AI-Native Project Management
This skill runs automatically. Update TASKS.md whenever:
- Starting work on a task
- Completing a task or subtask
- Getting blocked
- Planning new work
- Making commits
Task Board Location
Look for TASKS.md in the project root. If it doesn't exist and you're doing significant work, create it.
When to Update (Automatic Triggers)
| Event | Action |
|---|---|
| Starting a feature/fix | Move task to "In Progress" or create one |
| Committing code | Update progress notes on current task |
| Creating a PR | Move task to "Review" |
| Getting blocked | Move to "Blocked" with clear question |
| Completing work | Move to "Done" with date and PR link |
| User describes new work | Add to Backlog with estimate |
| Session ending | Ensure all in-progress work is captured |
How to Update TASKS.md
Moving a Task to In Progress
## In Progress
- [ ] **TASK-XXX** [Title] `@ai`
- Branch: `feature/xxx`
- Progress: [Current status]
- Next: [What's being done next]Moving to Review
## Review
- [ ] **TASK-XXX** [Title] `@human`
- PR: #[number]
- Changes: [Brief summary]
- Review focus: [What human should check]Moving to Blocked
## Blocked
- [ ] **TASK-XXX** [Title]
- Blocker: [What's blocking]
- Question: [Specific question for human]
- Options: A) ... B) ... C) ...Moving to Done
## Done
- [x] **TASK-XXX** [Title] — PR #[N] — YYYY-MM-DDAdding New Task
## Backlog
### P1 - Current Priority
1. [ ] **TASK-XXX** [Title]
- Why: [Customer need / problem]
- Scope: [What's included]
- Estimate: X AI-hoursEffort Estimation
Estimate in AI-hours (not human hours). Use this guide:
| Task Type | AI-Hours | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Trivial | 0.25 | Fix typo, update config |
| Small | 0.5-1 | Bug fix, add field, small UI tweak |
| Medium | 1-2 | New component, API endpoint, feature flag |
| Large | 2-4 | Full feature, integration, refactor |
| XL | 4-8 | Cross-cutting feature, new system |
Factors that increase estimate:
- Unfamiliar codebase (+50%)
- No existing patterns to follow (+25%)
- Requires human decisions mid-task (+1-2h for wait time)
- Complex testing requirements (+25%)
Prioritization Rules
When adding to backlog, assign priority:
| Priority | Criteria |
|---|---|
| P1 | Blocking other work, customer-facing bug, current sprint |
| P2 | Important but not urgent, next sprint |
| P3 | Nice to have, future consideration |
Within each priority, order by:
- Dependencies (unblock others first)
- Customer impact
- Effort (quick wins before large tasks when equal value)
Task ID Convention
Format: [PROJECT]-[NUMBER]
Examples:
ACCT-001for accounting demoPROD-001for main productSITE-001for website
Auto-increment by finding highest existing number.
Proactive Behaviors
At session start:
- Read TASKS.md to understand current state
- Note any stale "In Progress" items (might need status update)
During development:
- When user says "let's work on X" → Create/move task to In Progress
- When committing → Update progress notes
- When hitting a blocker → Move to Blocked immediately
- When PR is ready → Move to Review
At session end:
- Ensure TASKS.md reflects current state
- Update "Last Updated" timestamp
- Note any handoff items for next session
When user describes new work:
- Immediately add to appropriate priority in Backlog
- Include estimate
- Ask clarifying questions if scope is unclear
Board Health Checks
Periodically verify:
- No tasks stuck in "In Progress" for multiple sessions
- "Blocked" items have clear questions
- Backlog is prioritized (P1 before P2)
- Done items have dates and PR links
- Estimates exist for P1 items
Integration with Development
This skill works alongside normal development:
- Don't ask permission to update TASKS.md - just do it
- Update incrementally - small updates as you go, not big batch at end
- Keep it current - the board should reflect reality at all times
- Surface blockers immediately - don't wait to move things to Blocked
Template: New TASKS.md
When creating for a new project:
# Tasks
**Project**: [Name]
**Last Updated**: [Today's date]
---
## In Progress
---
## Review
---
## Blocked
---
## Backlog
### P1 - Current Priority
### P2 - Next Up
### P3 - Later
---
## Done
---