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Task Reviewer Guide

The Task Reviewer custom agent validates completed implementation work against research and plan specifications. It checks convention compliance, runs validation commands, and produces review logs with findings and follow-up work.

When to Use Task Reviewer​

Use Task Reviewer after completing implementation when you need:

  • ✅ Specification validation against research and plan documents
  • 📋 Convention compliance checking against instruction files
  • 🔍 Change verification comparing actual changes to planned changes
  • 📝 Structured findings with severity levels and evidence

What Task Reviewer Does​

  1. Locates review artifacts (research, plan, changes logs)
  2. Extracts implementation checklist from source documents
  3. Validates each item with evidence from the codebase
  4. Runs validation commands (lint, build, test)
  5. Documents findings with severity levels
  6. Identifies follow-up work for future implementation

NOTE

Why the constraint matters: Task Reviewer validates against documented specifications, not assumptions. Because it can only review what was documented, gaps in research or planning become visible. This feedback loop improves future RPI cycles.

Output Artifact​

Task Reviewer creates a review log at:

.copilot-tracking/reviews/{{YYYY-MM-DD}}-<topic>-review.md

This document includes:

  • Implementation checklist from research and plan
  • Validation results with evidence
  • Additional or deviating changes found
  • Missing work and follow-up items
  • Overall status (Complete, Needs Rework, Blocked)

How to Use Task Reviewer​

Type /task-review in GitHub Copilot Chat to start the review:

/task-review

This automatically switches to Task Reviewer and begins the review protocol.

Option 2: Select the Custom Agent Manually​

  1. Open GitHub Copilot Chat (Ctrl+Alt+I)
  2. Click the agent picker dropdown at the top
  3. Select Task Reviewer
  4. Describe the scope of your review

Option 3: Using Scope Parameters​

Specify a time-based scope to filter artifacts:

/task-review today
/task-review this week
/task-review since last review

Task Reviewer filters .copilot-tracking/ artifacts by date prefix when you provide a scope.

Step 2: Let It Validate​

Task Reviewer works autonomously to:

  • Locate related research, plan, and changes files
  • Extract implementation checklist items
  • Validate each item against the codebase
  • Run applicable validation commands
  • Document findings with severity levels

Step 3: Review the Findings​

When complete, Task Reviewer provides:

  • Summary of validation activities
  • Findings count by severity (Critical, Major, Minor)
  • Review log location for detailed reference
  • Next steps based on review outcome

Example Prompts​

Basic review of recent work:

/task-review
Review the blob storage implementation completed today.

Review with specific artifact reference:

/task-review
Validate against:
- Research: .copilot-tracking/research/2025-01-28-blob-storage-research.md
- Plan: .copilot-tracking/plans/2025-01-28-blob-storage-plan.instructions.md
- Changes: .copilot-tracking/changes/2025-01-28-blob-storage-changes.md

Understanding Severity Levels​

Task Reviewer categorizes findings by impact:

SeverityDescriptionExample
CriticalImplementation incorrect or missing required functionalityMissing authentication on public endpoint
MajorImplementation deviates from specifications or conventionsUsed deprecated API instead of recommended one
MinorStyle issues, documentation gaps, or optimization opportunitiesMissing inline comment on complex logic

Tips for Better Reviews​

✅ Do:

  • Review after each implementation phase when possible
  • Use time-based scopes for focused reviews
  • Address Critical and Major findings before committing
  • Let Minor findings accumulate for batch fixes

❌ Don't:

  • Skip reviews for multi-file changes
  • Ignore convention compliance warnings
  • Commit without addressing Critical findings

Common Pitfalls​

PitfallSolution
No artifacts foundComplete implementation first; verify changes log exists
Research not linkedEnsure plan references research document
Too many findingsBreak implementation into smaller phases

Next Steps​

After Task Reviewer completes, the review status determines your path:

When Status is Complete​

  1. Commit your changes with a descriptive message
  2. Clean up planning files if no longer needed
  3. Start the next RPI cycle for additional work

When Findings Require Rework​

  1. Clear context using /clear
  2. Open the review log in your editor
  3. Return to implementation using /task-implement

Task Implementor uses the review findings to address Critical and Major issues.

When Follow-Up Items Need Research​

  1. Clear context using /clear
  2. Open the review log in your editor
  3. Start research using /task-research

Review findings become input for the next research cycle.

When Additional Planning Is Needed​

  1. Clear context using /clear
  2. Open the review log in your editor
  3. Revise plan using /task-plan

Task Planner incorporates review findings into updated planning.

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