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skills/epic-identification/SKILL.md

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+---
+name: Epic Identification
+description: This skill should be used when the user asks to "identify epics", "break down vision into epics", "find major features", "discover capability areas", "decompose vision", "group requirements into themes", "define high-level features", "what epics do I need", "turn vision into work items", or "split project into epics". It provides methodology for systematically deriving epics from a vision statement using multiple discovery techniques including user journey mapping, capability decomposition, and stakeholder analysis.
+version: 0.2.0
+---
+
+# Epic Identification
+
+## Overview
+
+Systematically decompose a product vision into well-defined epics—major capabilities or features that can be further broken down into user stories and tasks. Epics represent significant bodies of work that are too large for a single iteration but directly contribute to achieving the vision.
+
+## Purpose
+
+Epics serve as the middle layer in the requirements hierarchy:
+- **Above**: Product Vision (the "why" and "what" at highest level)
+- **Epics**: Major capabilities (the "what" at feature level)
+- **Below**: User Stories (the "what" at detailed level)
+
+Well-defined epics:
+- Organize work into logical, valuable chunks
+- Enable roadmap planning and sequencing
+- Provide clear scope boundaries for teams
+- Facilitate prioritization of major capabilities
+
+## When to Use This Skill
+
+Use epic identification when:
+- Vision document exists and needs to be broken down
+- User asks what major features or capabilities are needed
+- Planning a product roadmap from a vision
+- Validating that all necessary epics have been identified
+- Refining or adding to an existing set of epics
+
+**Prerequisite:** Vision must exist before identifying epics. If no vision exists, use the vision-discovery skill first.
+
+## Epic Identification Process
+
+### Step 1: Review the Vision
+
+Begin by thoroughly understanding the vision:
+
+**Key Actions:**
+- Read the vision issue in GitHub Projects
+- Identify core capabilities mentioned or implied
+- Note user goals and success metrics
+- Understand scope boundaries (what's included/excluded)
+
+**Extract Signals:**
+- What major capabilities does the solution need?
+- What user journeys must be supported?
+- What integration points or dependencies exist?
+- What success metrics drive capability requirements?
+
+### Step 2: Identify Major Capabilities
+
+Break down the vision into distinct major capabilities:
+
+**Discovery Techniques:**
+
+**User Journey Mapping:**
+- What are the end-to-end journeys users will take?
+- Each major journey often maps to one or more epics
+- Example: "User Onboarding", "Content Creation", "Analytics & Reporting"
+
+**Capability Decomposition:**
+- What are the 5-10 major things this product must do?
+- Group related functionality into logical capabilities
+- Example: "User Authentication", "Data Import/Export", "Collaboration Features"
+
+**Stakeholder Needs:**
+- What capabilities do different user types need?
+- Admin vs. end-user capabilities
+- Example: "User Management", "Permissions & Access Control"
+
+**Technical Enablers:**
+- What infrastructure or foundational capabilities are required?
+- APIs, integrations, data pipelines
+- Example: "Third-party Integrations", "Data Synchronization"
+
+### Step 3: Define Epic Characteristics
+
+For each identified capability, determine if it qualifies as an epic:
+
+**Epic Criteria:**
+- **Valuable**: Delivers significant user or business value
+- **Large**: Too big to complete in a single iteration (typically multiple user stories)
+- **Cohesive**: Represents a logical grouping of related functionality
+- **Bounded**: Has clear scope—what's included and excluded
+- **Measurable**: Success can be defined and tracked
+
+**Size Guideline:**
+- An epic typically contains 3-12 user stories
+- Takes multiple sprints/iterations to complete
+- If smaller, consider combining with related epics
+- If larger, consider splitting into multiple epics
+
+### Step 4: Name and Describe Each Epic
+
+Create clear, descriptive titles and summaries:
+
+**Epic Naming:**
+- Use noun phrases describing the capability
+- Be specific but concise (3-6 words)
+- Focus on "what" not "how"
+
+**Good Examples:**
+- "User Authentication & Authorization"
+- "Campaign Performance Dashboard"
+- "Automated Email Notifications"
+- "Third-party Calendar Integration"
+
+**Poor Examples:**
+- "Build the backend" (too vague, technical)
+- "Make users happy" (outcome, not capability)
+- "Phase 1" (not descriptive)
+
+### Epic Issue Template (Minimal)
+
+```markdown
+## Epic Overview
+[Brief description]
+
+## Value Proposition
+[Why this matters]
+
+## Scope
+- Included: [capabilities]
+- Excluded: [out of scope]
+
+## Success Criteria
+- [ ] [Measurable outcomes]
+```
+
+See `references/epic-template.md` for comprehensive templates and domain-specific examples.
