story-splitting

What this skill does

# Story Splitting Expert

Expert at detecting when work is too big and applying proven splitting heuristics to break it down into small, safe, valuable increments.

## When to Use This Skill

**Use when:**
- Story has obvious red flags: "and", "or", "manage", "handle", "including"
- User describes multiple features bundled together
- Story feels vague or too large
- User asks "how to split this story"

**Do NOT use when:**
- Story is already small and focused (< 1 day work)
- Feature needs layered analysis without obvious split points (use hamburger-method instead)
- User asks HOW to implement (use micro-steps-coach instead)

---

## Detection: Red Flags in Stories

Always scan for these **linguistic indicators** that signal a story is too big:

### 1. Coordinating Conjunctions: "and", "or", "but", "yet"
- "Users can upload **and** download files" → Split into 2 stories
- "Admin can view **or** edit users" → Split into 2 stories

### 2. Action-Related Connectors: "manage", "handle", "support", "process", "administer"
- "Admin can **manage** users" → Hides create, edit, delete, list
- "System **handles** payments" → Hides initiate, process, refund, report

### 3. Sequence Connectors: "before", "after", "then", "while", "when"
- "Save work **before** submitting" → 2 separate stories
- "Process payment **then** send receipt" → 2 steps, 2 stories

### 4. Scope Indicators: "including", "as-well-as", "also", "additionally", "plus"
- "Notifications via email **and** SMS" → Split channels
- "Report **including** charts and exports" → Split outputs

### 5. Option Indicators: "either/or", "whether", "optionally", "alternatively"
- "Login with password **or** Google" → 2 authentication methods
- "Export to CSV **or** PDF" → 2 format stories

### 6. Exception Indicators: "except", "unless", "however", "although"
- "Delete account **unless** admin" → Base case + exception

**When you spot these words, immediately flag the story as too big.**

---

## Decision Tree: Red Flag → Recommended Technique

Use this table to quickly select the best splitting technique based on the red flag detected.

| Red Flag Detected | Likely Problem | Recommended Technique(s) | Example Split |
|-------------------|----------------|-------------------------|---------------|
| **"manage"** / **"handle"** / **"administer"** | Hides multiple CRUD operations | #1 (Start with outputs) + Split by action | "Manage users" → (1) Create user, (2) Edit user, (3) Delete user |
| **"and"** | Multiple independent features | Split by conjunction | "Upload and download files" → (1) Upload files, (2) Download files |
| **"or"** / **"either/or"** | Multiple options/alternatives | #5 (Simplify outputs) or Split by option | "Export to CSV or PDF" → (1) Export to CSV, (2) Export to PDF |
| **"for all users"** / **"everyone"** | Too broad scope | #2 (Narrow customer segment) | "All users export data" → (1) Admins export, (2) Power users export, (3) All users export |
| **"including"** / **"with"** | Feature bundling | #3 (Extract basic utility) | "Upload with drag-drop and progress bar" → (1) Basic upload, (2) Add drag-drop, (3) Add progress bar |
| **"before/after/then"** | Sequential steps bundled | Split by workflow step | "Save before submitting" → (1) Save work, (2) Submit work |
| **Complex output** (reports, dashboards) | Too many outputs | #1 (Start with outputs) | "Financial report with charts" → (1) Basic summary, (2) Add charts |
| **Multiple data sources** | Integration complexity | #4 (Dummy to dynamic) | "Dashboard from 3 DBs" → (1) Dummy data dashboard, (2) Integrate DB 1, (3) Add DB 2+3 |
| **"real-time"** / **"automated"** | Over-engineered solution | #4 (Dummy to dynamic) + #9 (Put it on crutches) | "Real-time sync" → (1) Manual export/import, (2) Scripted sync, (3) Automated |
| **Large scope** (entire subsystem) | Too big conceptually | #7 (Examples of usefulness) | "Add API auth" → (1) Auth for read endpoints, (2) Auth for write endpoints |

