Playbook Writer Skill

When to Use

• When a directory has no PLAYBOOK.md or has generic boilerplate
• When rewriting existing playbooks to match PLAYBOOK_TEMPLATE.md
• When adding new modules to the command center

Tools Required

Instructions

1. Read the Template

Always start by reading BRAINIAC/PLAYBOOK_TEMPLATE.md to ensure format compliance.

2. Gather Context

Before writing, determine:

• Phase: Which lifecycle phase (Idea, Validation, Planning, etc.)
• Module: The specific subdirectory (Problem Discovery, Market Research, etc.)
• Phase Index: The numbered prefix (0. Idea, 1. Validation, etc.)
• Module Position: Where this module sits in the phase sequence
• APP_NAME: The user's SaaS product name (from GEMINI.md or user input)

3. Determine Prerequisites

Scan the phase directory:

• List all sibling modules
• Check which modules logically precede this one
• Check cross-phase dependencies (e.g., Development depends on Planning)
• Read adjacent PLAYBOOK.md files for cross-reference links

4. Write Module-Specific Content

CRITICAL RULES:

• NO BOILERPLATE. Every section must contain content specific to THIS module.
• Action steps must name the specific tool, MCP, or agent to use.
• Vibe Coding Prompts must include {PLACEHOLDERS} for user-specific context.
• Success Criteria must be binary pass/fail — never subjective vibes.
• Deliverables must be concrete files, documents, or decisions.

Anti-patterns to AVOID:

BAD:  "Define the MVP for Frontend."
GOOD: "Create a component inventory listing every UI screen, with wireframe references from Design/Wireframes/."

BAD:  "Track the metrics."
GOOD: "Set up Posthog/Mixpanel tracking for: signup rate, activation rate, D7 retention. Export dashboard link to this directory as METRICS.md."

BAD:  "Generate a robust, production-ready implementation plan."
GOOD: "Using Next.js 15 App Router, scaffold the authenticated dashboard layout with sidebar navigation. Include: /dashboard, /settings, /billing routes. Use Supabase Auth for session management."

5. Validate Before Saving

Checklist before writing the file:

• [ ] Every section from PLAYBOOK_TEMPLATE.md is present
• [ ] Objective is exactly one sentence
• [ ] Deliverables are checkboxes with concrete outputs
• [ ] Prerequisites table references real modules with correct paths
• [ ] Action Steps each specify Tool/Agent, Input, Output
• [ ] Agent Context table lists actual MCPs, skills, and workflows
• [ ] Vibe Coding Prompts use {PLACEHOLDERS}
• [ ] Success Criteria are binary pass/fail
• [ ] Cross-References link to real adjacent playbook paths

6. Save

Write the file to BRAINIAC/{Phase}/{Module}/PLAYBOOK.md, overwriting any existing boilerplate.

Quality Gates

• Zero generic sentences (grep for "ship fast", "no fluff", "pour gasoline" — these are boilerplate markers)
• Every action step maps to a tool or agent
• Cross-references resolve to existing files