12 pre-dev workflow skills + 4 research agents organized into Small Track (4 gates, <2 days) and Large Track (9 gates, 2+ days) for systematic feature planning with research-first approach.
The ring-pm-team plugin provides 12 pre-development planning skills and 4 research agents. Use them via Skill tool: "ring:gate-name".
Remember: Follow the ORCHESTRATOR principle from ring:using-ring. Dispatch pre-dev workflow to handle planning; plan thoroughly before coding.
Before you code, you plan. Every time.
Pre-dev workflow ensures:
Use when ALL criteria met:
| Gate | Skill | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | ring:pre-dev-research | research.md |
| 1 | ring:pre-dev-prd-creation | PRD.md |
| 2 | ring:pre-dev-trd-creation | TRD.md |
| 3 | ring:pre-dev-task-breakdown | tasks.md |
| 4 | ring:pre-dev-delivery-planning | delivery-roadmap.md, .json |
Planning time: 60-90 minutes
Use when ANY criteria met:
| Gate | Skill | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | ring:pre-dev-research | research.md |
| 1 | ring:pre-dev-prd-creation | PRD.md |
| 2 | ring:pre-dev-feature-map | feature-map.md |
| 3 | ring:pre-dev-trd-creation | TRD.md |
| 4 | ring:pre-dev-api-design | API.md |
| 5 | ring:pre-dev-data-model | data-model.md |
| 6 | ring:pre-dev-dependency-map | dependencies.md |
| 7 | ring:pre-dev-task-breakdown | tasks.md |
| 8 | ring:pre-dev-subtask-creation | subtasks/ |
| 9 | ring:pre-dev-delivery-planning | delivery-roadmap.md, .json |
Planning time: 2.5-5 hours
| Gate | Skill | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | ring:pre-dev-research | Parallel research: codebase patterns, best practices, framework docs |
| 1 | ring:pre-dev-prd-creation | Business requirements (WHAT/WHY), user stories, success metrics |
| 2 | ring:pre-dev-feature-map | Feature relationships, dependencies, deployment order (Large only) |
| 3 | ring:pre-dev-trd-creation | Technical architecture, technology-agnostic patterns |
| 4 | ring:pre-dev-api-design | API contracts, operations, error handling (Large only) |
| 5 | ring:pre-dev-data-model | Entities, relationships, ownership (Large only) |
| 6 | ring:pre-dev-dependency-map | Explicit tech choices, versions, licenses (Large only) |
| 7 | ring:pre-dev-task-breakdown | Value-driven tasks with success criteria |
| 8 | ring:pre-dev-subtask-creation | Zero-context 2-5 min implementation steps (Large only) |
| 9 | ring:pre-dev-delivery-planning | Delivery roadmap with timeline, critical path, resource allocation (MANDATORY for both tracks) |
| Agent | Focus |
|---|---|
ring:repo-research-analyst | Codebase patterns, docs/solutions/ knowledge base |
ring:best-practices-researcher | Web search, Context7 for best practices |
ring:framework-docs-researcher | Tech stack versions, official patterns |
Research Modes:
After planning and during execution, track progress:
| Skill | Command | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
ring:delivery-status | /ring:delivery-status | Evidence-based progress analysis against delivery roadmap |
What it does:
When to use:
Output: docs/pre-dev/{feature}/delivery-status-{date}.md
/ring:pre-dev-feature logout-button # Small track (5 gates)
/ring:pre-dev-full payment-system # Large track (10 gates)
Skill tool: "ring:pre-dev-prd-creation"
(Review output)
Skill tool: "ring:pre-dev-trd-creation"
(Review output)
docs/pre-dev/{feature}/
├── research.md # Gate 0
├── prd.md # Gate 1
├── feature-map.md # Gate 2 (large only)
├── trd.md # Gate 3
├── api-design.md # Gate 4 (large only)
├── data-model.md # Gate 5 (large only)
├── dependency-map.md # Gate 6 (large only)
├── tasks.md # Gate 7
└── subtasks/ # Gate 8 (large only)
When in doubt: Use Large Track. Better to over-plan than discover mid-implementation that feature is larger.
