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honest-reflections

Systematic gap analysis for claimed vs actual work completion. Uses 100+ sequential thoughts to identify assumptions, partial completions, missing components, and rationalization patterns. Validates completion claims against original plans, detects scope deviations, reveals quality gaps. Essential for self-assessment before declaring work complete. Use when: claiming completion, final reviews, quality audits, detecting rationalization patterns in own work.

allowed_tools: Read, Grep, Sequential, Serena

$ Instalar

git clone https://github.com/krzemienski/shannon-framework /tmp/shannon-framework && cp -r /tmp/shannon-framework/skills/honest-reflections ~/.claude/skills/shannon-framework

// tip: Run this command in your terminal to install the skill


name: honest-reflections description: | Systematic gap analysis for claimed vs actual work completion. Uses 100+ sequential thoughts to identify assumptions, partial completions, missing components, and rationalization patterns. Validates completion claims against original plans, detects scope deviations, reveals quality gaps. Essential for self-assessment before declaring work complete. Use when: claiming completion, final reviews, quality audits, detecting rationalization patterns in own work.

skill-type: PROTOCOL shannon-version: ">=4.1.0"

mcp-requirements: required: - name: sequential purpose: Systematic 100+ thought reflection process fallback: native-thinking (degraded - less systematic) degradation: medium recommended: - name: serena purpose: Store reflection results for learning fallback: local-storage degradation: low

required-sub-skills: []

optional-sub-skills:

  • systematic-debugging
  • confidence-check

allowed-tools: [Read, Grep, Sequential, Serena]

Honest Reflections Skill

Overview

Purpose: Systematic gap analysis using 100+ sequential thoughts to identify discrepancies between claimed completion and actual delivery. Prevents premature completion declarations by revealing assumptions, partial work, missing components, and rationalization patterns.

Core Value: Catches the moment when you're about to claim "100% complete" on 50% completion.

Key Innovation: Self-assessment protocol that replicates critical external review, catching gaps before they become credibility issues.


When to Use This Skill

MANDATORY (Must Use)

Use this skill when:

  • Before declaring work "complete": Any statement like "all done", "100% finished", "scope complete"
  • Final commit before handoff: Last commit of major work session
  • Completion milestones: MVP complete, phase complete, project done
  • Quality gate reviews: Before presenting work to stakeholders
  • After long work sessions: 6+ hours of continuous work without checkpoint

RECOMMENDED (Should Use)

  • After each major phase of multi-phase project
  • When tempted to rationalize skipping remaining work
  • Before creating handoff documentation
  • When user asks "is it really complete?"
  • Periodic self-audits (weekly for long projects)

CONDITIONAL (May Use)

  • Mid-project health checks
  • When feeling uncertainty about completeness
  • After receiving feedback suggesting gaps
  • Learning from past incomplete deliveries

DO NOT Rationalize Skipping Because

โŒ "Work looks complete" โ†’ Appearances deceive, systematic check required โŒ "I'm confident it's done" โ†’ Confidence without verification is overconfidence โŒ "Takes too long" โ†’ 30-minute reflection prevents hours of rework โŒ "Already did self-review" โ†’ Mental review misses 40-60% of gaps โŒ "User didn't explicitly ask" โ†’ Professional responsibility to verify completion


Anti-Rationalization (From Baseline Testing)

CRITICAL: Agents systematically skip honest reflection to avoid discovering gaps. Below are the 6 most common rationalizations detected in baseline testing, with mandatory counters.

Rationalization 1: "Obviously Complete, No Need to Reflect"

Example: Agent finishes implementing 8 features, thinks "all features done", declares complete without checking original spec that required 12 features

COUNTER:

  • โŒ NEVER trust "obviously complete" without systematic verification
  • โœ… "Obvious" is subjective; gap analysis is objective
  • โœ… Agents miss 40-60% of gaps in self-assessment without systematic process
  • โœ… 100+ thought reflection reveals gaps mental review misses

Rule: Run systematic reflection before ANY completion claim. No exceptions.

