sdd:add-task

neolabhq/context-engineering-kit · updated Apr 8, 2026

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$npx skills add https://github.com/neolabhq/context-engineering-kit --skill sdd:add-task
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summary

Your role is to create a draft task file that exactly matches the user's request.

skill.md

Create Draft Task File

Role

Your role is to create a draft task file that exactly matches the user's request.

Goal

Create a task file in .specs/tasks/draft/ with:

  • Clear, action-oriented title (verb + specific description)
  • Appropriate type classification (feature/bug/refactor/test/docs/chore/ci)
  • Correct dependencies if any
  • Useful description preserving user intent
  • Correct file name

Input

  • User Input: The task description/title provided by the user (passed as argument)
  • Target Directory: Default is .specs/tasks/draft/

Instructions

1. Ensure Directory Structure

Run the folder creation script to create task directories and configure gitignore:

bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/create-folders.sh

This creates:

  • .specs/tasks/draft/ - New tasks awaiting analysis
  • .specs/tasks/todo/ - Tasks ready to implement
  • .specs/tasks/in-progress/ - Currently being worked on
  • .specs/tasks/done/ - Completed tasks
  • .specs/scratchpad/ - Temporary working files (gitignored)

2. Analyze Input

  1. Parse the user's request:

    • Extract the core task objective
    • Identify implied type (bug, feature, task)
    • List of task files that this task depends on
  2. Clarify if ambiguous (only if truly unclear):

    • Is this a bug fix or new feature?
    • Any related tasks or dependencies? (if not proided, then assume none)

3. Structure the Task

  1. Create action-oriented title:

    • Start with verb: Add, Fix, Update, Implement, Remove, Refactor
    • Be specific but concise
    • Examples:
      • "Add validation to login form"
      • "Fix null pointer in user service"
      • "Implement caching for API responses"
  2. Determine type:

    Type Use When
    feature New functionality or capability
    bug Something is broken or not working correctly
    refactor Code restructuring without changing behavior
    test Adding or updating tests
    docs Documentation changes only
    chore Maintenance tasks, dependency updates
    ci CI/CD configuration changes

4. Generate File Name

  1. Create short name from the task title:

    • Lowercase the title
    • Replace spaces with hyphens
    • Remove special characters
    • Keep it concise (3-5 words max)
    • Example: "Add validation to login form" -> add-validation-login-form
  2. Form file name: <short-name>.<issue-type>.md

    • Examples:
      • add-validation-login-form.feature.md
      • fix-null-pointer-user-service.bug.md
      • restructure-auth-module.refactor.md
      • add-unit-tests-api.test.md
      • update-readme.docs.md
      • upgrade-dependencies.chore.md
      • add-github-actions.ci.md
  3. Verify uniqueness: Check .specs/tasks/draft/, .specs/tasks/todo/, .specs/tasks/in-progress/, and .specs/tasks/done/ for existing files with same name

5. Create Task File

Use Write tool to create .specs/tasks/todo/<short-name>.<issue-type>.md:

---
title: <ACTION-ORIENTED TITLE>
depends_on: <list of task files that this task depends on>
---

## Initial User Prompt

{EXACT user input as provided}

## Description

// Will be filled in future stages by business analyst

Constraints

  • Do NOT invoke the plan skill - the workflow handles subsequent phases
  • Do NOT create files outside .specs/tasks/draft/
  • Do NOT modify existing task files
  • Do NOT write description, only put // ... placeholder as specified in the task file.
  • Do NOT write depends_on section if no dependencies are provided.

Expected Output

Return to the orchestrator:

  1. Task file path: Full path to created file (e.g., .specs/tasks/todo/add-validation-login-form.feature.md)
  2. Generated title: The action-oriented title created
  3. Issue type: task, bug, or feature

Format:

Created task file: .specs/tasks/draft/<name>.<type>.md
Title: <action-oriented title>
Type: <task|bug|feature>
Depends on: <list of task files that this task depends on>

Success Criteria

  • Directories .specs/tasks/draft/, .specs/tasks/todo/, .specs/tasks/in-progress/, .specs/tasks/done/ exist
  • Task file created in .specs/tasks/draft/ with correct naming convention (<name>.<type>.md)
  • File name is unique across all status folders (no overwriting existing files)
  • Depends on section is correct if dependencies are provided
  • Title starts with action verb (Add, Fix, Implement, Update, Remove, Refactor)
  • Type is correctly classified and reflected in file extension (.feature.md, .bug.md, .refactor.md, .test.md, .docs.md, .chore.md, .ci.md)
  • Original user input preserved in "Initial User Prompt" section
  • Description is empty placeholder // Will be filled in future stages by business analyst

Examples

Test task (.specs/tasks/draft/add-unit-tests-auth.test.md):

---
title: Add unit tests for auth module
---

## Initial User Prompt

add tests for auth

## Description

// Will be filled in future stages by business analyst

Bug with context (.specs/tasks/draft/fix-login-timeout.bug.md):

---
title: Fix login timeout on slow connections
---

## Initial User Prompt

users getting 504 errors on slow wifi

## Description

// Will be filled in future stages by business analyst

Feature request (.specs/tasks/draft/implement-dark-mode.feature.md):

---
title: Implement dark mode toggle
---

## Initial User Prompt

add dark mode to settings page

## Description

// Will be filled in future stages by business analyst
how to use sdd:add-task

How to use sdd:add-task on Cursor

AI-first code editor with Composer

1

Prerequisites

Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:

  • Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
  • Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with node --version)
  • Active project directory or workspace where you want to add sdd:add-task
2

Execute installation command

Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:

$npx skills add https://github.com/neolabhq/context-engineering-kit --skill sdd:add-task

The skills CLI fetches sdd:add-task from GitHub repository neolabhq/context-engineering-kit and configures it for Cursor.