+
+### Step 5: Validate Completeness
+
+Ensure all necessary epics have been identified:
+
+**Validation Questions:**
+- Do these epics, collectively, deliver the full vision?
+- Are there gaps in user journeys or capabilities?
+- Have we covered all target user types and their needs?
+- Are success metrics from the vision addressable with these epics?
+- Have we identified necessary infrastructure or technical epics?
+
+**Gap Analysis Technique:**
+- Map epics back to vision sections (problem, users, capabilities, metrics)
+- Identify vision elements not covered by any epic
+- Create additional epics to fill gaps
+
+### Step 6: Organize and Prioritize
+
+Structure epics for planning and sequencing:
+
+**Logical Grouping:**
+- Group related epics (e.g., all authentication-related, all reporting-related)
+- Identify epic clusters that deliver cohesive value together
+
+**Dependency Mapping:**
+- Which epics must come before others?
+- What's the critical path through epic delivery?
+- Example: "User Authentication" likely precedes "User Profile Management"
+
+**Initial Prioritization:**
+- Apply MoSCoW framework (Must/Should/Could/Won't)
+- Consider value, risk, dependencies, effort
+- Use the prioritization skill for detailed prioritization
+
+### Step 7: Create Epic Issues in GitHub Projects
+
+For each epic, create a GitHub issue in the relevant GitHub Project:
+
+**Issue Title:** "[Epic Name]"
+
+**Issue Description:** Full epic definition using template
+
+**Custom Fields:**
+- Type: Epic
+- Priority: [Must Have / Should Have / Could Have]
+- Status: Not Started
+
+**Labels:**
+- `type:epic`
+- `priority:[moscow-level]`
+
+**Parent:** Link to Vision issue as parent
+
+All user stories for this epic will be created as child issues, establishing hierarchy.
+
+## Epic Templates and Patterns
+
+### Common Epic Patterns
+
+**User-Facing Capabilities:**
+- User Onboarding & Registration
+- Profile & Settings Management
+- Core Workflow/Activity (varies by product)
+- Search & Discovery
+- Notifications & Alerts
+
+**Data & Content:**
+- Data Import/Export
+- Content Creation & Editing
+- Content Organization (tags, folders, etc.)
+- Data Visualization & Reporting
+
+**Collaboration & Sharing:**
+- Team/Organization Management
+- Permissions & Access Control
+- Sharing & Collaboration Features
+- Activity Feeds & History
+
+**Integration & APIs:**
+- Third-party Integrations
+- Public API
+- Webhooks & Event Streaming
+
+**Infrastructure/Technical:**
+- Authentication & Authorization
+- Performance & Scalability
+- Data Migration
+- Offline Support
+
+### Example: E-commerce Product
+
+**Vision:** "Enable small businesses to sell products online easily"
+
+**Identified Epics:**
+1. Product Catalog Management
+2. Shopping Cart & Checkout
+3. Payment Processing Integration
+4. Order Management & Fulfillment
+5. Customer Account Management
+6. Admin Dashboard & Analytics
+7. Marketing & Promotions
+8. Email Notifications
+
+Each maps to a major capability needed to deliver the vision.
+
+## Best Practices
+
+### Right Level of Granularity
+
+Epics should be:
+- **Not too big**: "Build the entire platform" → Split into multiple epics
+- **Not too small**: "Add a button" → This is a task, not an epic
+- **Just right**: "Shopping Cart & Checkout" → Major capability with multiple stories
+
+### Focus on Capabilities, Not Implementation
+
+❌ "Build React components for dashboard"
+✅ "Analytics Dashboard"
+
+❌ "Set up PostgreSQL database"
+✅ "Data Storage & Persistence" (if it's a major capability)
+
+### Ensure User-Centric Value
+
+Every epic should answer: "What can users do with this that they couldn't before?"
