← Back to main article

The planning phase before any code was written. These 6 commits show the /implementable skill transforming a 95KB monolith into executable session-sized chunks.

3 hours from first commit to implementation start.


Planning Commits (Chronological)

Date Commit Description
2026-01-07 11:08 ff4a5cb First commit
The 95KB PLANNING.md monolith. 2500 lines covering everything from Django config to AI integration. Comprehensive but not executable.
2026-01-07 11:22 7ba7f84 Reorganise into modular phase structure
Split monolith into 7 focused phase documents. Added WORKFLOW.md explaining how to use Claude Code with the plans. First major restructure.
2026-01-07 11:56 2f20128 Split Phase 8 into 8A and 8B
AI integration was too big for one phase. 8A: infrastructure setup. 8B: feature implementation. Recognised that even phases need subdividing.
2026-01-07 12:18 37523a2 Improve plan structure for Claude Code workflow
Split combined frontend phases into separate React and Legacy phases. Added Session Scope tables. Explicit test tasks for larger phases. Now 10 phases.
2026-01-07 13:20 688b06e Add checkpoint sections to all phases
"Checkpoint (End of Phase)" sections for quick verification before moving on. Explicit test task added to Phase 5.
2026-01-07 14:10 f5e7b65 Add mid-session checkpoints and troubleshooting
Final refinement. Verification checkpoints after each session, troubleshooting sections, Phase 8B split into 6 sessions. Ready to implement.

What Changed

Iteration Change
1 -> 2 Monolith split into 7 phase documents + WORKFLOW.md
2 -> 3 Phase 8 split into 8A (infra) and 8B (features)
3 -> 4 Combined phases split (4-5, 6-7 -> 4, 5, 6, 7). Session Scope tables added.
4 -> 5 Checkpoint sections added to all phases
5 -> 6 Mid-session checkpoints, troubleshooting sections, Phase 8B expanded to 6 sessions

Timeline

  • 11:08 - First commit (monolith)
  • 14:10 - Final planning commit
  • 14:28 - Phase 1 Session A begins

The implementable skill doesn't just validate - it iteratively reshapes the plan until every session fits a context window.