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Task Planner Guide

The Task Planner custom agent transforms research findings into actionable implementation plans. It creates coordinated planning files with checkboxes, detailed specifications, and line number references for precise execution.

When to Use Task Planner​

Use Task Planner after completing research when you need:

  • 📋 Structured implementation steps with clear checkboxes
  • 📐 Detailed specifications for each task
  • 🔗 Cross-references to research findings
  • ⏱️ Phased execution with dependencies

What Task Planner Does​

  1. Validates that research exists (MANDATORY first step)
  2. Creates two coordinated planning files
  3. Links specifications to research with line numbers
  4. Organizes tasks into logical phases with dependencies

NOTE

Why the constraint matters: Task Planner receives verified research and transforms it into actionable steps. Because it can't implement, it focuses entirely on sequencing, dependencies, and success criteria. The plan becomes a contract that prevents improvisation during implementation.

Output Artifacts​

Task Planner creates two files:

.copilot-tracking/
├── plans/
│   └── {{YYYY-MM-DD}}-<topic>-plan.instructions.md   # Checklist with phases
└── details/
    └── {{YYYY-MM-DD}}-<topic>-details.md             # Specifications for each task

Plan File​

Contains checkboxes for phases and tasks, references to details with line numbers.

Details File​

Contains specifications for each task: files to modify, success criteria, research references.

How to Use Task Planner​

Step 1: Clear Context​

🔴 Start with /clear or a new chat after Task Researcher completes.

Step 2: Invoke Task Planner​

Type /task-plan in GitHub Copilot Chat with the research document opened in the editor. This automatically switches to Task Planner and begins the planning protocol. You can optionally provide the research file path:

/task-plan

If you don't specify a file, Task Planner will search for recent research documents in .copilot-tracking/research/ and ask you to confirm which one to use.

Option 2: Select the Custom Agent Manually​

  1. Open GitHub Copilot Chat (Ctrl+Alt+I)
  2. Click the agent picker dropdown
  3. Select Task Planner

Step 3: Reference Your Research​

Provide the path to your research document and any additional context.

Step 4: Review the Plan​

Task Planner will create all three files. Review:

  • Are phases in logical order?
  • Do tasks have clear success criteria?
  • Are dependencies correctly identified?

Example Prompt​

With .copilot-tracking/research/2025-01-28-blob-storage-research.md opened in the editor

/task-plan
Focus on:
- The streaming upload approach recommended in the research
- Phased rollout: storage client first, then writer class, then tests
- Include error handling and retry logic in each phase

Tips for Better Plans​

✅ Do:

  • Reference specific research document
  • Mention which recommended approach to use
  • Suggest logical phases if you have preferences
  • Include any additional constraints

❌ Don't:

  • Skip the research phase
  • Ask for implementation (that's next step)
  • Ignore the planning files once created

Understanding the Plan Structure​

Phases​

High-level groupings of related work:

### [ ] Phase 1: Storage Client Setup
### [ ] Phase 2: Writer Implementation
### [ ] Phase 3: Integration Testing

Tasks​

Specific work items within phases:

* [ ] Task 1.1: Create BlobStorageClient class
  * Details: .copilot-tracking/details/2025-01-28-blob-storage-details.md (Lines 10-25)

Line References​

Every task references exact lines in the details file, which in turn references research:

Plan → Details (Lines X-Y) → Research (Lines A-B)

Common Pitfalls​

PitfallSolution
Research not foundComplete Task Researcher first
Phases too largeBreak into smaller, verifiable tasks
Missing dependenciesReview task order and prerequisites

Next Steps​

After Task Planner completes:

  1. Review all three planning files
  2. Clear context using /clear or starting a new chat
  3. Proceed to implementation using /task-implement to switch to Task Implementor

The /task-implement prompt automatically locates the plan and switches to Task Implementor.

TIP

Use the ⚡ Implement handoff button when available to transition directly to Task Implementor with context.

After implementation, continue to Task Reviewer to validate against specifications.

🤖 Crafted with precision by ✨Copilot following brilliant human instruction, then carefully refined by our team of discerning human reviewers.