Use when creating a plan using Plan model and enhancing structured design plans in Cursor Plan mode for Java implementations. Use when the user wants to create a plan, design an implementation, structure a development plan, or use plan mode for outside-in TDD, feature implementation, or refactoring work. Part of the skills-for-java project
76
69%
Does it follow best practices?
Impact
Pending
No eval scenarios have been run
Passed
No known issues
Optimize this skill with Tessl
npx tessl skill review --optimize ./skills/041-planning-plan-mode/SKILL.mdQuality
Discovery
82%Based on the skill's description, can an agent find and select it at the right time? Clear, specific descriptions lead to better discovery.
The description has strong trigger term coverage and good completeness with explicit 'Use when' clauses. However, it lacks specificity about what concrete outputs or actions the skill performs (e.g., what does a 'plan' look like, what structure does it produce?). The broad planning and implementation terms create moderate overlap risk with other development-related skills.
Suggestions
Add concrete actions describing what the skill produces, e.g., 'Generates step-by-step implementation plans with file-level task breakdowns, dependency ordering, and test-first design structure'
Improve distinctiveness by clarifying what differentiates this from general Java coding or refactoring skills, e.g., specifying the plan format, the Plan model structure, or how it integrates with Cursor Plan mode specifically
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Specificity | The description names the domain (Java implementations, Cursor Plan mode) and mentions some actions like 'creating a plan', 'enhancing structured design plans', 'outside-in TDD', 'feature implementation', 'refactoring work', but these are more categories of work than concrete specific actions. It doesn't list what the skill actually produces or does in detail (e.g., generates plan documents, creates step-by-step implementation outlines, etc.). | 2 / 3 |
Completeness | The description explicitly answers both 'what' (creating and enhancing structured design plans in Cursor Plan mode for Java implementations) and 'when' (multiple 'Use when' clauses covering plan creation, implementation design, development plan structuring, and specific methodologies like outside-in TDD). The explicit trigger guidance is present. | 3 / 3 |
Trigger Term Quality | Good coverage of natural trigger terms users would say: 'create a plan', 'design an implementation', 'development plan', 'plan mode', 'TDD', 'feature implementation', 'refactoring', 'Java'. These are terms users would naturally use when requesting planning assistance for Java development. | 3 / 3 |
Distinctiveness Conflict Risk | While it specifies Java and Cursor Plan mode which narrows the scope, terms like 'create a plan', 'design an implementation', and 'refactoring work' are quite broad and could overlap with general planning skills, Java coding skills, or refactoring-specific skills. The 'Cursor Plan mode' and 'Plan model' specificity helps but the broad trigger terms create some conflict risk. | 2 / 3 |
Total | 10 / 12 Passed |
Implementation
57%Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.
This skill has good progressive disclosure and reasonable constraints, but falls short on actionability by deferring nearly all concrete examples and templates to the reference file without providing even a minimal inline example. The workflow is present but implicit rather than explicitly sequenced, and the 'When to use this skill' section is verbose with redundant trigger phrases.
Suggestions
Add an inline example of the YAML frontmatter and at least a skeleton plan structure so the skill is actionable without requiring the reference file
Convert the implicit workflow into an explicit numbered sequence (e.g., 1. Run `date` 2. Enter Plan mode 3. Ask 1-2 context questions 4. Validate summary 5. Wait for 'proceed' 6. Generate plan) with clear checkpoints
Trim the 'When to use this skill' list to 3-4 distinct triggers and remove near-duplicates like 'Create a plan' / 'Write a plan' / 'Structure a development plan'
| Dimension | Reasoning | Score |
|---|---|---|
Conciseness | Mostly efficient but includes some unnecessary content like the 'What is covered in this Skill?' section which largely duplicates the constraints and reference material. The 'When to use this skill' section lists many near-synonymous trigger phrases that add little value. | 2 / 3 |
Actionability | Provides concrete constraints (run `date`, ask questions one at a time, validate summary before proceeding) but lacks executable examples—no sample YAML frontmatter, no example plan snippet, no Mermaid diagram example. The actual actionable content is deferred to the reference file. | 2 / 3 |
Workflow Clarity | The workflow steps are implied (gather context → ask questions → validate summary → get confirmation → generate plan → update status) but not explicitly sequenced with numbered steps or validation checkpoints. The constraint about never advancing without updating Status is good but the overall multi-step process lacks a clear ordered sequence with feedback loops. | 2 / 3 |
Progressive Disclosure | Clean structure with a concise overview pointing to a single reference file for detailed guidance. One level deep, clearly signaled with a link. Appropriate split between overview and detailed content. | 3 / 3 |
Total | 9 / 12 Passed |
Validation
100%Checks the skill against the spec for correct structure and formatting. All validation checks must pass before discovery and implementation can be scored.
Validation — 11 / 11 Passed
Validation for skill structure
No warnings or errors.
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Table of Contents
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