGG Business Operations system.

On Complexity Assessment

Default to Simple unless clear multi-project coordination is needed.

Indicators of Complex Project:

• Depends on outputs from 2+ other projects
• 2+ other projects depend on this project's outputs
• Strategic planning (affects multiple business areas)
• Integration/coordination is core to the project

Indicators of Simple Project:

• Self-contained work
• Standalone deliverables
• No handoffs to other projects required
• Research or single-purpose tool

When in doubt: Ask Daron, "Will this project need to coordinate with other active projects?"

---

Success Criteria

Project creation is successful when:

1. All validation checks pass (Step 9)
2. Daron can open the project and immediately understand:
   • What it does
   • What mechanisms are available
   • How to get started
3. PARENT SYSTEM INTEGRATION is fully implemented
4. Future Claude sessions can find this project via Active Projects Index search

Project creation has FAILED if:

• Any mechanism is missing (especially PARENT SYSTEM INTEGRATION)
• Template variables not replaced
• Daron has to manually add standard components
• Operations log entry missing

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Additional Resources

For detailed mechanism specifications, see:

• references/mechanism_specifications.md - Complete templates, variable replacement guide, and mechanism requirements

For template usage, see:

• templates/README.md - Template selection guide and variable documentation
• templates/CLAUDE_SIMPLE.md - Standard project template
• templates/CLAUDE_COMPLEX.md - Complex project template (planned for future - use SIMPLE template + Coordination Hub for now)

For validation scripts, see:

• scripts/README.md - Script documentation and usage examples
• scripts/validate_project.py - Python validation script (recommended)
• scripts/validate_project.sh - Bash validation script (legacy)

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Version History

v1.0.0 (2025-10-29)

• Initial release
• Simple and complex project support
• Full PARENT SYSTEM INTEGRATION enforcement
• Automated validation with Python script
• Coordination Hub for complex projects
• Progressive disclosure via references/

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Created with Skills Factory - Ensures every CCGG Business Operations project is created correctly