You can switch: If Small Track feature grows, pause and complete Large Track gates.
| Plugin | Use For |
|---|---|
| ring:using-ring (default) | ORCHESTRATOR principle for ALL tasks |
| ring:using-dev-team | Developer specialists for reviewing designs |
| ring:using-finops-team | Regulatory compliance planning |
| ring:using-tw-team | Documentation for features |
Combined with:
ring:execute-plan – Run tasks in batchesring:write-plan – Generate plan from scratch*-engineer – Specialist review of designring:codereview – Post-implementation review"I need to plan payment system. Let me run /ring:pre-dev-full, then dispatch ring:backend-engineer-golang to review the architecture."
"I'll start coding and plan as I go."
This skill is an orchestration/navigation skill for the pm-team plugin. It does NOT require WebFetch of language-specific standards.
However, when dispatching implementation agents (e.g., ring:backend-engineer-golang), those agents MUST load their respective standards via WebFetch before proceeding.
| Condition | Action | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| No project scope or feature defined | STOP and report to user | CRITICAL |
| User requests to skip all planning | STOP and report - planning is mandatory | CRITICAL |
| PRD/TRD already exists but user wants to start over | STOP and confirm user intent | HIGH |
| Unclear whether Small or Large Track applies | STOP and ask clarifying questions | MEDIUM |
| Missing prerequisite gate artifacts | STOP and complete previous gate first | HIGH |
These requirements are NON-NEGOTIABLE:
| Severity | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| CRITICAL | Blocks all progress, fundamental violation | Attempting to code without any planning artifacts |
| HIGH | Significant risk, must address before continuing | Skipping a mandatory gate in the workflow |
| MEDIUM | Quality impact, should address soon | Choosing wrong track (Small vs Large) |
| LOW | Minor issue, track for improvement | Incomplete gate documentation |
| User Says | Your Response |
|---|---|
| "Skip planning, just start coding" | "Cannot proceed. Planning prevents 10x rework cost. I'll start with ring:pre-dev-research to gather context first." |
| "We don't need PRD, requirements are obvious" | "Cannot skip PRD. 'Obvious' requirements cause scope creep. I'll create a focused PRD documenting what we're building and why." |
| "Use Small Track, we're in a hurry" | "Cannot compromise on track selection. If feature meets Large Track criteria, I MUST use Large Track. Shortcuts now = rework later." |
| "Skip research, we know the codebase" | "Cannot skip Gate 0. Research validates assumptions and finds existing patterns. Takes 30 mins, saves hours of reinvention." |
| "Just give me tasks, skip the architecture" | "Cannot skip TRD. Architecture decisions affect all tasks. I'll create TRD first to ensure tasks are correctly scoped." |
| Rationalization | Why It's WRONG | Required Action |
|---|---|---|
| "This feature is simple, skip planning" | Simple features still have requirements and architecture | Use at minimum Small Track (5 gates) |
| "We already know what to build" | Knowing ≠ documenting. Documentation prevents drift | Create PRD regardless of certainty |
| "Planning slows us down" | Unplanned work slows down 10x more during implementation | Complete all gates in sequence |
| "I can plan in my head while coding" | Mental planning isn't verifiable or shareable | Create written artifacts for each gate |
| "Previous similar feature didn't need this" | Each feature is independent. Past shortcuts don't justify current ones | Evaluate each feature independently |
| "User is experienced, they know what they want" | Experience doesn't replace systematic planning | Follow the workflow regardless |
Agents (4):
Skills (15):
Workflow Orchestrators:
Research & Discovery:
Requirements & Design:
Architecture & Contracts:
Task Planning & Delivery:
Post-Planning:
Note: Missing agents? Check .claude-plugin/marketplace.json for ring-pm-team plugin.
ring:brainstorm sufficesring:execute-plan or ring:dev-cycle instead)