3

Select Cursor when prompted

The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:

◆ Which agents do you want to install to?
│ ── Universal (.agents/skills) ── always included ────
│ • Amp
│ • Antigravity
│ • Cline
│ • Codex
│ ●Cursor(selected)
│ • Cursor
│ • Windsurf
4

Verify installation

Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:

.cursor/skills/sdd:add-task

Reload or restart Cursor to activate sdd:add-task. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /sdd:add-task) or your agent's skill management interface.

Security & Verification Notice

We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.

Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.

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Use Cases

User Story & Requirements Generation

Create detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, and feature specs

Example

Generate user stories for 'password reset feature' with acceptance criteria, edge cases, and test scenarios

Reduce spec writing time by 50%, ensure comprehensive coverage

Competitive Analysis

Research competitors, compare features, identify gaps

Example

Analyze 5 competitor products, create feature comparison matrix, suggest differentiation opportunities

Complete competitive research in 2 hours instead of 2 days

Roadmap Prioritization

Evaluate features using frameworks (RICE, ICE, Kano) and create prioritized backlogs

Example

Score 20 feature ideas using RICE framework, generate prioritized roadmap with rationale

Make data-driven prioritization decisions faster

Stakeholder Communication

Draft PRDs, status updates, and stakeholder presentations

Example

Create executive summary of Q3 roadmap, monthly progress report, feature launch announcement

Save 3-5 hours/week on communication overhead

Implementation Guide

Prerequisites

  • Claude Desktop or compatible AI client
  • Access to product documentation and roadmap tools (Jira, Notion, etc.)
  • Understanding of product management frameworks (RICE, Jobs-to-be-Done, etc.)
  • Stakeholder contact information and communication channels

Time Estimate

30-60 minutes to see productivity improvements

Installation Steps

  1. 1.Install product management skill
  2. 2.Start with user story generation for known feature
  3. 3.Progress to competitive analysis: research 2-3 competitors
  4. 4.Use for roadmap prioritization: apply RICE/ICE scoring
  5. 5.Draft stakeholder communications and refine based on feedback
  6. 6.Build template library for recurring PM tasks
  7. 7.Share effective prompts with product team

Common Pitfalls

  • Not validating competitive research—verify facts before sharing
  • Accepting user stories without involving engineering team
  • Over-relying on frameworks without qualitative judgment
  • Not customizing outputs to company culture and communication style
  • Skipping stakeholder validation of generated requirements

Best Practices

✓ Do

  • +Validate research and competitive analysis with real data
  • +Collaborate with engineering when generating technical requirements
  • +Customize frameworks and templates to your company context
  • +Use skill for first drafts, refine with stakeholder input
  • +Document successful prompt patterns for PM tasks
  • +Combine AI efficiency with human judgment and intuition

✗ Don't

  • Don't publish competitive analysis without fact-checking
  • Don't finalize user stories without engineering review
  • Don't make prioritization decisions solely on AI scoring
  • Don't skip customer validation of generated requirements
  • Don't ignore company-specific context and culture

💡 Pro Tips

  • Provide context: company goals, constraints, customer feedback
  • Ask for alternatives: 'Show 3 ways to prioritize this roadmap'
  • Request stakeholder-specific formatting: 'Executive summary vs. engineering spec'
  • Use skill for 70% generation + 30% customization to company needs

When to Use This

✓ Use When

Use for user story writing, competitive research, roadmap prioritization, stakeholder communication, and PRD drafting. Best for reducing repetitive documentation and research work.

✗ Avoid When

Avoid for strategic product vision (requires deep customer empathy), pricing decisions (needs market and financial expertise), or when face-to-face customer discovery is more valuable than speed.

Learning Path

  1. 1Basic: user stories, feature specs, status updates
  2. 2Intermediate: competitive analysis, prioritization frameworks, PRDs
  3. 3Advanced: product strategy, go-to-market planning, OKR setting
  4. 4Expert: product vision, market positioning, business model innovation

Discussion

Product Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)
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general reviews

Ratings

4.631 reviews
  • Aanya Shah· Dec 24, 2024

    Keeps context tight: sdd:add-task is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.

  • Ganesh Mohane· Dec 16, 2024

    sdd:add-task reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.

  • Sophia Chen· Nov 15, 2024

    sdd:add-task has been reliable in day-to-day use. Documentation quality is above average for community skills.

  • Sakshi Patil· Nov 7, 2024

    I recommend sdd:add-task for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.

  • William Flores· Nov 7, 2024

    sdd:add-task fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.

  • Yash Thakker· Nov 3, 2024

    We added sdd:add-task from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.

  • Chaitanya Patil· Oct 26, 2024

    Useful defaults in sdd:add-task — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.

  • Hiroshi Martinez· Oct 26, 2024

    We added sdd:add-task from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.

  • Dhruvi Jain· Oct 22, 2024

    sdd:add-task fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.

  • Sophia Nasser· Oct 6, 2024

    Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: sdd:add-task is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.

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