+
+If an epic is purely technical with no user-facing impact, consider:
+- Is it really necessary as a standalone epic?
+- Can it be folded into a user-facing epic?
+- Is it an enabler for multiple epics? (Then it's valid as infrastructure epic)
+
+### Avoid Epic Overlap
+
+Epics should be distinct and non-overlapping:
+- Clear boundaries between epics
+- Related functionality grouped into one epic, not split across several
+- If unsure, combine into one epic and split later if needed
+
+### Plan for Iteration
+
+Epics will likely be refined:
+- Initial identification may miss epics—add them as discovered
+- Epics may be split or combined as understanding grows
+- Scope boundaries may shift during user story creation
+- This is normal—embrace learning and adaptation
+
+## Integration with Requirements Lifecycle
+
+### Before Epic Identification
+
+**Vision exists** (created via vision-discovery skill)
+- Problem, users, solution, success metrics defined
+- Scope boundaries established
+
+### During Epic Identification
+
+**Create epic issues** in GitHub Projects
+- Each epic is a child of the vision issue
+- Epics organized and prioritized
+
+### After Epic Identification
+
+**Proceed to user story creation** (user-story-creation skill)
+- Select an epic and break it down into stories
+- Iterate epic-by-epic until all epics have stories
+
+## Common Pitfalls to Avoid
+
+### Too Many Epics
+
+- More than 15-20 epics often indicates too much granularity
+- Consider combining related epics
+- Large products may need epic grouping into themes/initiatives
+
+### Too Few Epics
+
+- Fewer than 5 epics often indicates insufficient breakdown
+- Vision may need decomposition into more specific capabilities
+- Consider all user types, journeys, and infrastructure needs
+
+### Implementation-Focused Epics
+
+❌ "API Development"
+✅ "Third-party Integration Support"
+
+❌ "Database Schema"
+✅ "Data Storage & Management" (if user-facing)
+
+### Missing Infrastructure Epics
+
+Don't forget necessary enablers:
+- Authentication/Authorization
+- Data migration/import
+- Performance optimization (if critical to UX)
+- Compliance/Security features
+
+## Quick Reference: Epic Identification Flow
+
+1. **Review Vision** → Understand problem, users, capabilities, metrics
+2. **Identify Capabilities** → Use journey mapping, decomposition, stakeholder needs
+3. **Validate as Epics** → Check criteria: valuable, large, cohesive, bounded, measurable
+4. **Name & Describe** → Clear titles, structured descriptions using template
+5. **Check Completeness** → Ensure all vision elements covered, no gaps
+6. **Organize** → Group logically, map dependencies
+7. **Prioritize** → Apply MoSCoW framework
+8. **Create Issues** → Add to GitHub Projects as children of vision
+9. **Proceed** → Move to user story creation for each epic
+
+## When to Use References
+
+Load references based on context:
+
+- **`references/discovery-techniques.md`**: When applying multiple discovery methods or user needs technique guidance
+- **`references/epic-template.md`**: When creating epic issue content or user requests templates
+- **`references/common-patterns.md`**: When user's domain is identified for pattern suggestions
+
+## Additional Resources
+
+### Reference Files
+
+For detailed epic templates and examples:
+
+- **`${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/epic-identification/references/epic-template.md`** - Complete epic definition template
+- **`${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/epic-identification/references/discovery-techniques.md`** - Six techniques for identifying epics
+- **`${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/epic-identification/references/common-patterns.md`** - Universal and domain-specific epic patterns
+
+## Next Steps
+
+After completing epic identification:
+1. Create epic issues in GitHub Projects (as children of vision issue)
+2. Prioritize epics using the prioritization skill
+3. Select highest-priority epic and proceed to user story creation
+4. Iterate through all epics, creating user stories for each
+
+Epics provide the roadmap from vision to execution—invest time to identify them comprehensively and define them clearly.

skills/epic-identification/references/common-patterns.md

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+# Common Epic Patterns
+
+This reference provides universal and domain-specific epic patterns to accelerate epic identification. Use these patterns as starting points, adapting them to your specific product context.
+
+---
+
+## Universal Epic Patterns
+
+These patterns appear across most software products regardless of domain.
