# 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]