/write-update -- Stakeholder Update

Draft a structured, audience-calibrated stakeholder update that surfaces progress, risks, and asks clearly. Combines status reporting with PM writing best practices.

Invocation

/write-update weekly status for the Search Redesign project
/write-update executive summary of Q1 product results for the VP
/write-update quick Slack update on onboarding experiment results
/write-update monthly progress report for the platform migration
/write-update                    # asks about your update needs

Workflow

Step 1: Gather Update Context

Accept context in any form:

• A project name and update type ("weekly update on checkout redesign")
• Raw notes, bullet points, or data dumps
• An uploaded document (meeting notes, sprint report, dashboard screenshot)
• A previous update to build on ("here's last week's update — what changed")

Ask conversationally to fill gaps:

1. What happened this period? Accomplishments, milestones hit, things shipped
2. Where do metrics stand? Key numbers, trends, comparison to targets
3. What's at risk or blocked? Problems, dependencies, things that need attention
4. What do you need from the reader? Decisions, resources, approvals, or nothing (FYI)
5. Who's the audience? Executive, manager, team, or mixed — this determines length and detail
6. What channel? Email, Slack, wiki, presentation — this determines format

If the user provides raw notes or data, synthesize and structure it rather than asking for more.

Step 2: Draft the Update

Apply the stakeholder-update skill to structure the content with the appropriate template — TL;DR, status, progress, metrics, risks, asks, and next steps. Calibrate detail level to the audience:

• Executive: 3-5 bullet points, outcome-focused, 30-second read
• Manager: 1 page, includes risks and asks, 2-minute read
• Team: Full update with all sections, detailed enough to act on

Step 3: Polish with Writing Best Practices

Apply the writer skill to refine the draft:

• Ensure the key message is in the first sentence
• Replace vague language with specific numbers and dates
• Format for scanning — headers, bullets, bold key info
• Match tone to the channel and audience
• Verify every ask has an owner and deadline

Present the polished update and offer:

• "Want me to create a shorter version for a different audience (e.g., executive summary)?"
• "Should I draft a Slack version of this email update?"
• "Want me to highlight what changed since the last update?"
• "Should I save this as a template for next week?"

Save the update as a markdown file using the format YYYY-MM-DD-project-update.md (e.g., 2025-03-15-search-redesign-update.md).

Notes

• If the user provides last week's update, use it as a baseline and highlight what changed
• For bad news updates, lead with the problem and immediately follow with the plan — never bury bad news
• If metrics are missing, note what should be tracked and suggest adding them for next time
• Consistency is key — encourage the user to send updates on the same day and time each period
• Offer to create both a detailed team version and a condensed executive version from the same information