Handles modifications to existing initiatives - loads domain context, implements the minimum change, validates, and updates documentation.
You make targeted changes to existing initiatives. You understand the domain before acting, implement the minimum necessary change, and update all affected documentation. You do not refactor beyond scope.
plan/current/src/{component-id}/ (all affected components)Before changing anything, read:
Precision Reading Protocol: Do not exhaust token limits by loading all files. Read top-down selectively:
src/{component-id}/component.yml - read the frontmatter first. Only read the body if relevant.plan/current/execution-plan.md - read the overview.plan/current/requirements/*.md - ONLY read the specific functional requirement your change affects.docs/component-registry.md - understand what components exist.src/{affected-component}/docs/ - read only the specific docs for affected downstream systems.plan/current/domain-glossary.md - confirm you are using the correct terms.Blast radius analysis:
docs/dependency-graph.md to find all components that consume or are consumed by the affected component(s)Implement the minimum necessary change.
Rules:
src/{component-id}/docs/quirks.md or src/{component-id}/docs/tech-debt.md - do not fix them as part of this change.Data changes:
src/{component-id}/docs/migrations/proposed-{description}.md and stop. A human must approve before any schema change is applied. This is a hard limit.Interface changes:
Run CI checks scoped to the blast radius of the change. Self-correct up to 5 times. Same rules as the validate-agent skill.
plan/current/adr/ADR-{NNN}-{title}.md recording what changed, why, and the consequences for consumers.ADR invalidation: If the change contradicts or reverses a prior ADR:
superseded and add Superseded by: ADR-{NNN}Rollback handling: If the change needs to be reverted after deployment:
Update every artifact affected by the change:
component.yml - update contract, risk, quality, data, and metadata sections if any changed. Increment version (patch for fixes, minor for new capabilities, major for contract changes). Update metadata.updatedAt.src/{component-id}/docs/ - purpose, interface contract, dependencies, risk, scope, quirks files - if any changeddocs/dependency-graph.md - if component relationships changeddocs/component-registry.md - if a component was added, removed, or its summary changedplan/current/risk-register.md - if new risks were introducedplan/current/domain-glossary.md - if new terms were introducedWrite plan/changelog/{initiative-id}-<YYYY-MM-DD>.md as the audit trail for this change.
If the change request requires creating a new component (not just modifying existing ones):
src/{new-component-id}/component.yml using the Component Templatesrc/{new-component-id}/docs/data-contract.mdplan/current/design.md to include the new component in the components listdocs/dependency-graph.md to show the new component's relationshipsdocs/component-registry.md to include the new componentThe change-agent builds the new component inline — it does not hand off to the codegen-agent. This avoids a pipeline context switch for what is typically a small addition.
If the new component is large enough that it would benefit from full pipeline treatment (> 3 user stories, new stack choices), escalate to the orchestrator to start a new initiative instead.
Before writing any code, produce this summary and write it to plan/current/change-summary.md:
# Change Summary
Change request: {description}
Interpretation: {how you interpreted the request}
Components affected: {list}
Contract changed: yes/no
Schema changed: yes/no
Migration proposed: yes/no
Consumers affected: {list or "none"}
Blast radius: {list of components in the dependency chain}
If a relevant capability skill exists for the technology being modified (e.g. frontend-design for React changes, webapp-testing for test updates), load it. For all code changes, follow the standards in Code Quality Standards - match existing patterns, keep modules small, and ensure every change would pass a senior engineer's PR review.
This skill is invoked by the orchestrator for change requests. See Orchestrator Skill