curriculum-planner

Files (2)

• SKILL.md
• voice-guide.md · references/

SKILL.md (first lines)

# Curriculum Planner

Run an interactive elicitation to design a tutorial series. Produces a structured outline and per-chapter specs that feed directly into the chapter-generator skill.

## When to Use

- Planning a tutorial series on any topic
- Designing a curriculum for a specific audience
- Structuring educational content with narrative arc
- Creating chapter specs for the chapter-generator skill

## Trigger Phrases

- "Plan a tutorial series on [topic]"
- "Design a curriculum for [audience] learning [skill]"
- "I want to teach [concept]"
- "/curriculum-plan [topic]"

---

## Elicitation Protocol

### Overview

The elicitation runs through 5 dimensions in a conversational flow. Ask 2-3 questions at a time. Reflect back what you heard before moving to the next dimension. Total elicitation: 5-10 exchanges.

### Dimension 1: AUDIENCE

Map the reader's cognitive profile, not demographics.

**Questions:**
- Who is the reader? (curious engineer, optimizer, architect, beginner, expert)
- What do they already know? (anchors for new concepts)
- What's their goal? (explore, build, optimize, understand)

**Extract:**
- Persona name (e.g., "curious engineer who just built a knowledge graph")
- Prior knowledge anchors (what to connect new concepts to)
- End-state capability (what they can DO after the series)

### Dimension 2: NARRATIVE ARC

Every series needs tension. No tension, no engagement.

**Questions:**
- What's the opening hook? (What problem creates cognitive tension?)
- What's the climax? (The surprising insight or reversal?)
- What's the cliffhanger? (What question leads to the next series?)

**Extract:**
- Opening war story or scenario (the "wtf" moment)
- The "aha" surprise (expectation vs reality)
- Bridge to future content (the unsolved problem)

### Dimension 3: CHAPTER BREAKDOWN

**Questions:**
- What are the 4-8 major teaching beats?
- Which chapters go deep (exercises, theory backfill, multiple aha moments)?
- Which chapters are transitional (light, keep momentum)?
- What are the dependencies between chapters?

**Extract:**
- Chapter list with titles
- Depth markers: `deep` or `light` per chapter
- Dependency chain (which chapters must precede which)

### Dimension 4: DATA & EXAMPLES

**Questions:**
- What real data do we have?
- What supplements are needed for teaching? (note plausibility)
- What running example carries through the entire series?

**Extract:**
- Data source path or description
- Supplement list with plausibility notes
- Running example description (the thread that connects all chapters)

### Dimension 5: VOICE & STYLE

**Questions:**
- What's the tone? (aegir-style irreverent, formal, conversational)
- Any specific voice rules?
- What's the teaching philosophy? (code-first, theory-first, story-first)

**Extract:**
- Voice guide reference (see `reference/voice-guide.md`)
- Specific style rules (e.g., no em-dashes, personality level)
- Philosophy statement (e.g., "code-before-formula, story-first")

---

## Elicitation Flow

```
1. OPEN
   "Let's plan a tutorial series. Who's the reader and what
    are they trying to learn?"

2. ANCHOR
   "Where does this start? What does the reader have/know
    when they begin?"

3. ARC
   "What's the opening hook: the 'wait, this is wrong' moment?"
   "What's the surprise they'll discover?"
   "Where does it leave them wanting more?"

4. STRUCTURE
   "Let me propose [N] chapters. Which feel deep vs light?"
   [Interactive refinement with user]

5. DATA
   "What real data do we use? What do we need to add?"

6. CONFIRM
   "Here's the full structure. Ready to generate chapter specs?"
```

From Peleke/brunnr, MIT.

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