+
+### User Management & Identity
+
+| Epic | Description |
+|------|-------------|
+| User Onboarding & Registration | Sign-up flows, account creation, initial setup |
+| Authentication & Authorization | Login, SSO, MFA, session management |
+| User Profile Management | Profile editing, preferences, settings |
+| Role & Permission Management | Access control, role assignment, permissions |
+
+### Core User Experience
+
+| Epic | Description |
+|------|-------------|
+| Search & Discovery | Finding content, filtering, navigation |
+| Notifications & Alerts | In-app, email, push notifications |
+| Help & Support | Documentation, tooltips, support tickets |
+| Personalization | User preferences, customization, themes |
+
+### Data & Content
+
+| Epic | Description |
+|------|-------------|
+| Data Import/Export | Bulk import, export formats, migrations |
+| Content Creation & Editing | Create, edit, version content |
+| Content Organization | Tags, folders, categories, hierarchies |
+| File Management | Upload, storage, preview, download |
+
+### Collaboration & Social
+
+| Epic | Description |
+|------|-------------|
+| Team/Organization Management | Teams, workspaces, organizations |
+| Sharing & Permissions | Share content, access levels |
+| Comments & Discussions | Threaded comments, mentions, reactions |
+| Activity Feeds & History | Audit logs, activity streams, notifications |
+
+### Integration & Platform
+
+| Epic | Description |
+|------|-------------|
+| Third-party Integrations | Connect external services |
+| Public API | REST/GraphQL API for developers |
+| Webhooks & Events | Event-driven integrations |
+| Single Sign-On (SSO) | Enterprise identity providers |
+
+### Analytics & Reporting
+
+| Epic | Description |
+|------|-------------|
+| Dashboards & Visualization | Charts, graphs, real-time displays |
+| Report Generation | Scheduled reports, exports |
+| Usage Analytics | User behavior, engagement metrics |
+| Audit & Compliance | Audit trails, compliance reports |
+
+### Infrastructure
+
+| Epic | Description |
+|------|-------------|
+| Performance & Scalability | Optimization, caching, load handling |
+| Security & Compliance | Encryption, security audits, certifications |
+| Data Migration | Legacy system migration, data transformation |
+| Offline Support | Offline-first, sync, conflict resolution |
+
+---
+
+## Domain-Specific Patterns
+
+### E-commerce / Marketplace
+
+| Epic | Typical Scope |
+|------|---------------|
+| Product Catalog Management | Products, categories, inventory, pricing |
+| Shopping Cart & Checkout | Cart, checkout flow, guest checkout |
+| Payment Processing | Payment gateways, refunds, invoicing |
+| Order Management | Order tracking, fulfillment, returns |
+| Customer Accounts | Order history, saved addresses, wishlists |
+| Marketing & Promotions | Discounts, coupons, campaigns |
+| Seller/Vendor Management | Multi-vendor support, seller tools |
+| Reviews & Ratings | Product reviews, seller ratings |
+
+### SaaS / B2B Platform
+
+| Epic | Typical Scope |
+|------|---------------|
+| Subscription Management | Plans, billing, upgrades/downgrades |
+| Multi-tenancy | Tenant isolation, tenant administration |
+| Admin Console | System configuration, tenant management |
+| Usage Metering & Billing | Usage tracking, invoicing, quotas |
+| Onboarding & Activation | Trial setup, guided tours, activation |
+| Customer Success Tools | Health scores, usage insights |
+| White-labeling | Custom branding, domains |
+| Enterprise Features | SSO, advanced security, SLAs |
+
+### Mobile Application
+
+| Epic | Typical Scope |
+|------|---------------|
+| Mobile Authentication | Biometrics, device trust, secure storage |
+| Offline Mode | Local storage, sync, conflict resolution |
+| Push Notifications | Notification management, deep linking |
+| Device Features | Camera, GPS, contacts integration |
+| App Performance | Startup time, memory, battery optimization |
+| App Store Presence | Listings, ratings, updates |
+| Cross-platform Sync | State sync across devices |
+| Accessibility | Screen readers, dynamic type, VoiceOver |
+
+### API / Developer Platform
+
+| Epic | Typical Scope |
+|------|---------------|
+| API Design & Documentation | OpenAPI specs, interactive docs |
+| Developer Portal | Registration, API keys, documentation |
