Break a plan into independently-grabbable issues using vertical slices (tracer bullets).
The issue tracker and triage label vocabulary should already be provided to you—if not, run /setup-matt-pocock-skills。
Process
1. Gather context
Start from what is already in the conversation context. If the user passes an issue reference (issue number, URL, or path) as an argument, fetch it from the issue tracker and read its full body and comments.
2. Explore the codebase (optional)
If you have not already explored the codebase, do so to understand the current state of the code. Issue titles and descriptions should use the project's domain glossary vocabulary and respect ADRs in the area you are touching.
3. Draft vertical slices
Break the plan intotracer bulletissues. Each issue is a thin vertical slice that cuts end-to-end through all integration layers, not a horizontal slice of one layer.
Slices can be "HITL" or "AFK". HITL slices require human interaction, such as architectural decisions or design reviews. AFK slices can be implemented and merged without human interaction. Prefer AFK over HITL where possible.
4. Ask the user
Present the proposed breakdown as a numbered list. For each slice, show:
- Title: a short descriptive name
- Type：HITL / AFK
- Blocked by: which other slices (if any) must be completed first
- User stories covered: which user stories this addresses (if the source material has them)
Ask the user:
- Does the granularity feel right? (too coarse/too fine)
- Are the dependencies correct?
- Should any slices be merged or split further?
- Are the right slices marked as HITL and AFK?
Iterate until the user approves the breakdown.
5. Publish the issues to the issue tracker
For each approved slice, publish a new issue to the issue tracker. Use the issue body template below. These issues are considered ready for AFK agents, so publish them with the correct triage label unless otherwise instructed.
Publish issues in dependency order (blockers first) so that you can reference real issue identifiers in the "Blocked by" field.
A reference to the parent issue on the issue tracker (if the source is an existing issue, otherwise omit this section).
What to build
A concise description of this vertical slice. Describe the end-to-end behavior, not a layer-by-layer implementation.
Avoid specific file paths or code snippets—they quickly go stale. Exception: if a prototype produced a snippet that encodes a decision more precisely than prose (state machine, reducer, schema, type shape), inline it here and briefly note that it came from the prototype. Trim to the decision-rich parts—not a working demo, just the important parts.
Acceptance criteria
- Criterion 1
- Criterion 2
- Criterion 3
Blocked by
- A reference to the blocking ticket (if any)
Or "None - can start immediately" if there are no blockers.
Do not close or modify any parent issue.