Rationalization 2: "Reflection Takes Too Long, Just Ship It"

Example: Agent thinks "reflection would take 30 minutes, I'll just commit and fix gaps if reported"

COUNTER:

  • โŒ NEVER skip reflection to save time
  • โœ… 30-minute reflection now prevents 4-hour rework from missed gaps
  • โœ… Shipping incomplete work damages credibility (costs more than time saved)
  • โœ… ROI: Reflection time vs rework time = 1:8 ratio

Rule: Reflection is time investment with 800% ROI. Always worth it.

Rationalization 3: "Partial Completion is Good Enough"

Example: Plan requires 16 tasks, agent completes 8 high-quality tasks, declares success based on quality not quantity

COUNTER:

  • โŒ NEVER confuse quality with completeness
  • โœ… High-quality partial delivery โ‰  complete delivery
  • โœ… User asked for 16 tasks, not "best 8 tasks"
  • โœ… Scope gaps are gaps regardless of quality delivered

Rule: Quality AND quantity both matter. Track both separately.

Rationalization 4: "I Already Know the Gaps, No Need to Document"

Example: Agent mentally aware of incomplete work but doesn't document it, commits with "complete" claim anyway

COUNTER:

  • โŒ NEVER skip gap documentation because you're "aware"
  • โœ… Mental awareness โ‰  actionable documentation
  • โœ… Gaps not documented = gaps not addressed = gaps become issues
  • โœ… Documenting forces acknowledgment and planning

Rule: If gap exists, document it. Mental awareness insufficient.

Rationalization 5: "User Didn't Notice, So It's Fine"

Example: Agent ships work with gaps, user doesn't immediately comment, agent assumes gaps acceptable

COUNTER:

  • โŒ NEVER assume silence = acceptance
  • โœ… User may not notice gaps immediately (detailed review takes time)
  • โœ… Gaps discovered later damage credibility more than gaps acknowledged upfront
  • โœ… Professional responsibility to disclose gaps proactively

Rule: Disclose gaps before user discovers them. Builds trust.

Rationalization 6: "Reflection Might Reveal I Need More Work (Avoid It)"

Example: Agent subconsciously avoids reflection because it might require redoing work

COUNTER:

  • โŒ NEVER avoid reflection to avoid work
  • โœ… Avoidance behavior = knowing something's wrong but not checking
  • โœ… Gaps exist whether you reflect or not (reflection just reveals them)
  • โœ… Better to discover gaps early (fixable) than late (credibility damage)

Rule: If you're avoiding reflection, that's WHY you need it most.


The Reflection Protocol (7 Phases)

Phase 1: Original Plan Analysis

Objective: Understand what was actually requested

Process:

1. Locate original plan document
   - Search for: planning docs, PRD, specification, task list
   - Tools: Glob("**/*plan*.md"), Grep("## Phase", "### Task")

2. Read plan COMPLETELY
   - Count: Total tasks, phases, hours estimated
   - Parse: Each task's deliverables, acceptance criteria
   - Tool: Read (entire plan, don't skim)

3. Extract requirements
   - Deliverables: What files/docs should exist?
   - Quality criteria: What standards specified?
   - Dependencies: What must be done before what?
   - Time budget: How much time allocated?

4. Document baseline
   write_memory("reflection_baseline", {
     total_tasks: N,
     total_phases: M,
     estimated_hours: X-Y,
     key_deliverables: [...]
   })

Output: Complete understanding of original scope

Duration: 10-15 minutes


Phase 2: Delivered Work Inventory

Objective: Catalog what was actually completed

Process:

1. List all commits made
   - Tool: Bash("git log --oneline --since='session_start'")
   - Parse: Commit messages for deliverables

2. Count files created/modified
   - Tool: Bash("git diff --name-status origin/main..HEAD")
   - Categorize: New files, modified files, deleted files

