apw-decomposelisted

Use this skill when a task has been handed in but the right *sequence of skills* to apply is not yet decided. It sits before every other skill in the workflow: it maps the task to the minimal set of steps that will actually be needed, so later phases do not waste effort or skip work that matters. Follow the steps below strictly and in order. ## Output style When this skill asks for a plan, report, summary, status update, or other chat-facing output, prefer bullet points or numbered lists over plain paragraphs. Keep each item concise and content-bearing. Omit language that only smooths tone, repeats context, or adds "language sugar" without changing the meaning. ## Step 1 — Absorb the task Before assessing anything, read everything that defines the task: - **The brief** — the task description, ticket, or request as given. - **Existing artifacts** — if your work item already has a `research.md`, `brainstorm.md`, `tech-design.md`, `plan.md`, or similar artifact (see `apw-work-with-work-item-artifacts` for where they live), read them — they may already answer questions that would otherwise trigger additional steps. - **The codebase** — enough of the affected area to know whether the change is local or cross-cutting, what patterns already exist, and what external dependencies are involved. Do not skip this step. A workflow built without reading the affected code is a guess. ## Step 2 — Ask clarifying questions (only if needed) If anything remains genuinely ambiguous after