Eko GTD - Planning & Execution Methodology

Eko GTD (Eko Getting Things Done) is a structured planning and execution methodology that transforms unstructured requirements into a system of testable challenges with autonomous progress tracking.

Quick Reference

Invocation

Use Eko GTD:<Domain> to <task description>

Domains

Domain	Use For
`Eko GTD:Software`	Code, schema, components, APIs
`Eko GTD:Marketing`	Campaigns, metrics, deliverables
`Eko GTD:Content`	Editorial, SEO, publishing
`Eko GTD:Video`	Scripting, production, post
`Eko GTD:Ads`	Digital advertising campaigns
`Eko GTD:Research`	Research projects, synthesis
`Eko GTD:Business`	Planning, strategy execution
`Eko GTD:Doc-Updates`	Documentation maintenance, post-code-change updates

Resume Work

Continue Eko GTD @path/to/TODO.md

Complexity Tiers

Eko GTD scales from minute tasks to major builds with a 6-tier spectrum:

Tier	Name	Duration	Tracking	Document
XS	Minute	< 30 min	TODO.md (flat)	Commit message
QS	Quick	30 min - 2h	TODO.md (flat)	Commit with checklist
S	Small	2-4 hours	TODO.md (mini)	`challenge-mini.md`
M	Medium	4-6 hours	TODO.md (mini+)	Mini + context
L	Large	6-10 hours	TODO.md (full)	`challenge-full.md`
XL	Major	10+ hours	TODO.md (full)	Full + waves

Every tier gets a TODO.md. Even XS/QS tasks create a flat TODO.md for session-resumable context.

Light Tracking (XS/QS)

For XS and QS tasks, skip formal challenges but still create a flat TODO.md. This takes seconds and ensures work is resumable across sessions.

XS (Minute) tasks:

Typo fixes, config value tweaks, single-line bug fixes, comment updates
Create TODO.md with 2-4 checklist items

QS (Quick) tasks:

Single-file changes, straightforward bug fixes, minor refactors, simple UI tweaks
Create TODO.md with 4-8 checklist items

Full GTD (S+)

Use formal GTD tracking with challenges when complexity increases:

Invoke GTD when any of these apply:

Multiple files across packages
Database schema changes
API contract changes
Cross-domain work (e.g., UI + worker + queue)
Cross-agent ownership
External service integration
Unclear requirements needing exploration

Complexity Detection

Automatic Detection Signals

Claude should assess task complexity using these signals:

Signal	XS/QS (Skip GTD)	S+ (Invoke GTD)
File count	1-2 files	3+ files
Package scope	Single package	Cross-package
Schema changes	None	Migrations required
API changes	None	Contract changes
Dependencies	None	External services
Agent ownership	Single agent	Multi-agent
Estimated duration	< 2 hours	2+ hours
Uncertainty	Clear path	Exploration needed

Detection Decision Tree

Is this a typo, config tweak, or single-line fix?
├─ YES → XS (just commit)
└─ NO → Is it a single-file change, < 2 hours, no schema/API changes?
         ├─ YES → QS (commit with checklist)
         └─ NO → Does it touch 3+ files OR require schema/API changes?
                  ├─ NO → S (mini challenge)
                  └─ YES → Does it span 2+ packages OR involve external services?
                           ├─ NO → M (mini + context)
                           └─ YES → Is estimated duration < 10 hours?
                                    ├─ YES → L (full challenge)
                                    └─ NO → XL (full + waves)

Agent Behavior

When a user requests a task without explicitly invoking GTD:

Assess complexity using the signals above
XS/QS detected: Create a flat TODO.md in the project directory, then execute directly
S+ detected: Suggest GTD with rationale, e.g.:

"This task touches 4 files across packages/ui and apps/web, and modifies the API contract. I'll use Eko GTD:Software to structure this work."