+| Authentication & Security | OAuth, API keys, rate limiting |
+| SDKs & Client Libraries | Language-specific SDKs |
+| Sandbox Environment | Test environment, mock data |
+| Usage Analytics | API metrics, endpoint analytics |
+| Versioning & Deprecation | Version management, migration guides |
+| Developer Support | Forums, tickets, status page |
+
+### Content Management / Publishing
+
+| Epic | Typical Scope |
+|------|---------------|
+| Content Authoring | Rich text editor, media embedding |
+| Content Workflow | Draft, review, publish states |
+| Media Library | Image/video management, optimization |
+| Content Scheduling | Scheduled publishing, content calendar |
+| Multi-language Support | Localization, translation management |
+| SEO & Metadata | Meta tags, sitemaps, structured data |
+| Content Distribution | RSS, social sharing, syndication |
+| Templates & Layouts | Page templates, component library |
+
+### Healthcare / Clinical
+
+| Epic | Typical Scope |
+|------|---------------|
+| Patient Management | Patient records, demographics |
+| Clinical Documentation | Notes, orders, results |
+| Appointment Scheduling | Calendar, booking, reminders |
+| Medication Management | Prescriptions, drug interactions |
+| Care Coordination | Referrals, care plans, handoffs |
+| Compliance & Privacy | HIPAA, consent management, audit |
+| Patient Portal | Patient access, messaging, records |
+| Clinical Decision Support | Alerts, guidelines, protocols |
+
+### Financial Services / Fintech
+
+| Epic | Typical Scope |
+|------|---------------|
+| Account Management | Accounts, balances, statements |
+| Transaction Processing | Transfers, payments, scheduling |
+| Identity Verification | KYC, document verification |
+| Fraud Detection | Monitoring, alerts, investigation |
+| Regulatory Compliance | Reporting, audits, regulations |
+| Financial Reporting | Statements, tax documents |
+| Notifications & Alerts | Transaction alerts, balance notifications |
+| Secure Authentication | MFA, device binding, biometrics |
+
+---
+
+## Using Patterns Effectively
+
+### Pattern Selection Process
+
+1. **Identify your domain**: Which domain-specific pattern set applies?
+2. **Start with universals**: Most products need user management, notifications, etc.
+3. **Add domain patterns**: Layer in domain-specific epics
+4. **Customize names**: Adapt generic names to your product's language
+5. **Validate against vision**: Ensure patterns align with your specific vision
+
+### Avoiding Pattern Pitfalls
+
+- **Don't force-fit**: Not every pattern applies to every product
+- **Customize scope**: Adjust epic scope to match your product size
+- **Combine when small**: Merge related patterns if your product is simpler
+- **Split when large**: Break patterns into multiple epics for complex products
+- **Validate value**: Each epic should deliver user or business value
+
+### Pattern Adaptation Example
+
+**Generic Pattern**: "User Onboarding & Registration"
+
+| Product Type | Adapted Epic |
+|--------------|--------------|
+| Consumer app | "Social Sign-up & Profile Setup" |
+| Enterprise SaaS | "Organization Provisioning & Admin Setup" |
+| Developer tool | "Account & API Key Setup" |
+| Healthcare | "Patient Registration & Consent" |
+
+---
+
+## Quick Reference: Epic Starter Sets
+
+### Minimum Viable Product (5-7 epics)
+
+1. User Authentication
+2. Core Workflow (product-specific)
+3. Data Management
+4. Basic Notifications
+5. Settings & Profile
+
+### Standard Product (10-15 epics)
+
+All MVP epics plus:
+
+- Advanced User Management
+- Search & Discovery
+- Collaboration Features
+- Analytics Dashboard
+- Integrations
+- Help & Support
+
+### Enterprise Product (15-25 epics)
+
+All Standard epics plus:
+
+- Multi-tenancy
+- Advanced Security
+- Compliance & Audit
+- Admin Console
+- SSO & Enterprise Auth
+- Advanced Analytics
+- API & Developer Tools

skills/epic-identification/references/discovery-techniques.md

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+# Epic Discovery Techniques
+
+This reference provides detailed guidance on six techniques for identifying epics from a product vision. Use these techniques individually or in combination to ensure comprehensive epic coverage.
+
+---
+
+## 1. User Journey Mapping
+
+Map the end-to-end journeys users will take through your product to identify the major capabilities needed at each stage.
