What problem does it solve? Large backlog items that are too big to estimate, sequence, or deliver safely stall delivery planning. This Skill splits epics into thin, end-to-end user stories while preserving user value in every slice, avoiding the trap of horizontal task decomposition. ## Core Features & Use Cases - INVEST Pre-Split Validation: Runs the INVEST checklist on the epic first, with an explicit stop when the item fails the Valuable check and must be reframed around user value. - Nine Ordered Split Patterns: Applies the Humanizing Work splitting patterns (workflow steps, operations, business rules, data variations, and more) in order, then proposes three candidate splits for the team to choose from. - Board-Ready Output: Emits story cards, a split evaluation report, and a flat CSV with a stable column contract for direct import into Jira or similar trackers. - Use Case: A team has an epic like "build the dispute state service" that cannot be estimated. The Skill reframes it around user value, proposes three splits, isolates a timeboxed spike for the open technical question, and exports the resulting stories as CSV. ## Quick Start Ask the assistant to break down your epic into user stories using the epic-breakdown-advisor, providing the epic text, the persona it serves, and why it is too large.
