deep-plan

autoworker:deep-plan — Structured Deep Discussion (Inside Plan Mode)

Invoke immediately after entering Plan Mode. Ensures discussion depth through 5 structured phases, producing a structured plan file for autoworker:subtask-init to extract from.

Core idea: Plan depth determines the quality ceiling of the execution chain. autoworker:subtask-init extracts from the plan file, autoworker:subtask-plan derives the verification plan from it. If the discussion is shallow, the entire chain — no matter how well-structured — is verifying an insufficiently thought-through solution.

Execution Flow

Phase 1: Motivation Exploration

Goal: Understand what problem the user truly needs to solve, rather than rushing to think about how.

Pre-action: Check if the project has a task_plan.md. If so, read the overall goals and phase list; subsequent questioning should address the relationship to the overall plan.

Questioning approach (use AskUserQuestion, 2-3 questions per round):

1. Why do this? Do not accept tautological answers like "because we need X". Probe to root causes at the business/experience/efficiency level.
2. Relationship to overall goal? (when task_plan exists) Which phase does this correspond to? Is it planned or ad-hoc? If ad-hoc, why is it higher priority than planned phases?
3. What if we don't do it? What's the worst consequence? Can we tolerate it? The lighter the consequence, the simpler the solution should be.
4. Is this really needed? Is there a simpler way (don't do it, do it manually, approach from a different angle)?

Anti-patterns:

• User says "add caching" → immediately designing cache solution → should first ask "why is it slow?"
• User says "refactor to X" → immediately designing X architecture → should first ask "what problem does refactoring solve?"
• User gives detailed solution → skip motivation and discuss implementation → the solution might be the user's guess, not optimal

Depth gate: Motivation expressible in 1-3 clear sentences (WHY + consequence of not doing it). Can't write it = don't understand it = keep asking.

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Phase 2: Assumption Challenge

Goal: Make implicit assumptions explicit and challenge each one.

Steps:

1. List assumptions: Extract all implicit premises from Phase 1 discussion

   • Technical assumptions (API available, data format stable, dependencies reliable...)
   • Requirement assumptions (user actually needs this, frequency is high enough, priority is correct...)
   • Environment assumptions (has GPU, network works, permissions sufficient...)

2. Challenge each one (AskUserQuestion):

   • "You assumed X — what happens if X doesn't hold?"
   • "Can this assumption be verified? With what command?"
   • "Is there anything you consider 'obviously true' but haven't actually confirmed?"

3. Explore code (Glob/Grep/Read):

   • When assumptions involve existing code, actually read the code to confirm — don't rely on memory

Depth gate: Each assumption either has a verification method (one-line command) or is flagged as risk ("cannot pre-verify, monitor during execution").

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Phase 3: Solution Derivation

Goal: Derive solution from motivation, not apply from experience.

Steps:

1. Start from motivation: What's the minimum-change solution to the problem confirmed in Phase 1?
2. At least 1 alternative: What are the trade-offs of different approaches?
3. Use AskUserQuestion for user to choose: Present solution comparison, let user decide based on trade-offs

Solution review — four questions (any unsatisfactory → redesign):

0. Is the direction right? Derived from problem essence, or pattern-matched from similar scenarios?
1. Is the abstraction level right? Does the caller naturally possess this capability, letting us do only structured operations?
2. 10x robustness: Still robust if input diversity increases 10x? Can enumeration scale?
3. Does a simpler solution exist? Same effect, less code/assumptions?

Depth gate: User explicitly chose a solution + can articulate the reason.

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Phase 4: Acceptance Criteria

Goal: Define how to judge "done", giving the execution phase clear expectations.

Steps (AskUserQuestion):

1. Categorized discussion:

   • Quantitative (data precision, performance, coverage): specific values + tolerance
   • Behavioral (workflow changes, instruction files): "Scenario X → expected behavior Y"

2. Every metric must have a measurement method:

   • Quantitative: what command to test? Expected output?
   • Behavioral: how to simulate the scenario? How to observe behavior?

3. Confirm completeness with user:

   • "Besides these metrics, what other situation counts as 'not done'?"
   • "If all these metrics pass, will you accept it?"

Depth gate: Every metric can directly become an L4 test case (has input, has operation steps, has expected output).

Standard for "discussed thoroughly": Goals, motivation, core assumptions, acceptance criteria all clear — during execution, when actual results deviate, you can logically analyze the cause rather than guess blindly.

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Phase 5: Plan Output

Goal: Consolidate Phase 1-4 discussion output into the plan file.

95% confidence self-check: If you write the plan now and the user accepts it, would they overturn it due to misunderstanding? No = ready to output. Yes = return to the relevant Phase and continue discussing.

Plan file format (fixed structure, autoworker:subtask-init extracts by section):

# Plan: <task name>

## task_plan Positioning
Corresponds to Phase: <Phase number and name from task_plan.md, or "N/A" if no task_plan>
Position in overall plan: <dependencies, what completing this unlocks>

## Motivation
<1-3 sentences: WHY + consequence of not doing it>

## Core Assumptions
| Assumption | What if wrong | Verification method |
|-----------|---------------|-------------------|

## Design Decisions
| Decision point | Choice | Alternative | Reason for choice |
|---------------|--------|-------------|-------------------|

## Acceptance Criteria
| Metric | Type | Measurement (command) | Expected value/range | Tolerance |
|--------|------|----------------------|---------------------|-----------|

## Implementation Plan

### Phase 1: <phase name>
- ...

### Phase 2: ...

## Verification
L1: <specific items>
L2: <specific items>
L3: <specific items>
L4: <specific items>

## Files Involved
| # | File | Change type |
|---|------|------------|

Write: Write the above content to the plan file (path specified in Plan Mode system message).

Output:

Plan complete:
- Motivation: <one sentence>
- Assumptions: <N> (<M> have verification methods)
- Solution: <chosen solution> (compared <K> alternatives)
- Acceptance criteria: <N> (quantitative <X> / behavioral <Y>)
- Phases: <N>
→ ExitPlanMode

Then immediately call ExitPlanMode.

Key Constraints

• Each Phase has a depth gate: Can't pass = don't proceed to next Phase, return to current one
• Don't skip Phases: Even if the user gave very detailed requirements, still go through each (Phase 1-2 may be quick, but can't skip)
• Questioning is not adversarial: The goal is to help the user think clearly, not to grill them. But "I agree with everything you said" is not good discussion
• Use AskUserQuestion: Don't self-answer in your output — actually ask the user
• Explore code: For assumptions/solutions involving existing code in Phase 2-3, use Glob/Grep/Read to actually confirm

Forbidden

• Using assumptions instead of questions ("I assume you want X" → should ask "X or Y?")
• Outputting a complete solution in the first round
• Moving to Phase 5 after only one round of questions
• Phase 4 writing "no quantitative metrics" without behavioral metrics as substitute (at minimum, have behavioral metrics)