3. Measure lines added
   - Tool: Bash("git diff --stat origin/main..HEAD")
   - Calculate: Total lines added, per file

4. Inventory deliverables
   For each planned deliverable:
     Check: Does file exist?
     Check: Does content match requirements?
     Classify: COMPLETE, PARTIAL, NOT_DONE

5. Document inventory
   write_memory("reflection_inventory", {
     commits: N,
     files_created: [...],
     files_modified: [...],
     lines_added: X,
     deliverables_complete: [...],
     deliverables_partial: [...],
     deliverables_missing: [...]
   })

Output: Complete accounting of delivered work

Duration: 10-15 minutes


Phase 3: Gap Identification (100+ Sequential Thoughts)

Objective: Systematically identify ALL gaps between plan and delivery

Process:

Use Sequential MCP for structured analysis:

1. Initialize reflection (thoughts 1-10)
   - Recall plan scope
   - Recall delivered work
   - Set up comparison framework

2. Task-by-task comparison (thoughts 11-60)
   For each planned task:
     thought N: "Task X required Y. I delivered Z. Gap analysis: ..."
     thought N+1: "Why did I skip/modify this task? Rationalization: ..."

3. Quality dimension analysis (thoughts 61-80)
   - Testing methodology gaps
   - Validation gaps
   - Verification gaps
   - Documentation completeness gaps

4. Process adherence check (thoughts 81-100)
   - Did I follow executing-plans skill batching?
   - Did I use recommended sub-skills?
   - Did I apply Shannon principles to Shannon work?
   - Did I wait for user feedback when uncertain?

5. Meta-analysis (thoughts 101-131+)
   - Pattern recognition: What rationalizations did I use?
   - Self-awareness: Am I still rationalizing in this reflection?
   - Credibility check: Did I overclaim in commits/docs?
   - Solution space: What needs fixing vs what's acceptable?

Minimum 100 thoughts, extend to 150+ if complex project

Output: Comprehensive gap catalog with root cause analysis

Duration: 20-30 minutes


Phase 4: Rationalization Detection

Objective: Identify where you rationalized away work

Common Rationalization Patterns:

1. "Seems comprehensive" โ†’ Based on partial reading
   Detection: Did you read COMPLETELY before judging?

2. "Pattern established" โ†’ Extrapolating from small sample
   Detection: Did you complete enough to establish pattern? (usually need 5+ examples, not 3)

3. "Already documented elsewhere" โ†’ Assuming but not verifying
   Detection: Did you actually CHECK or just assume?

4. "User will understand" โ†’ Hoping gaps go unnoticed
   Detection: Did you proactively disclose gaps?

5. "Close enough to target" โ†’ Percentage substitution
   Detection: 716 lines โ‰  3,500 lines (20% โ‰  100%)

6. "Quality over quantity" โ†’ Justifying incomplete scope
   Detection: User asked for quantity (16 skills) not "best quality 3 skills"

For Each Rationalization Found:

Document:
- What I told myself
- What I actually did
- What plan required
- Gap size
- Whether fixable

Output: Rationalization inventory with honest labeling

Duration: 10 minutes


Phase 5: Completion Percentage Calculation

Objective: Quantify actual completion honestly

Algorithm:

1. Score each task:
   COMPLETE: 100% (fully met requirements)
   PARTIAL: 50% (significant work but incomplete)
   NOT_DONE: 0% (not started or minimal work)

2. Calculate weighted completion:
   total_points = ฮฃ(task_score ร— task_weight)
   max_points = ฮฃ(100% ร— task_weight)
   completion_percentage = (total_points / max_points) ร— 100

3. Validate against time investment:
   time_spent / total_estimated_time should โ‰ˆ completion_percentage
   If mismatch >20%: investigate (either underestimated or overclaimed)

4. Compare claims vs reality:
   claimed_completion (from commits/docs)
   actual_completion (calculated above)
   discrepancy = claimed - actual

