Project Coordination

Keep projects on track and teams aligned.

What This Skill Does

Coordinates project execution by tracking progress, managing dependencies, identifying risks, and facilitating communication between teams. Ensures the project moves from requirements to release smoothly.

When to Use

Activate this skill when:

• User needs to track project progress or status
• Phrases like "project status", "track this", "what's the progress"
• Coordinating work across multiple teams
• Managing project risks and blockers
• User says "are we on track" or "project update"

How It Works

The coordination process ensures smooth project execution:

1. Establish baseline - Define scope, timeline, resources
2. Track progress - Monitor completion against plan
3. Identify blockers - Find risks and dependencies
4. Facilitate resolution - Help teams overcome obstacles
5. Communicate status - Keep stakeholders informed
6. Adapt as needed - Adjust plans based on reality

Input Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
project_name	string	Yes	Name of the project
timeline	object	No	Planned start/end dates, milestones
teams	list	No	Teams and people involved

Output Structure

The skill generates coordination outputs:

1. Project plan - Structured plan with tasks and owners
2. Status reports - Regular progress updates
3. Risk register - Identified risks and mitigations
4. Blocker list - Current blockers and owners

Project Plan Format

# Project Plan: [Project Name]

## Overview
- **Start Date**: [Date]
- **Target Release**: [Date]
- **Project Manager**: [Name]
- **Status**: On Track / At Risk / Off Track

## Teams & Responsibilities
| Team | Lead | Scope | Capacity |
|:-----|:-----|:------|:---------|
| Engineering | [Name] | Backend, frontend | 40 hrs/week |
| Design | [Name] | UI, UX | 20 hrs/week |
| QA | [Name] | Testing, automation | 20 hrs/week |

## Timeline

Week 1 |████████| Design complete Week 2 | ████████| Backend API Week 3 | ████████| Frontend implementation Week 4 | ████| QA & bug fixes Week 5 | ████| Release prep

## Work Breakdown

### Phase 1: Design (Week 1)
| Task | Owner | Estimate | Status | Dependencies |
|:-----|:------|:---------|:--------|:-------------|
| Wireframes | Designer | 2d | ✅ Done | - |
| Mockups | Designer | 2d | 🔄 In Progress | Wireframes |
| Design review | PM | 0.5d | ⏳ Pending | Mockups |

### Phase 2: Backend (Week 2)
| Task | Owner | Estimate | Status | Dependencies |
|:-----|:------|:---------|:--------|:-------------|
| API design | Backend Lead | 1d | ⏳ Pending | Design review |
| Implementation | Backend Dev | 3d | ⏳ Pending | API design |
| API testing | QA | 1d | ⏳ Pending | Implementation |

### Phase 3: Frontend (Week 3)
| Task | Owner | Estimate | Status | Dependencies |
|:-----|:------|:---------|:--------|:-------------|
| Component setup | Frontend Dev | 1d | ⏳ Pending | Design review |
| Implementation | Frontend Dev | 3d | ⏳ Pending | Component setup, API |
| Integration | Frontend Dev | 1d | ⏳ Pending | Implementation |

## Dependencies
| Task | Depends On | Risk Level |
|:-----|:-----------|:-----------|
| Frontend implementation | Backend API | Medium |
| QA testing | Frontend + Backend | Low |

## Milestones
| Milestone | Date | Criteria | Status |
|:----------|:-----|:---------|:--------|
| Design complete | Week 1 | All mockups approved | ✅ |
| API complete | Week 2 | All endpoints tested | 🔄 |
| Feature complete | Week 3 | All tickets done | ⏳ |
| Ready for release | Week 4 | QA signed off | ⏳ |

Status Report Format

# Project Status: [Project Name]
**Week of**: [Date]
**Reporting Period**: [Start] - [End]

## Summary
| Metric | Status |
|:-------|:--------|
| Overall | 🟢 On Track / 🟡 At Risk / 🔴 Off Track |
| Timeline | On schedule / 1 week behind / 2+ weeks behind |
| Budget | Under / On track / Over |
| Scope | Stable / Minor changes / Major changes |

## This Week's Progress
**Completed**:
- ✅ [Completed item 1]
- ✅ [Completed item 2]

**In Progress**:
- 🔄 [In progress item 1] (60%)
- 🔄 [In progress item 2] (30%)

## Blocked / At Risk
| Item | Impact | Owner | Action |
|:-----|:-------|:-------|:-------|
| [Blocker] | High/Medium/Low | [Who] | [What's being done] |

## Upcoming Week
**Planned**:
- ⏳ [Planned item 1]
- ⏳ [Planned item 2]

## Risks & Issues
| Risk | Level | Mitigation | Status |
|:-----|:------|:-----------|:--------|
| [Risk] | High/Medium/Low | [Mitigation plan] | Open/Mitigated |

## Decisions Made This Week
1. [Decision 1] - [Rationale]
2. [Decision 2] - [Rationale]

## Stakeholder Communications
- [ ] Update sent to stakeholders
- [ ] Leadership notified of risks
- [ ] Team briefed on changes

Risk Register Format

# Risk Register: [Project Name]

| ID | Risk | Probability | Impact | Score | Mitigation | Owner | Status |
|:---|:-----|:------------|:-------|:-----|:-----------|:------|:--------|
| R1 | API dependency delayed | Medium | High | 12 | Parallel work possible | Tech Lead | Open |
| R2 | Designer unavailable | Low | Medium | 6 | Contract backup | PM | Mitigated |
| R3 | Scope creep | High | High | 16 | Strict change process | PM | Open |

**Risk Score** = Probability (1-5) × Impact (1-5)
- **1-5**: Low risk (monitor)
- **6-10**: Medium risk (plan mitigation)
- **11-25**: High risk (active management)

Quality Standards

Before delivering, ensure:

• Project plan has clear tasks and owners
• Status is accurate and up-to-date
• Blockers are identified with owners
• Risks have mitigation plans
• Stakeholders are informed appropriately
• Dependencies are tracked

Collaboration Modes

Mode	How It Works
autopilot	Generates project plan and status templates
copilot	Drafts plan, validates estimates with you
manual	Provides templates, you manage coordination

Context Integration

Reads:

• context/review-notes/*.md - Requirement review decisions
• context/design/*.md - Design specifications

Writes:

• context/project-plan.md - Project plan and tracking
• context/status-reports/ - Weekly status reports

Read By:

• release-management - Uses status for release planning

Example Usage

User: "Create a project plan for the onboarding feature"
→ Generates structured project plan with tasks and timeline

User: "What's the status of the checkout project?"
→ Pulls current status and generates report

User: "We're blocked on the API integration"
→ Updates blocker list and suggests mitigation options

Best Practices

1. Be visible - Make status accessible to all stakeholders
2. Focus on blockers - Prioritize removing obstacles
3. Communicate early - Bad news should travel fast
4. Update regularly - Stale information is worse than none
5. Celebrate wins - Acknowledge progress and achievements