Project Storage

Eko GTD projects are stored in docs/projects/<project-name>/:

docs/projects/
├── fix-login-typo/               # XS project (flat TODO only)
│   └── TODO.md                   # Flat checklist
├── user-auth/                    # S+ project (TODO + challenges)
│   ├── TODO.md                   # Progress tracker
│   ├── 01-login-flow.md          # Challenge document
│   ├── 02-registration.md        # Challenge document
│   └── 03-password-reset.md      # Challenge document
├── checkout-redesign/
│   ├── TODO.md
│   └── ...
└── README.md                     # Project index (optional)

Naming conventions:

Project directories: kebab-case
Challenge files: NN-feature-name.md (numbered for ordering, S+ only)
Always include TODO.md — every tier, no exceptions

Exception: The docs/challenges/ directory is reserved for the Eko MVP rollout challenges.

Design Principles

ID	Principle	Description
GTD-001	Challenge-Based	Requirements become numbered PASS/FAIL challenges
GTD-002	State Tracking	Frontmatter metadata enables session-resumable work
GTD-003	Wave Organization	Challenges grouped by dependency order
GTD-004	Quality Tiers	Functional + quality challenges for A+ grading
GTD-005	Cross-Sync	TODO.md files coordinate across domains
GTD-006	Agent Ownership	Every challenge has a single owner agent
GTD-007	Scaled Structure	Full docs for L/XL, mini for S/M, flat TODO for XS/QS
GTD-008	Auto-Detection	Complexity assessed automatically before routing
GTD-009	Universal Tracking	Every tier gets a TODO.md for session resumability
GTD-010	Gaps Pre-flight	S+ challenges validated via `/gaps` before execution begins

Four-Phase Workflow

PHASE 0: GAPS PRE-FLIGHT (S+ tiers)

After creating challenges but before starting implementation, run a /gaps analysis on the challenge set. This catches plan-level problems — missing requirements, contradictory criteria, fragile assumptions — before they become expensive rework.

Analyze — Run /gaps against challenges + TODO.md across six dimensions:
- Holes, Gaps, Pitfalls, Inconsistencies, Weaknesses, Untapped Opportunities
Record — Write findings to ## Gaps Review section of TODO.md
Triage — Classify each finding:
- 🔴 Block: Must fix before Phase 1 (amend challenges or add new ones)
- 🟡 Track: Note for awareness during implementation
- 🟢 Defer: Nice-to-have, capture for future consideration
Gate — Phase 1 begins only when all 🔴 items are resolved

Skip conditions: XS/QS tiers skip. S tiers may use a lightweight single-pass review.

PHASE 1: CHALLENGES (Implementation Driver)

Create Challenge Documents
- Decompose source/requirements into challenge docs
- Assign complexity (S/M/L/XL) and owner agents
- Define dependencies (wave structure)
Evaluate Challenges
- Assess each challenge against current state
- Mark PASS (exists) or FAIL (needs work)
- Update frontmatter counts
Implement by Wave
- Work through waves in dependency order
- Complete each challenge to PASS
- Re-evaluate until all PASS
- Update TODO.md with <- CURRENT marker

PHASE 2: DOCUMENTATION

Update specs/docs to reflect implemented features
Ensure all TODO files are consistent
Verify links between documents

PHASE 3: LAUNCH PREP

Polish, edge cases, optimization
Final quality verification
Archive completed challenges and ship

Claude Behavior on Invocation

When user says "Use Eko GTD: to...":

Confirm Scope - Ask clarifying questions about requirements
Assess Complexity - Determine tier (XS/QS/S/M/L/XL)
Create TODO.md - Every tier gets a TODO.md. Use flat template for XS/QS, mini or full for S+
Propose Structure (S+ only) - Suggest challenge count and wave organization
Create Challenge Docs (S+ only) - Generate challenge documents
Run Gaps Pre-flight (S+ only) - Execute /gaps on challenges, record in TODO.md, triage as 🔴/🟡/🟢, resolve blockers
Begin Phase 1 - Start evaluating challenges (or work through checklist for XS/QS)

Document Templates

Flat TODO.md (XS/QS)

---
title: "[Task Name]"
tier: XS | QS
status: active
last_updated: YYYY-MM-DD
---

# [Task Name]

## Goal

[One sentence: what does "done" look like?]

