When this skill is invoked:
Read the original plan — Find the relevant document:
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If a feature name: read the design doc from design/gdd/
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If a sprint number: read the sprint plan from production/sprints/
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If a milestone: read the milestone definition from production/milestones/
Read the current state — Check what has actually been implemented or is in progress:
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Scan the codebase for files related to the feature/sprint
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Read git log for commits related to this work
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Check for TODO comments that indicate unfinished scope additions
Compare original vs current scope:
Scope Check: [Feature/Sprint Name]
Generated: [Date]
Original Scope
[List of items from the original plan]
Current Scope
[List of items currently implemented or in progress]
Scope Additions (not in original plan)
| Addition | Who Added | When | Justified? | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [item] | [commit/person] | [date] | [Yes/No/Unclear] | [S/M/L] |
Scope Removals (in original but dropped)
| Removed Item | Reason | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| [item] | [why removed] | [what's affected] |
Bloat Score
- Original items: [N]
- Current items: [N]
- Items added: [N] (+[X]%)
- Items removed: [N]
- Net scope change: [+/-N] ([X]%)
Risk Assessment
- Schedule Risk: [Low/Medium/High] — [explanation]
- Quality Risk: [Low/Medium/High] — [explanation]
- Integration Risk: [Low/Medium/High] — [explanation]
Recommendations
- Cut: [Items that should be removed to stay on schedule]
- Defer: [Items that can move to a future sprint/version]
- Keep: [Additions that are genuinely necessary]
- Flag: [Items that need a decision from producer/creative-director]
Output the scope check with a clear verdict:
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On Track: Scope within 10% of original
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Minor Creep: 10-25% scope increase — manageable with adjustments
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Significant Creep: 25-50% scope increase — need to cut or extend timeline
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Out of Control: >50% scope increase — stop and re-plan
Rules
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Scope creep is additions without corresponding cuts or timeline extensions
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Not all additions are bad — some are discovered requirements. But they must be acknowledged and accounted for.
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When recommending cuts, prioritize preserving the core player experience over nice-to-haves
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Always quantify scope changes — "it feels bigger" is not actionable, "+35% items" is