validation-task-artifacts

# Reviewing Task Artifacts

## Overview

Find gaps in task artifacts and generate issues that need resolution before proceeding to the next phase. Focus on vertical slice completeness, TDD structure, and traceability. This skill provides phase-specific review criteria for the Devil's Advocate.

## When to Use

- Reviewing task-mapping.md after mapping phase completes
- Validating tasks.md before implementation begins
- Cross-checking traceability between stories, cycles, and tasks
- Assessing TDD structure compliance in cycle definitions
- Generating advocate reports with classified issues
- Quality gate checks before implementation starts

## When NOT to Use

- **Plan artifact review** - Use `humaninloop:validation-plan-artifacts` instead
- **Implementation code review** - Use code review tools
- **Creating task artifacts** - This skill is for validation only
- **When tasks.md doesn't exist yet** - Wait for Task Architect to complete
- **Specification review** - Use `humaninloop:analysis-specifications` instead

## Review Focus by Phase

Each phase has specific checks to execute. The checks identify Critical, Important, and Minor issues.

| Phase | Focus Area | Key Checks |
|-------|------------|------------|
| Mapping | Story coverage | All P1/P2 stories mapped to cycles |
| Mapping | Slice quality | Cycles are true vertical slices |
| Mapping | Dependencies | Foundation vs feature correctly identified |
| Tasks | TDD structure | Test-first task ordering in each cycle |
| Tasks | Coverage | All cycles have implementation tasks |
| Tasks | Format | Task IDs, file paths, markers correct |
| Cross | Traceability | Stories -> Cycles -> Tasks chain complete |

See [PHASE-CHECKLISTS.md](references/PHASE-CHECKLISTS.md) for detailed phase-specific checklists and key questions.

## Issue Classification

Issues are classified by severity to determine appropriate action:

| Severity | Definition | Action |
|----------|------------|--------|
| **Critical** | Blocks progress;