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/arckit.plan

The /arckit.plan command creates comprehensive project plans with visual timelines, governance gates, and Mermaid diagrams following GDS Agile Delivery methodology.
This is a slash command (not a CLI command). Run it from within your AI assistant after establishing architecture principles with /arckit.principles.

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Description

Creates a project plan showing:
  • Phases: Discovery → Alpha → Beta → Live (GDS framework)
  • Timeline: Gantt chart with activities, dependencies, and milestones
  • Gates: Decision points with approval criteria (Discovery, Alpha, Beta assessments)
  • Workflow: How artifacts flow through gates
  • Integration: When to run each ArcKit command
  • Resources: Team sizing and budget by phase

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Usage

/arckit.plan [PROJECT_ID_OR_INITIATIVE]

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Basic Examples

# Create plan for new project
/arckit.plan 001

# Create plan with initiative name
/arckit.plan Windows 11 Migration

# Create plan for Alpha phase
/arckit.plan Alpha phase

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Arguments

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PROJECT_ID_OR_INITIATIVE
string
Project ID (e.g., “001”) or initiative name (e.g., “Windows 11 Migration”, “Alpha phase”).Examples:
  • 001 - Numeric project ID
  • Windows 11 Migration - Initiative name
  • Alpha phase - Phase-specific planning

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Prerequisites

Must exist: projects/000-global/ARC-000-PRIN-v*.md
/arckit.principles
Place existing project plans, Gantt charts, or dependency maps in:
  • projects/{project-dir}/external/ - Project-specific plans
  • projects/000-global/external/ - Enterprise programme plans
The command will read PDFs and images to extract timelines and dependencies.

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What It Creates

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Document Structure

  • Project name and objective
  • Duration and budget
  • Team size (FTE by phase)
  • Delivery model (GDS Agile Delivery)
  • Success criteria
  • Key milestones

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File Location

projects/{project-name}/
└── ARC-{PROJECT_ID}-PLAN-v1.0.md
Example: 
projects/001-windows-11-migration-intune/
└── ARC-001-PLAN-v1.0.md

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Project Complexity Tiers

The command automatically determines project complexity based on artifacts:

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Small Projects (3-6 months)

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characteristics
list
  • Simple integrations or enhancements
  • < 30 total requirements
  • 1-2 external integrations
  • Standard technology stack
  • No complex compliance (basic security)
Timeline:
  • Discovery: 2-4 weeks
  • Alpha: 4-8 weeks
  • Beta: 8-12 weeks

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Medium Projects (6-12 months)

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characteristics
list
  • New services or significant changes
  • 30-100 total requirements
  • 3-5 external integrations
  • Some custom development
  • PCI-DSS, GDPR, or moderate compliance
Timeline:
  • Discovery: 4-8 weeks
  • Alpha: 8-12 weeks (includes vendor procurement)
  • Beta: 12-24 weeks

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Large Projects (12-24 months)

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characteristics
list
  • Major transformations or complex systems
  • 100+ total requirements
  • 5+ external integrations
  • Significant custom development
  • Multiple compliance regimes (PCI-DSS + GDPR + sector-specific)
  • Data migration required
Timeline:
  • Discovery: 8-12 weeks
  • Alpha: 12-16 weeks (vendor procurement + complex design)
  • Beta: 24-52 weeks

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Interactive Configuration

The command asks two key questions (unless specified in arguments):

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Question 1: Delivery Approach

What delivery approach should this project follow?

1. Agile GDS (Recommended)
   Discovery, Alpha, Beta, Live phases with iterative sprints
   — standard for UK Government

2. Waterfall
   Sequential phases with formal stage gates
   — suited for fixed-scope, compliance-heavy projects

3. Hybrid
   Agile delivery within waterfall governance gates
   — common for large programmes with external vendors

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Question 2: Complexity

What is the expected project complexity?

1. Small (3-6 months)
   Under 30 requirements, 1-2 integrations, standard technology

2. Medium (6-12 months)
   30-100 requirements, 3-5 integrations, some custom development

3. Large (12-24 months)
   100+ requirements, 5+ integrations, significant custom development,
   multiple compliance regimes

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Example Output

# Project Plan: Windows 11 Enterprise Migration

## Executive Summary

**Project**: Windows 11 Enterprise Migration
**Duration**: 32 weeks (8 months)
**Budget**: £850,000
**Team**: 6.5 FTE average
**Delivery Model**: GDS Agile Delivery (Discovery → Alpha → Beta → Live)

**Objective**: Migrate 5,000 enterprise workstations from Windows 10 to Windows 11 with Microsoft Intune

**Success Criteria**:
- 100% devices migrated within 32 weeks
- Zero data loss during migration
- < 2% rollback rate
- 95% user satisfaction (post-migration survey)
- Full compliance with enterprise security policies

**Key Milestones**:
- Discovery Complete: Week 6
- Alpha Complete (HLD approved): Week 14
- Beta Complete (Go-Live approved): Week 30
- Production Launch: Week 32

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Timeline Adjustments

The command automatically adjusts timelines based on project characteristics:
FactorImpact
Vendor ProcurementAlpha +6-8 weeks (SOW + evaluation + selection)
Security HeavyBeta +4-8 weeks (STRIDE, pen testing, SAST/DAST)
Data MigrationBeta +4-12 weeks (migration strategy, testing, rollback)
AI SystemsAlpha/Beta +2-4 weeks (AI Playbook, ATRS, fairness testing)
Multiple IntegrationsAlpha +1-2 weeks per complex integration

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Document Control

All generated plans include auto-populated metadata: 
**Document ID**: ARC-001-PLAN-v1.0
**Project**: Windows 11 Enterprise Migration (Project 001)
**Version**: 1.0
**Status**: DRAFT
**Owner**: [Owner Name], Enterprise Architect
**Classification**: OFFICIAL

**Generated by**: ArcKit `/arckit.plan` command
**Generated on**: 2024-01-15 14:30 GMT
**ArcKit Version**: 0.11.5
**AI Model**: claude-sonnet-4-20250514

/arckit.principles

Required: Create architecture principles first

/arckit.stakeholders

Recommended: Analyze stakeholders for sizing

/arckit.requirements

Recommended: Define requirements for complexity

/arckit.roadmap

Strategic: Multi-year architecture roadmap

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