## Checklist

- [ ] Step 1
- [ ] Step 2
- [ ] Step 3

## Files

| File | Change |
|------|--------|
| `path/to/file.ts` | [Brief description] |

## Notes

[Context, decisions, gotchas — append as you work]

Mini Challenge (S/M)

---
title: "Challenge: [Feature]"
status: in_progress
complexity: S
estimated_challenges: 5
pass_count: 0
fail_count: 0
owner: [agent]
---

# [Feature]

## Context
Brief description of the requirement.

## Challenges

### Challenge 1.1: [Name]
**Requirement:** [Statement]
**Acceptance Criteria:**
- [ ] Criterion 1
- [ ] Criterion 2
**Evaluation:** PENDING
**Notes:**

## Quality Tier

### Challenge 1.X: Quality Standards
**Requirement:** Meet domain-specific quality criteria.
**Acceptance Criteria:**
- [ ] Quality criterion 1
**Evaluation:** PENDING

Full Challenge (L/XL)

---
title: "Challenge: [Feature]"
status: draft|in_progress|complete
complexity: L|XL
estimated_challenges: N
pass_count: X
fail_count: Y
pending_count: Z
dependencies: [list]
owner: [agent]
evaluated_at: YYYY-MM-DD
target_grade: "A+ (97+)"
achieved_grade: null
---

# [Feature]

## Context
What the source/requirements describe.

## Current State
What exists today. Key files, endpoints, components.

## Gap Analysis
| Feature | Required | Current | Gap |
|---------|----------|---------|-----|
| Feature 1 | Yes | Missing | FAIL |

## Challenges

### Challenge X.Y: [Name]
**Requirement:** Statement of what must be true.
**Acceptance Criteria:**
- [ ] Criterion 1
- [ ] Criterion 2
**Evaluation:** [x] PASS | [ ] FAIL | [ ] PENDING
**Notes:** Implementation details.

---

## Quality Tier Challenges (A+ Grade)

### Challenge X.Y: [Quality Area]
**Requirement:** Domain-specific quality standard.
**Acceptance Criteria:**
- [ ] Quality criterion 1
**Evaluation:** PENDING

---

## Evaluation Summary

| Challenge | Result |
|-----------|--------|
| X.1 Name | PASS |
| X.2 Name | FAIL |

**Score: X/Y PASS**

---

## Schema Impact (Software)
Database/API changes required.

## UI Components (Software)
New components to create.

## Implementation Notes
Key decisions and rationale.

## Related Documents
Cross-references.

TODO.md

---
title: "[Project] Progress Tracker"
current_phase: "PHASE 0: GAPS PRE-FLIGHT"
current_wave: "Wave 1: [Name]"
current_task: "01-challenge.md"
last_updated: YYYY-MM-DD
blocked_by: null
---

# [Project] Progress

## User Instructions

### Preferences
- [Workflow preferences]

### Blockers to Address
- [Known blockers]

### Skip/Defer
- [Items to skip]

### Priority Overrides
- [Priority notes]

---

## Quality Reference
- **Target Grade:** A+ (97+)
- **Key Metrics:** [Domain-specific metrics]

---

## Gaps Review

> Generated by `/gaps` pre-flight analysis. Re-run: `/gaps @path/to/TODO.md`

| # | Dimension | Finding | Severity | Resolution |
|---|-----------|---------|----------|------------|
| | | _Run `/gaps` to populate_ | | |

**Blockers:** 0 🔴 | **Tracked:** 0 🟡 | **Deferred:** 0 🟢

---

## Phase Transition Checklists

### PHASE 0 -> PHASE 1
- [ ] `/gaps` analysis completed
- [ ] All 🔴 findings resolved
- [ ] 🟡 findings noted in relevant challenge docs

### PHASE 1 -> PHASE 2
- [ ] All wave challenges PASS
- [ ] No blockers
- [ ] Quality tier verified

### PHASE 2 -> PHASE 3
- [ ] All docs updated
- [ ] Cross-refs verified

---

## Wave 1: [Name]

### 01-challenge.md <- CURRENT
- [x] Create challenge document
- [ ] Evaluate challenges
- [ ] Implement
- [ ] Re-evaluate until PASS