+
+### When to Use
+
+- Product has clear user workflows or processes
+- Multiple user touchpoints exist
+- User experience is a primary concern
+
+### Process
+
+1. **Identify Key User Types**: List the primary personas who will use the product
+2. **Map Entry Points**: How do users first encounter or access the product?
+3. **Trace Core Workflows**: What steps do users take to achieve their goals?
+4. **Identify Exit Points**: How do users complete their journey or leave?
+5. **Note Pain Points**: Where might users struggle or need support?
+
+### Epic Extraction
+
+Each major stage or transition in the journey often maps to an epic:
+
+- **Onboarding Journey** → "User Onboarding & Registration" epic
+- **Core Activity** → "Content Creation" or "Data Entry" epic
+- **Review/Analysis** → "Analytics & Reporting" epic
+- **Sharing/Export** → "Collaboration & Sharing" epic
+
+### Example
+
+For a project management tool:
+
+| Journey Stage | Epic Candidate |
+|---------------|----------------|
+| Sign up and setup | User Onboarding |
+| Create first project | Project Management |
+| Add team members | Team Collaboration |
+| Track progress | Progress Tracking & Reporting |
+| Complete and archive | Project Lifecycle Management |
+
+---
+
+## 2. Capability Decomposition
+
+Break down the vision into the 5-10 major things the product must do, grouping related functionality into logical capabilities.
+
+### When to Use
+
+- Vision describes what the product should accomplish
+- Product has distinct functional areas
+- Technical and business stakeholders need alignment
+
+### Process
+
+1. **List Vision Outcomes**: What does the vision say the product will enable?
+2. **Identify Required Capabilities**: What must the product DO to deliver those outcomes?
+3. **Group Related Functions**: Cluster similar or dependent capabilities together
+4. **Name the Groups**: Give each cluster a capability name (noun phrase)
+5. **Validate Coverage**: Does each vision outcome map to at least one capability?
+
+### Epic Extraction
+
+Each capability group becomes an epic candidate:
+
+- Group of authentication functions → "User Authentication & Authorization" epic
+- Group of data handling functions → "Data Import/Export" epic
+- Group of team features → "Collaboration Features" epic
+
+### Example
+
+Vision: "Enable small businesses to manage customer relationships effectively"
+
+| Capability Group | Functions Included | Epic |
+|------------------|-------------------|------|
+| Contact Management | Add, edit, search, segment contacts | Customer Data Management |
+| Communication | Email, call logging, notes | Customer Communication |
+| Pipeline | Deals, stages, forecasting | Sales Pipeline |
+| Reporting | Dashboards, exports, analytics | Analytics & Reporting |
+
+---
+
+## 3. Stakeholder Needs Analysis
+
+Examine what different user types and stakeholders need from the product to identify role-specific capabilities.
+
+### When to Use
+
+- Multiple user roles exist (admin, end-user, manager)
+- Different stakeholders have different needs
+- Access control or permissions are important
+
+### Process
+
+1. **List All Stakeholders**: End users, admins, managers, external parties
+2. **Document Each Role's Needs**: What does each stakeholder need to accomplish?
+3. **Identify Unique Capabilities**: What capabilities are specific to certain roles?
+4. **Find Shared Capabilities**: What do multiple roles need?
+5. **Map to Epics**: Group needs into capability-based epics
+
+### Epic Extraction
+
+Role-specific needs often reveal epics:
+
+- Admin needs → "User Management", "System Configuration" epics
+- Manager needs → "Reporting & Analytics", "Team Oversight" epics
+- End-user needs → "Core Workflow", "Personal Settings" epics
+
+### Example
+
+| Stakeholder | Key Needs | Epic Candidates |
+|-------------|-----------|-----------------|
+| End User | Create content, collaborate | Content Creation, Collaboration |
+| Team Lead | Monitor progress, assign work | Team Management, Reporting |
+| Admin | Manage users, configure system | User Management, System Settings |
+| External Partner | View shared content | External Sharing & Access |
+
+---
+
+## 4. Technical Enablers Identification
+
+Identify infrastructure, platform, or foundational capabilities required to support user-facing features.
