plan-viz_skill

Overview

This skill visualizes planned code and architecture changes before they are applied, producing structured ASCII diagrams, risk analysis, execution swimlanes, and impact metrics. It helps reviewers and engineers quickly assess scope, reversibility, and the critical path so teams can make informed decisions before merging or deploying.

How this skill works

The skill auto-detects plan context from the current branch or a provided issue, then runs analysis scripts to collect file diffs, line counts, test impact, and dependency changes. It renders a Tier 1 header followed by requested sections: change manifest, execution swimlane, risk dashboard, decision log, and impact summary, with options to save reports or generate GitHub issues.

When to use it

• Before opening or merging a pull request that affects multiple modules
• When comparing before/after architecture for high-risk changes
• To assess reversibility and identify the point of no return for migrations
• While planning phased deployments to surface execution dependencies
• When preparing reviewers or release notes with actionable artifacts

Best practices

• Run auto-detection first; clarify context only if detection is ambiguous
• Always show the Tier 1 header to surface risk, confidence, and reversibility
• Flag high-risk files and provide concrete mitigations in each pre-mortem
• Document only non-obvious decisions and include rejected alternatives
• Keep visualizations judgmental (what matters) rather than decorative

Example use cases

• Visualize a multi-phase database migration with rollback points and critical path
• Compare current branch changes for a billing redesign and list affected tests
• Produce a deployment swimlane that shows blocked work, parallel opportunities, and estimated times
• Generate a concise impact summary for a release note or audit
• Create GitHub issues from execution phases with risk labels and blocked-by links