---

## Blocked
<!-- Items waiting -->

## Completed
### [Document] (YYYY-MM-DD)
- **Grade:** A+
- **Deliverables:** [List]

---

## Workflow Reference

### Commands
@path/to/TODO.md What's the current task?
@path/to/TODO.md Resume from where we left off
@path/to/TODO.md Mark [challenge] complete
@path/to/TODO.md Ready for Phase N?
@path/to/TODO.md Block on [reason]
/gaps @path/to/TODO.md               # Re-run gaps analysis

Domain-Specific Quality Tiers

Eko GTD:Software

Category	Standard
Accessibility	WCAG 2.1 AA compliance
Motion	CLS=0, 60fps, prefers-reduced-motion
Testing	Unit, integration, Storybook stories
Tokens	All styling uses design tokens

Eko GTD:Marketing

Category	Standard
Brand	Visual identity alignment
Targeting	Audience segment precision
Metrics	Conversion tracking defined
Compliance	Legal, platform policies

Eko GTD:Content

Category	Standard
Voice	Tone consistency score
SEO	Keyword optimization
Readability	Flesch-Kincaid score
Accuracy	Fact-check verification

Eko GTD:Video

Category	Standard
Script	Flow and pacing review
Visual	Shot composition check
Audio	Clarity verification
A11y	Captions, descriptions

Eko GTD:Ads

Category	Standard
Creative	CTR benchmarks met, A/B variants defined
Audience	Segment overlap < 15%, exclusion lists applied
Budget	ROAS target set, daily cap enforced
Policy	Platform ad policies verified per network

Eko GTD:Business

Category	Standard
Financials	Assumptions explicit, projections sensitivity-tested
Alignment	Stakeholder sign-off criteria defined
Risk	Top 3 risks identified, mitigations assigned
Timeline	Milestones dated, dependencies mapped

Eko GTD:Doc-Updates

Category	Standard
Accuracy	Assertions match current code behavior
Cross-refs	Internal links valid, index entries current
Changelog	Entry added per CHG-001 if functional change
Conventions	Frontmatter, naming, structure per CONVENTIONS.md

Eko GTD:Research

Category	Standard
Methodology	Approach documented, bias controls stated
Sources	Primary sources cited, recency verified
Synthesis	Claims traceable to evidence, gaps flagged
Reproducibility	Steps repeatable, data access documented

Agent Ownership Rules

ID	Rule	Description
OWN-001	Single owner	Each challenge doc has exactly one owner
OWN-002	Domain-based	Owner matches primary domain of work
OWN-003	Delegation	Complex work may delegate but owner validates
OWN-004	PASS authority	Owner confirms PASS criteria before completion

Workflow Commands

Command	Purpose
`@path/to/TODO.md What's the current task?`	Show current work
`@path/to/TODO.md Resume`	Continue from last position
`@path/to/TODO.md Mark X complete`	Update task status
`@path/to/TODO.md Ready for Phase N?`	Check transition gate
`@path/to/TODO.md Block on [reason]`	Add blocker
`/gaps @path/to/TODO.md`	Re-run gaps analysis on challenge set

Agent Catalog - Agent ownership reference
Project Examples - Real project documents
Templates - Copyable templates

#Eko GTD - Planning & Execution Methodology

#Quick Reference

#Invocation

#Domains

#Resume Work

#Complexity Tiers

#Light Tracking (XS/QS)

#Full GTD (S+)

#Complexity Detection

#Automatic Detection Signals

#Detection Decision Tree

#Agent Behavior

#Project Storage

#Design Principles

#Four-Phase Workflow

#PHASE 0: GAPS PRE-FLIGHT (S+ tiers)

#PHASE 1: CHALLENGES (Implementation Driver)

#PHASE 2: DOCUMENTATION

#PHASE 3: LAUNCH PREP

#Claude Behavior on Invocation

#Document Templates

#Flat TODO.md (XS/QS)

#Mini Challenge (S/M)

#Full Challenge (L/XL)

#TODO.md

#Domain-Specific Quality Tiers

#Eko GTD:Software

#Eko GTD:Marketing

#Eko GTD:Content

#Eko GTD:Video

#Eko GTD:Ads

#Eko GTD:Business

#Eko GTD:Doc-Updates

#Eko GTD:Research

#Agent Ownership Rules

#Workflow Commands

#Related Documentation