+
+### When to Use
+
+- Product requires significant technical foundation
+- Integrations with external systems are needed
+- Performance, security, or scalability are critical
+
+### Process
+
+1. **Review User-Facing Epics**: What technical capabilities do they require?
+2. **Identify Shared Infrastructure**: What technical needs appear across multiple epics?
+3. **List External Dependencies**: What third-party systems must be integrated?
+4. **Consider Non-Functional Requirements**: Security, performance, compliance
+5. **Create Technical Epics**: Group infrastructure needs into coherent epics
+
+### Epic Extraction
+
+Technical needs become infrastructure epics:
+
+- Authentication/authorization needs → "Identity & Access Management" epic
+- External system connections → "Third-party Integrations" epic
+- Data synchronization needs → "Data Pipeline & Sync" epic
+- Performance requirements → "Performance & Scalability" epic
+
+### Example
+
+| Technical Need | Scope | Epic |
+|----------------|-------|------|
+| User authentication | SSO, MFA, session management | Identity & Access Management |
+| Payment processing | Stripe, PayPal integration | Payment Integration |
+| File storage | Upload, CDN, versioning | File Management Infrastructure |
+| Search | Full-text, filters, indexing | Search Infrastructure |
+
+---
+
+## 5. Value Stream Mapping
+
+Trace the flow of value from initial input to final outcome to identify where major capabilities are needed.
+
+### When to Use
+
+- Product transforms inputs into valuable outputs
+- Process efficiency is important
+- Multiple handoffs or stages exist
+
+### Process
+
+1. **Identify Value Input**: What enters the system? (data, requests, content)
+2. **Trace Transformations**: How is the input processed and transformed?
+3. **Map Value Additions**: Where is value added at each stage?
+4. **Identify Outputs**: What valuable outputs are produced?
+5. **Extract Capabilities**: What capabilities enable each value-adding step?
+
+### Epic Extraction
+
+Each value-adding stage suggests an epic:
+
+- Input stage → "Data Ingestion" or "Content Upload" epic
+- Processing stage → "Data Processing" or "Workflow Engine" epic
+- Output stage → "Report Generation" or "Export & Delivery" epic
+
+### Example
+
+For a document processing product:
+
+| Value Stage | Activity | Epic |
+|-------------|----------|------|
+| Input | Upload documents | Document Ingestion |
+| Processing | Extract data, validate | Document Processing |
+| Enrichment | Add metadata, classify | Document Intelligence |
+| Output | Generate reports, export | Reporting & Export |
+| Storage | Archive, retrieve | Document Management |
+
+---
+
+## 6. Gap Analysis
+
+Compare the current state (or competitor offerings) with the desired future state to identify capability gaps that become epics.
+
+### When to Use
+
+- Replacing or improving an existing system
+- Competitive analysis has been done
+- Clear "before and after" vision exists
+
+### Process
+
+1. **Document Current State**: What exists today? What can users do now?
+2. **Define Future State**: What should users be able to do?
+3. **Identify Gaps**: What's missing between current and future?
+4. **Prioritize Gaps**: Which gaps are most critical to close?
+5. **Convert to Epics**: Each significant gap becomes an epic
+
+### Epic Extraction
+
+Gaps become epics:
+
+- Missing capability → New epic for that capability
+- Insufficient capability → Enhancement epic
+- Broken capability → Fix/rebuild epic
+
+### Example
+
+| Current State | Future State | Gap | Epic |
+|---------------|--------------|-----|------|
+| Manual data entry | Automated import | Automation | Data Import Automation |
+| Basic reports | Interactive dashboards | Visualization | Analytics Dashboard |
+| Email notifications | Multi-channel alerts | Channels | Notification System |
+| No mobile access | Full mobile app | Platform | Mobile Application |
+
+---
+
+## Combining Techniques
+
+For comprehensive epic identification, use multiple techniques:
+
+1. **Start with User Journey Mapping** to understand the user perspective
+2. **Apply Capability Decomposition** to ensure technical completeness
+3. **Use Stakeholder Needs** to catch role-specific requirements
+4. **Add Technical Enablers** for infrastructure epics
+5. **Validate with Gap Analysis** to ensure nothing is missed
+
+Cross-reference results from different techniques to validate epic completeness and identify any gaps.