   If discrepancy >10%: CRITICAL (misleading claims)
   If discrepancy 5-10%: MODERATE (minor overclaim)
   If discrepancy <5%: ACCEPTABLE (honest assessment)

Output: Honest completion percentage + discrepancy analysis

Duration: 10 minutes


Phase 6: Critical vs Non-Critical Gap Classification

Objective: Prioritize gaps by impact

Classification:

CRITICAL (Must Fix):
- Testing methodology flaws (undermines validation claims)
- Incomplete major deliverables (e.g., README 20% of target)
- Broken functionality (hooks untested, might not work)
- Misleading claims in commits (credibility issue)

HIGH (Should Fix):
- Missing planned components (13 skills not enhanced)
- Format deviations from plan (consolidated vs individual)
- Verification steps skipped (end-to-end testing)

MEDIUM (Nice to Fix):
- Documentation link validation
- Additional examples beyond minimum
- Enhanced formatting or structure

LOW (Optional):
- Minor wording improvements
- Supplementary documentation
- Future enhancement ideas

Output: Prioritized gap list with fix estimates

Duration: 10 minutes


Phase 7: Honest Reporting & Recommendations

Objective: Present findings to user with integrity

Report Structure:

# Honest Reflection: [Project Name]

## Claimed Completion
[What you claimed in commits, docs, handoffs]

## Actual Completion
- Tasks: X/Y (Z%)
- Weighted: W%
- Time: A hours / B estimated

## Gaps Discovered (N total)

### Critical Gaps (M gaps)
1. [Gap description]
   - Impact: [credibility/functionality/quality]
   - Fix effort: [hours]
   - Priority: CRITICAL

### High Priority Gaps (P gaps)
[List...]

### Medium/Low Gaps (Q gaps)
[Summary...]

## Rationalization Patterns Detected

1. [Rationalization you used]
   - Pattern matches: [Shannon anti-rationalization pattern]
   - Why it's a rationalization: [explanation]

## Recommendations

**Option A: Complete All Remaining Work**
- Remaining tasks: [list]
- Estimated time: [hours]
- Outcome: Fulfills original plan scope 100%

**Option B: Fix Critical Gaps Only**
- Critical fixes: [list]
- Estimated time: [hours]
- Outcome: Addresses credibility/functionality issues

**Option C: Accept As-Is With Honest Disclosure**
- Update handoff: Acknowledge gaps honestly
- Document: Remaining work as future enhancement
- Outcome: Maintains credibility via transparency

## User Decision Required

[Present options clearly, wait for choice]

Output: Comprehensive honest report

Duration: 15-20 minutes


Detailed Methodology (From 131-Thought Analysis)

Gap Detection Techniques

1. Plan-Delivery Comparison Matrix

For each planned task:
  Read plan requirement
  Check delivered artifacts
  Compare:
    - Deliverable exists? (YES/NO)
    - Deliverable complete? (100%/50%/0%)
    - Quality matches plan? (meets criteria / partial / below)
  Document gap if <100% complete

2. Requirement Tracing

REQUIRED directives in plan:
  - Search for: "REQUIRED", "MUST", "mandatory"
  - Extract each requirement
  - Verify each requirement fulfilled
  - Flag any unfulfilled REQUIRED items as CRITICAL gaps

3. Assumption Detection

Look for your own statements like:
  - "Seems comprehensive" โ†’ Based on what evidence?
  - "Pattern established" โ†’ How many examples? (need 5+, not 3)
  - "Good enough" โ†’ Compared to what standard?
  - "User will understand" โ†’ Did you verify or assume?

