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Project management methodology based on Louder Than Ten (LT10) principles for client services, creative agencies, and construction projects. Use when the user needs guidance on estimation (ROM, 90th percentile, red flags), scoping (product vs project scope, scope creep management), pricing (burn rate, rate calculations), scheduling (buffers, Gantt, timeboxing), risk management (red flags, mitigation), stakeholder alignment (communication plans, RACI), change control, methodology selection (Waterfall, Agile, Scrum, Kanban, Hybrid/Agifall), team dynamics, and professional development. Trigger this skill for ANY project management question — how to estimate, how to price a project, how to handle scope creep, when to use agile vs waterfall, how to run meetings, how to deal with a difficult stakeholder, how to write a SOW, or how to protect scope. Also trigger when Travis is scoping Assembly pilot engagements, pricing co-op work, planning sprints, estimating house construction phases, or asks about any project management concept even casually. Applies to digital projects, house construction, and any complex multi-stakeholder initiative.
npx claudepluginhub design-machines-studio/depot --plugin project-managerHow this skill is triggered — by the user, by Claude, or both
Slash command
/project-manager:lt10The summary Claude sees in its skill listing — used to decide when to auto-load this skill
Human-centered PM approach emphasizing realistic estimation, stakeholder alignment, and adaptive methodology selection.
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Human-centered PM approach emphasizing realistic estimation, stakeholder alignment, and adaptive methodology selection.
1. Get 90th percentile LOW-HIGH range (internal)
2. Score red flags per section (1-5 scale)
3. Calculate: ((High - Low) × RedFlag%) + Low = Midpoint
4. Present MIDPOINT (~68% confidence) to client with red flags visible
Remember: 90th percentile high is your ceiling, NOT your quote.
| Unit | Estimate With? | Bill With? |
|---|---|---|
| Days | ✅ Yes (internal) | ❌ No |
| Sprints/Weeks | Project length | ✅ Yes (to clients) |
| Hourly | ❌ No | ❌ Avoid |
Workflow: Estimate in days → Convert to sprints → Present sprints to client
| Type | What It Is | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Business | Stakeholders change mind/priorities | Document everything, Mystery Voices clause |
| Effort | Wheels spinning, no progress | Remove blockers, get help |
| Hope | Lying that you'll meet deadline | Speak up early, be honest |
| Feature | Adding unrequested extras | Say no, defer to phase 2 |
| Situation | Use |
|---|---|
| Fixed scope, clear requirements | Waterfall |
| Unclear requirements, need flexibility | Agile |
| Visual progress, ongoing work | Kanban |
| Complex stakeholders, phased approach | Agifall (Hybrid) |
When scope creep appears:
"I'll check with the team on impact. This may add time and budget—are you okay with that?"
When rejecting a request:
"Looking at the data, I don't think X makes sense. Want to discuss alternatives?"
When estimate is challenged:
"This includes buffer for unknowns. Reducing it means accepting more risk. Are you comfortable with that trade-off?"
When feedback is slow:
"I haven't heard back on X and it's blocking progress. Can we get 15 minutes to review?"
Load specific reference files based on user needs:
| Topic | Reference File | When to Load |
|---|---|---|
| Estimation | ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/estimation.md | 90th percentile, PERT, red flags formula, ranges |
| Scoping | ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/scoping.md | Product vs project scope, WBS, creep types |
| Pricing | ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/pricing.md | Burn rate, utilization, rate calculations |
| Scheduling | ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/scheduling.md | Gantt, buffers, capacity, timeboxing |
| Methodology | ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/methodology.md | Waterfall, Agile, Scrum, Kanban, Agifall |
| Stakeholders | ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/stakeholders.md | RACI, communication, alignment |
| Change Control | ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/change-control.md | Change requests, feedback processing |
| Risk | ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/risk.md | Red flags, mitigation, project health |
| Scripts | ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/scripts.md | Communication scripts for situations |
| Worked Examples | ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/worked-examples.md | Detailed examples with calculations |
| Vocabulary | ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/vocabulary.md | Term definitions |
The LT10 Manifesto:
What PM Really Is:
What PM Is NOT:
Goal Alignment
Misaligned ←────────→ Aligned
│
Low Risk │ Can Develop │ NURTURE
(top) │ (not bad) │ (seek these)
────────────┼────────────────┼────────────
High Risk │ AVOID │ SINISTER TRAP
(bottom) │ (guaranteed │ (tempting but
│ failure) │ riddled with
│ │ red flags)
Bottom right is most dangerous: Projects that appear aligned but have major red flags.
Never sell solutions before understanding the problem.
Legal document outlining all pieces of project including product scope.
The Tragedy of Cementing Early Scope: 98% of firms badly underestimate projects because SOW locks in fixed price AND fixed schedule before adequate research.
"Think of every minute of a meeting as a crisp dollar bill burning at the corners."
| Type | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Status/Progress | 10-15 min | Where were we, are we, will we be? |
| Information Sharing | Varies | Knowledge transfer |
| Problem Solving | Allow room | Conflict resolution, alignment |
| Decision Making | Keep tight | Determine actionables |
| Team Building | Schedule regularly | Strengthen teams, build trust |
| Creative/Inventive | Book lots of time | Test ideas, deepen understanding |
High Impact
│
Do First │ Do Second
(Quick │ (Major
Wins) │ Projects)
─────────────┼─────────────
Do Third │ Don't Do
(Fill-ins)│ (Time Sinks)
│
Low Impact
Low Effort ──────── High Effort
Forming → Storming → Norming → Performing → Adjourning
PM is accountable to team for time, budget, and resources they need. Don't throw team under bus for impossible deadlines.
Brooks's Law: Adding resources late makes project later.
QA Budget: Minimum 15% of development budget for testing.
Position incoming work as dedicated project with own budget and timeline for ongoing revenue with clear boundaries.
"There are no heroes in PM. If you don't care for yourself, you become the self-sacrificing toxic teammate."
Top priority: Physical, mental, emotional health. If you come last, you cannot be effective.
| Topic | Related Sections |
|---|---|
| Estimation | → Red Flags, → Change Control, → Pricing |
| Scope Creep | → Change Control, → Stakeholder Management, → Scripts |
| Methodology | → Scheduling, → Estimation, → Team Dynamics |
| Capacity | → Scheduling, → Resourcing, → Project Health |
| Risk | → Red Flags, → Estimation, → Buffer Guidelines |
See ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/ for detailed content:
${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/estimation.md - Complete estimation framework${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/scoping.md - Scope management and creep prevention${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/pricing.md - Financial health and rate calculations${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/scheduling.md - Timeline and capacity planning${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/methodology.md - Methodology selection guide${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/stakeholders.md - Stakeholder management${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/change-control.md - Change request processing${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/risk.md - Risk identification and mitigation${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/scripts.md - Communication scripts${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/worked-examples.md - Detailed worked examples${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/references/vocabulary.md - PM terminology definitions