+
+---
+
+## Quick Reference
+
+| Technique | Best For | Key Question |
+|-----------|----------|--------------|
+| User Journey Mapping | UX-focused products | "What journey do users take?" |
+| Capability Decomposition | Feature-rich products | "What must the product DO?" |
+| Stakeholder Needs | Multi-role products | "What does each role need?" |
+| Technical Enablers | Complex integrations | "What infrastructure is required?" |
+| Value Stream Mapping | Process-oriented products | "How does value flow?" |
+| Gap Analysis | Replacements/upgrades | "What's missing today?" |

skills/epic-identification/references/epic-template.md

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+# Epic Definition Template
+
+Use this template when creating epic issues in GitHub Projects. Copy the structure below into the issue description, then fill in each section.
+
+---
+
+## Epic: [Epic Name]
+
+### Overview
+
+[Brief description of what this epic delivers—1-2 sentences capturing the essence of this capability]
+
+**Category:** [User-Facing / Infrastructure / Integration / Data & Content / Collaboration]
+
+---
+
+### User Value
+
+**Who benefits:**
+
+[Which user types/personas benefit from this epic]
+
+**Value delivered:**
+
+[What can users do with this capability that they couldn't before? How does it improve their experience or solve their problems?]
+
+**Alignment with Vision:**
+
+[How does this epic contribute to achieving the product vision? Reference specific vision elements]
+
+---
+
+### Scope
+
+**Included in this epic:**
+
+- [Capability 1]
+- [Capability 2]
+- [Capability 3]
+
+[List the major functionality that IS part of this epic]
+
+**Explicitly excluded:**
+
+- [Not included 1]
+- [Not included 2]
+
+[Define boundaries—what related functionality is NOT part of this epic to prevent scope creep]
+
+**Related Epics:**
+
+[List other epics that are related or adjacent to this one]
+
+---
+
+### Success Criteria
+
+**This epic is complete when:**
+
+1. [Criterion 1: Measurable outcome]
+2. [Criterion 2: Measurable outcome]
+3. [Criterion 3: Measurable outcome]
+
+**Acceptance at Epic Level:**
+
+[High-level acceptance criteria for the entire epic—specific acceptance criteria will be defined at the story/task level]
+
+**Metrics:**
+
+[What metrics will indicate this epic is successful?]
+
+- [Metric 1]
+- [Metric 2]
+
+---
+
+### Dependencies
+
+**Prerequisite Epics:**
+
+[Other epics that must be completed (or partially completed) before this epic can be worked on]
+
+- [Epic A: reason why]
+- [Epic B: reason why]
+
+**External Dependencies:**
+
+[Third-party services, APIs, or external factors required for this epic]
+
+- [Dependency 1]
+- [Dependency 2]
+
+**Blocks:**
+
+[Other epics that are blocked waiting for this epic to complete]
+
+- [Epic X]
+- [Epic Y]
+
+---
+
+### Technical Considerations
+
+[Optional: High-level technical notes, architectural considerations, or constraints]
+
+**Key Technical Requirements:**
+
+- [Requirement 1]
+- [Requirement 2]
+
+**Known Constraints:**
+
+- [Constraint 1]
+- [Constraint 2]
+
+**Risks:**
+
+- [Risk 1: and mitigation]
+- [Risk 2: and mitigation]
+
+---
+
+### User Stories
+
+[This section will be populated as stories are created. Each story will be a child issue of this epic]
+
+**Planned Stories:** [Count: TBD]
+
+- Link to Story 1
+- Link to Story 2
+- [Stories will be linked as children when created]
+
+---
+
+### Estimation & Planning
+
+**Effort Estimate:** [T-Shirt size: S / M / L / XL, or story points if known]
+
+**Target Timeline:** [Optional: Target quarter, milestone, or release]
+
+**Team/Owner:** [Optional: Which team or person is responsible]
+
+---
+
+### Notes
+
+[Any additional context, background, or considerations for this epic]
+
+---
+
+### Definition of Done
+
+At epic level, done means:
+
+- [ ] All user stories created and completed
+- [ ] Success criteria met
+- [ ] User testing/validation completed (if applicable)
+- [ ] Documentation updated
+- [ ] Epic reviewed and accepted by stakeholders
+
+---
+
+**Parent:** [Link to Vision Issue]
+**Children:** [User Story Issues will be linked here]