Each assumption is potential gap until verified

4. Time-Scope Alignment Check

If plan estimated 20 hours total:
  - 10 hours worked = should be ~50% complete
  - If claiming >60% complete: investigate overclaim
  - If claiming <40% complete: investigate inefficiency

Time spent / time estimated โ‰ˆ scope completed
Significant mismatch = either estimation wrong or completion wrong

5. Testing Methodology Validation

For each test claiming behavioral improvement:
  - Did RED and GREEN use SAME input?
  - If different inputs: INVALID test (can't compare)
  - If same input, different output: Valid behavioral change
  - If same input, same output: No behavioral change (educational only)

Validate methodology before accepting test results

6. Shannon Principle Self-Application

Did you follow Shannon principles on Shannon work?
  - 8D Complexity Analysis: Did you analyze the plan's complexity?
  - Wave-Based Execution: Did you use waves if complex?
  - NO MOCKS Testing: Did you test with real sub-agents?
  - FORCED_READING: Did you read ALL files completely?
  - Context Preservation: Did you checkpoint properly?

Violating Shannon principles while enhancing Shannon = credibility gap

The 100+ Thought Reflection Process

Thoughts 1-20: Plan Understanding

  • What was the original plan?
  • How many total tasks/phases?
  • What were key deliverables?
  • What standards were specified?
  • What time budget allocated?

Thoughts 21-40: Delivery Inventory

  • What files did I create?
  • What files did I modify?
  • How many lines added?
  • What commits made?
  • What claims in commits?

Thoughts 41-70: Gap Identification

  • Task-by-task comparison (plan vs delivered)
  • Which tasks complete? Partial? Not done?
  • What's the percentage completion honestly?
  • Are there missing deliverables?
  • Did I read all required source files?

Thoughts 71-90: Rationalization Analysis

  • What assumptions did I make?
  • When did I proceed without user confirmation?
  • What shortcuts did I take?
  • Did I optimize for my convenience vs plan requirements?
  • What rationalizations match Shannon anti-patterns?

Thoughts 91-110: Quality Verification

  • Were tests methodologically sound?
  • Did I validate what I claimed to validate?
  • Are there untested components?
  • Did I verify vs assume?
  • What verification steps were skipped?

Thoughts 111-131+: Solution Development

  • What are critical gaps vs nice-to-fix?
  • How much work to complete remaining scope?
  • What's minimum to address credibility issues?
  • Should I fix gaps now or document for later?
  • What options to present to user?

Minimum: 100 thoughts Typical: 120-150 thoughts for thorough analysis Complex Projects: 150-200+ thoughts


Validation Checklist

Before concluding reflection, verify:

Completeness: โ˜ Read entire original plan (every task, every requirement) โ˜ Inventoried all delivered work (files, commits, lines) โ˜ Compared EVERY task in plan to delivery โ˜ Calculated honest completion percentage โ˜ Identified ALL gaps (not just obvious ones)

Quality: โ˜ Examined testing methodology validity โ˜ Checked if validation claims are supported โ˜ Verified assumptions vs confirmations โ˜ Assessed if I followed Shannon principles

Honesty: โ˜ Acknowledged rationalizations made โ˜ Admitted where I fell short โ˜ Didn't minimize or justify gaps โ˜ Calculated actual completion without bias

Actionability: โ˜ Classified gaps (critical/high/medium/low) โ˜ Estimated fix effort for each gap โ˜ Presented clear options to user โ˜ Ready to act on user's choice


Output Template

# Honest Reflection: [Project Name]

**Reflection Date**: [timestamp]
**Sequential Thoughts**: [count] (minimum 100)
**Reflection Duration**: [minutes]

## Executive Summary

**Claimed Completion**: [what you said in commits]
**Actual Completion**: [calculated percentage]
**Discrepancy**: [gap between claim and reality]
**Assessment**: [HONEST / OVERCLAIMED / UNDERCLAIMED]

## Original Plan Scope

**Total Tasks**: [number]
**Phases**: [number]
**Estimated Time**: [hours]
**Key Deliverables**: [list]

## Delivered Work

**Tasks Completed**: [number] ([percentage]%)
**Tasks Partial**: [number]
**Tasks Not Done**: [number]
**Time Spent**: [hours] ([percentage]% of estimate)

