Plan-Do-Check-Act Skill

This skill implements the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) workflow to ensure tasks are systematically planned and executed.

Requirements

• - Python 3.6+ - Required for all scripts
• Git - Optional - Only used for progress tracking. PDCA works perfectly without Git - it will use file modification times instead.

Setup Guide (First Time)

After installing, run the setup wizard:

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The wizard will:

1. 1. Check Python and Git dependencies
2. Create workspace directory (default: ~/pdca-workspace)
3. Create a test plan
4. Optionally initialize Git for progress tracking
5. Show next steps

Manual Setup

If you prefer manual setup:

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Security Notes

• - Workspace Scope: Only operates on plan*.md files in the configured workspace directory
• Destructive Operations: cleanup command deletes archived files older than specified days (default 7)
• User Confirmation: Archive operation prompts for confirmation if plan is not completed
• Dry Run: Use cleanup --dry-run to preview before deleting
• Autonomous Invocation: Should require user confirmation before cleanup/archive operations

Core Process

1. Plan

• - Break down the task into executable subtasks
• Record the session ID
• Mark priorities and dependencies

2. Do

• - Check off each completed task INLINECODE5
• Mark in-progress tasks as INLINECODE6
• Record issues during execution

3. Check

• - Check for any missed items
• Verify output meets expectations
• Identify areas for improvement

4. Act

• - Fix identified issues
• Update plan.md with learnings
• Archive or iterate

plan.md Template

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Trigger Scenarios

Core Logic: Step Analysis

After receiving a task, quickly analyze how many steps are needed:

1-2 steps → Execute directly, no plan

• - "Rename a file"
• "Delete that test file"

3-5 steps → Optional plan (ask user)

• - "Help me build a login feature"

5+ steps → Auto trigger PDCA

• - "Build a complete user system with registration and login"
• "Refactor this project from React to Vue"

Step Analysis Dimensions

Keyword Triggers

Trigger regardless of step count when user explicitly requests:

• - "break down", "decompose", "plan", "checklist"
• "plan", "checklist", "todo", "track"

Session Binding

plan.md Records Session ID

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Categorized Display After Wake

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Interruption Recovery

Two Interruption Scenarios

Progress Inference (Active Check)

1. 1. Check git status - Uncommitted changes
2. Check file modification time - Files within 10 minutes
3. Compare task description - Keyword matching
4. Identify task type - Code/Test/Deploy/Docs/General
5. Ask user confirmation - Final confirmation

Recovery Flow

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Consumption Mechanism

Status Flow

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Execution Rules

• - Consume one task at a time
• Check off immediately upon completion INLINECODE8
• Skip and record if blocked

Concurrency Control

• - Only one active plan at a time
• When new task arrives: if incomplete plan exists → ask "Finish previous or create new?"

Destruction Mechanism

Archive Strategy

Cleanup Commands

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Usage

Agent Workflow

Trigger Conditions

Automatically trigger PDCA when user:

• - Asks about incomplete tasks: "What's not done?", "What's pending?", "Any unfinished tasks?"
• Asks about progress: "How's it going?", "Progress check", "What's the status?"
• Asks about the plan: "What's the plan?", "Show me the plan"
• Submits a complex task (5+ steps)
• Explicitly requests: "break down", "create a plan", "make a checklist"

Plan Phase

1. 1. Analyze steps with INLINECODE11
2. If 5+ steps → create plan.md
3. Output plan content to user

Do Phase

1. 1. Execute tasks one by one
2. After each task → update plan.md
3. Report progress to user

Example:
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Check Phase

1. 1. When user asks "What's not done?" → run INLINECODE12
2. Output incomplete plans with progress
3. Example response:

Act Phase

1. 1. Fix identified issues
2. Archive completed plans

Create Plan

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Update Status

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Pause/Resume

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Session Start Check

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Progress Check

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Scripts

Configuration

Default workspace: ~/.openclaw/workspace/
Plan files: plan.md or plan-*.md
Archive directory: INLINECODE20

Security:

• - Only operates on plan*.md files in the workspace
• Does not modify non-plan files
• Archive/cleanup only affects archive/ directory
• Use --dry-run to preview cleanup before deleting