**How to use:**
1. Scan story for red flags
2. Look up red flag in table
3. Apply recommended technique
4. If multiple red flags, apply techniques sequentially

---

## Core Splitting Heuristics

When a story is too big, apply these techniques (in rough priority order):

### 1. Start with the Outputs
Focus on delivering **specific outputs incrementally**, not all at once.

**Example:** "Generate financial report"
- Split: "Generate revenue summary only"
- Split: "Add expense breakdown"
- Split: "Add charts"

### 2. Narrow the Customer Segment
Deliver **full functionality for a smaller group** instead of partial functionality for everyone.

**Example:** "All users can export data"
- Split: "Admins can export data"
- Split: "Power users can export data"
- Split: "All users can export data"

### 3. Extract Basic Utility First
Deliver the **bare minimum** to complete the task, then improve usability later.

**Example:** "Users can upload files with drag-and-drop, progress bars, and previews"
- Split 1: "Users can upload files via form (no UX polish)"
- Split 2: "Add drag-and-drop"
- Split 3: "Add progress indicators"
- Split 4: "Add previews"

### 4. Start with Dummy, Move to Dynamic
Build the UI/workflow with **hardcoded data first**, integrate real data later.

**Example:** "Show user dashboard with real-time stats"
- Split 1: "Dashboard with dummy/static stats"
- Split 2: "Integrate real backend data"
- Split 3: "Make it real-time"

### 5. Simplify Outputs
Use simpler output formats initially (CSV instead of PDF, console instead of UI).

**Example:** "Generate and email PDF reports"
- Split 1: "Generate CSV report saved to disk"
- Split 2: "Convert to PDF format"
- Split 3: "Email the report"

### 6. Split by Capacity
Limit initial scope by capacity constraints (file size, user count, data volume).

**Example:** "Support unlimited file uploads"
- Split 1: "Support files up to 1MB"
- Split 2: "Increase to 10MB"
- Split 3: "Support unlimited size with chunking"

### 7. Split by Examples of Usefulness
For large technical changes, identify **concrete use cases** that can be delivered with a subset of the solution.

**Example:** "Add API authentication"
- Split 1: "API auth for read-only endpoints"
- Split 2: "API auth for write endpoints"
- Split 3: "Add rate limiting"

### 8. Split Learning from Earning
Separate **research/investigation** (time-boxed learning) from **value delivery** (earning).

**Example:** "Implement machine learning recommendations"
- Learning: "Spike: Evaluate ML libraries (3 days max)"
- Earning: "Implement basic recommendation algorithm"
- Earning: "Deploy recommendations to 10% of users"

### 9. Forget the Walking Skeleton – Put it on Crutches
Deliver minimal user-facing functionality using **manual steps or simpler backends** initially.

**Example:** "Automated inventory sync between systems"
- Split 1: "Manual CSV export/import between systems"
- Split 2: "Semi-automated with script"
- Split 3: "Fully automated sync"

---

## Process When User Describes Work

1. **Listen for red flag words** (and, or, manage, handle, etc.)
2. **Challenge immediately**: "This sounds like multiple stories"
3. **Ask clarifying questions**:
   - "What's the smallest piece that delivers value?"
   - "Who is the narrowest user segment we could start with?"
   - "What's the simplest output format that would work?"
   - "Can we do this manually first?"
4. **Propose 3-5 specific split options** using the heuristics above
5. **Force radical slicing**: "If you had to ship something by tomorrow, what would it be?"

---

## Examples

### Example 1: Story Too Big

**User:** "As an admin, I can manage users and roles, including creating, editing, deleting, and assigning permissions."

**Your response:**

🚨 **Red flags detected:**
- "**manage**" (hides multiple actions)
- "**and**" (multiple features)
- "**including**" (scope expansion)

This story is doing at least 5-6 different things. Let's split it:

**Proposed splits:**
1. "Admin can create a new user