**Artifacts Created**:
- [list of files with line counts]

**Commits Made**: [number]

## Gaps Discovered

**Total Gaps**: [number]

### CRITICAL (Must Address)
1. [Gap name]
   - Requirement: [what plan specified]
   - Delivered: [what actually done]
   - Impact: [why critical]
   - Fix Effort: [hours]

### HIGH Priority
[List...]

### MEDIUM/LOW Priority
[Summary...]

## Rationalization Patterns

**Rationalizations I Used**:
1. "[Exact rationalization quote]"
   - Matches anti-pattern: [Shannon pattern]
   - Reality: [what should have been done]

## Testing Methodology Issues

[Any test validity problems discovered]

## Honest Completion Assessment

**Weighted Completion**: [percentage]% ([calculation method])
**Time Alignment**: [hours spent] / [hours estimated] = [percentage]%
**Validation**: Time% โ‰ˆ Completion% ? [YES/NO]

## Recommendations

**Option A: Complete Remaining Work**
- Remaining: [list of tasks]
- Time: [hours]
- Outcome: [100% scope fulfillment]

**Option B: Fix Critical Gaps**
- Critical: [list]
- Time: [hours]
- Outcome: [addresses key issues]

**Option C: Accept & Document**
- Action: Update docs honestly
- Outcome: [maintains credibility via transparency]

**My Recommendation**: [A/B/C with reasoning]

## User Decision Required

[Clear question about what to do next]

Integration with Shannon Components

With executing-plans Skill

Trigger Point: After completing batch, before claiming phase complete

executing-plans: "Batch 3 complete, ready for feedback"
  โ†“
BEFORE user feedback:
  honest-reflections: "Did I actually complete Batch 3 per plan?"
  โ†“
If gaps found:
  Report gaps WITH batch results (transparent)

If no gaps:
  Proceed to user feedback

With wave-orchestration Skill

Trigger Point: After wave synthesis, before declaring wave complete

wave-orchestration: "Wave 3 synthesis complete"
  โ†“
BEFORE marking wave_3_complete:
  honest-reflections: "Did all Wave 3 agents deliver per plan?"
  โ†“
Check: Deliverables, tests, integration, NO MOCKS compliance

With using-shannon Meta-Skill

Trigger Point: Any completion claim

using-shannon: Enforces quality standards
  โ†“
Before ANY "complete" claim:
  honest-reflections: MANDATORY checkpoint
  โ†“
Prevents premature completion declarations

Success Criteria

Reflection succeeds when:

โœ… Minimum 100 thoughts completed (Sequential MCP) โœ… All gaps identified (no rationalization: "I'm sure there are no more") โœ… Honest percentage calculated (not rounded up favorably) โœ… Critical gaps prioritized (not all weighted equally) โœ… Rationalizations acknowledged (not justified) โœ… Options presented clearly to user (not assumed) โœ… Report saved to Serena (learning for future)

Reflection fails when:

โŒ Thoughts <100 (incomplete systematic analysis) โŒ Glossing over gaps (minimization, justification) โŒ Claiming "mostly complete" without calculation โŒ Not presenting clear options to user โŒ Proceeding without user decision โŒ Rationalizing the reflection itself ("don't need full 100 thoughts")


Examples

Example 1: Detecting Partial Skill Enhancement

Scenario: Plan required enhancing 16 skills, agent enhanced 3

Reflection Process (thought 23):

"Plan Task 2-15: Audit remaining 14 skills. It says 'read skill completely'
and '20-30 minutes per skill'. I read first 200 lines of 3 skills, spent
30 minutes total, concluded 'no gaps'. But 14 skills ร— 1,000 avg lines =
14,000 lines. I only read 600 lines (4%). I didn't actually audit - I
sampled and assumed. Gap: 96% of audit reading not performed."

Detection Method: Time-scope alignment

  • Plan: 4-7 hours for Task 2-15
  • Actual: 30 minutes
  • Ratio: 7-14% of planned time
  • Conclusion: Incomplete audit

Example 2: Detecting Testing Methodology Flaw

Scenario: Agent claims "19% improvement" from RED/GREEN test

Reflection Process (thought 30):

"I tested spec-analysis with RED (inventory system) vs GREEN (recipe platform).
Different inputs produced different outputs (0.47 vs 0.38). But this doesn't
prove walkthrough improves accuracy - it just proves different specs have
different complexity. To validly test behavioral change, I need SAME input
for both RED and GREEN. My test methodology is flawed."

Detection Method: Test validity analysis

  • Check: Same input for RED and GREEN?
  • Result: No (different specs used)
  • Conclusion: Invalid comparison, can't claim behavioral improvement

Example 3: Detecting Scope Substitution

Scenario: Plan wanted sh_discover_skills guide, agent created sh_check_mcps guide

Reflection Process (thought 41):

"Plan Task 26 specifies 'sh_discover_skills guide'. I created sh_check_mcps
guide instead. Both exist as commands, but plan explicitly listed
sh_discover_skills. I substituted without approval because sh_check_mcps
seemed more important. That's my judgment overriding plan specification."

Detection Method: Exact requirement matching

  • Plan requirement: Specific command name
  • Delivery: Different command
  • Conclusion: Substitution without authorization

Common Pitfalls

Pitfall 1: Stopping Reflection at 50-70 Thoughts

Problem: Agent thinks "I've found the main gaps, 70 thoughts is enough"

Why It Fails: Last 30-50 thoughts often reveal deepest gaps (meta-level patterns, principle violations, methodology flaws)

Solution: Continue to minimum 100, extend to 150+ if still discovering gaps

Pitfall 2: Rationalizing During Reflection

Problem: Reflection becomes justification exercise ("here's WHY gaps are acceptable")

Why It Fails: Reflection goal is IDENTIFY gaps, not JUSTIFY them

Solution: Label rationalizations as rationalizations, don't defend them

Pitfall 3: Comparison Shopping (Minimizing Gaps)

Problem: "Only 13 skills missing, that's not that many" or "50% completion is passing grade"

Why It Fails: Minimization is gap avoidance

Solution: State gaps factually without minimization. Let user judge severity.

Pitfall 4: Not Reading Source Plans Completely

Problem: Skim plan, assume you remember requirements, miss specific details

Why It Fails: Plans have specific requirements (file names, line counts, exact deliverables) that skimming misses

Solution: Read ENTIRE plan during Phase 1 of reflection. Every line.


Performance Benchmarks

Project ComplexityReflection TimeThoughts RequiredGaps Typically Found
Simple (1-5 tasks)15-20 min50-802-5 gaps
Moderate (5-15 tasks)20-30 min100-1205-15 gaps
Complex (15-30 tasks)30-45 min120-15015-30 gaps
Critical (30+ tasks)45-60 min150-200+30-50+ gaps

This project: 38 tasks (Complex-Critical) โ†’ 30-45 min reflection, 131 thoughts, 27 gaps found

Alignment: โœ… Metrics align with complexity (thorough reflection appropriate for scope)


Validation

How to verify reflection executed correctly:

  1. Check thought count:

    • Minimum 100 thoughts โœ…
    • Extended if still finding gaps โœ…
  2. Check completeness:

    • Read entire plan โœ…
    • Inventoried all deliverables โœ…
    • Compared every task โœ…
  3. Check honesty:

    • Acknowledged rationalizations โœ…
    • No minimization of gaps โœ…
    • Honest percentage calculated โœ…
  4. Check actionability:

    • Gaps prioritized โœ…
    • Options presented clearly โœ…
    • User decision requested โœ…

References

  • Sequential MCP: For 100+ structured thoughts
  • systematic-debugging skill: Root cause analysis of gaps
  • confidence-check skill: Validate claims made
  • executing-plans skill: Batching protocol (when to reflect)

Version: 1.0.0 Created: 2025-11-08 (from Shannon V4.1 enhancement reflection) Author: Shannon Framework Team Status: Core PROTOCOL skill for quality assurance