---
name: backlog-tools-administrator
description: 'Administer the backlog tooling ecosystem when a capability gap is discovered. Invoke when backlog.py, backlog skills, or backlog agents lack a needed operation and a workaround was used or is about to be used. Classifies gaps as script (delegates to @python-cli-architect), process (loads improve-processes), or documentation (delegates to @contextual-ai-documentation-optimizer). Domain: backlog.py, create/work/groom-backlog-item skills, backlog-item-groomer agent, hooks, templates, references, rules, and tests.'
argument-hint: <gap-description>
enabled: false
source: github:Jamie-BitFlight/claude_skills
imported-from: github:Jamie-BitFlight/claude_skills
---

<gap_description>$ARGUMENTS</gap_description>

# Backlog Tools Administrator

Close capability gaps in the backlog tooling ecosystem instead of bypassing the backlog tools (MCP or CLI) with direct file edits or `gh` commands.

## Arguments

`<gap_description/>` — free-text description of the capability gap. Example: `backlog.py update has no --title or --description flag`.

## When This Skill Activates

- Agent discovers `backlog.py` lacks a subcommand or flag for a needed operation
- Agent is about to use `Write`/`Edit` on a `.claude/backlog/*.md` file directly
- Agent is about to use `gh issue edit` instead of the backlog script
- User reports a process gap or workaround in the backlog workflow
- Post-mortem on a process violation involving backlog tooling

## Domain

All files listed in [./references/domain-registry.md](./references/domain-registry.md). Changes outside this registry are out of scope for this skill.

## Workflow

```mermaid
flowchart TD
    Start(["Gap reported: <gap_description/>"]) --> S1["Step 1 — Identify the gap"]
    S1 --> S2{"Step 2 — Classify gap type"}
    S2 -->|"Script — backlog.py missing<br>subcommand, flag, or behavior"| Script["Step 3A — Script fix"]
    S2 -->|"Process — CLAUDE.md rule,<br>skill workflow, or state machine<br>is incomplete or ambiguous"| Process["Step 3B — Process fix"]
    S2 -->|"Documentation — skill SKILL.md,<br>agent prompt, or reference file<br>needs update"| Docs["Step 3C — Documentation fix"]
    S2 -->|"Multiple — gap spans<br>more than one category"| Multi["Step 3D — Multi-category fix"]
    Script --> S4["Step 4 — Validate fix"]
    Process --> S4
    Docs --> S4
    Multi --> S4
    S4 --> S5["Step 5 — Update domain registry"]
```

### Step 1: Identify the Gap

Describe concretely:

1. **What operation was needed** — the action the agent or user tried to perform
2. **What exists today** — the closest available capability in the backlog tooling
3. **What workaround was used** (if any) — the bypass that violated process
4. **Impact** — what broke or could break due to the gap (sync drift, data loss, process violation)

Read the [domain registry](./references/domain-registry.md) to confirm the gap is within scope.

### Step 2: Classify the Gap

```mermaid
flowchart TD
    Q1{"Does the gap require<br>new or modified Python code<br>in the backlog tooling (MCP server or CLI)?"} -->|Yes| Script["SCRIPT gap"]
    Q1 -->|No| Q2{"Does the gap require<br>changing a rule, workflow step,<br>or state transition?"}
    Q2 -->|Yes| Process["PROCESS gap"]
    Q2 -->|No| Q3{"Does the gap require<br>updating skill instructions,<br>agent prompts, or references?"}
    Q3 -->|Yes| Docs["DOCUMENTATION gap"]
    Q3 -->|No| OOS["OUT OF SCOPE — report to user"]
```

### Step 3A: Script Fix

For gaps requiring changes to the backlog tooling (MCP server or CLI).

**Extension architecture**: Both `server.py` and `backlog.py` are thin wrappers over `operations.py`. New capabilities must be added in dependency order:

1. **Primary**: Extend `operations.py` with the new function — this is the single source of business logic.
2. **Secondary (MCP)**: Add `@mcp.tool()` wrapper in `server.py` to expose the new operation as an MCP tool.
3. **Secondary (CLI)**: Add a subcommand in `backlog.py` to expose the new operation via the CLI.

Delegation:

1. Task is implementing the script fix with `subagent_type="python3-development:python-cli-architect"`
   Context to include in the prompt: `.claude/skills/backlog/backlog_core/operations.py` (primary business logic), `.claude/skills/backlog/backlog_core/server.py` (MCP tool definitions), `.claude/skills/backlog/scripts/backlog.py` (CLI wrapper), `.claude/skills/backlog/tests/test_backlog_gh_first.py` (existing tests), the gap description from Step 1, and `.claude/skills/backlog/references/item-schema.md` (frontmatter schema)
   Output: modified `operations.py` with new function, `server.py` with `@mcp.tool()` wrapper, `backlog.py` with CLI subcommand, passing tests, linting clean

2. After the agent completes, verify the fix:

   ```bash
   uv run prek run --files .claude/skills/backlog/backlog_core/operations.py .claude/skills/backlog/backlog_core/server.py .claude/skills/backlog/scripts/backlog.py
   uv run pytest .claude/skills/backlog/tests/
   ```

3. Update the `backlog` skill SKILL.md to document the new MCP tool and CLI subcommand — proceed to Step 3C.

### Step 3B: Process Fix

For gaps requiring changes to rules, workflow steps, or state transitions.

1. Load the `improve-processes` skill for process quality methodology:

   ```text
   Skill(skill: "improve-processes")
   ```

2. Read the affected process file(s) from the [domain registry](./references/domain-registry.md).

3. Apply the improve-processes triage protocol and excellence checklist to the modified process.

4. Write the corrected process using `Edit` on the affected file (CLAUDE.md section, skill SKILL.md, or reference file).

5. If the process change affects a skill's workflow, delegate the skill edit to Step 3C.

### Step 3C: Documentation Fix

For gaps requiring changes to skill instructions, agent prompts, or reference files.

1. Task is optimizing the affected documentation with `subagent_type="plugin-creator:contextual-ai-documentation-optimizer"`
   Context to include in the prompt: the file to modify (skill SKILL.md, agent .md, or reference .md), the gap description from Step 1, and `plugins/plugin-creator/skills/claude-skills-overview-2026/SKILL.md` and `plugins/plugin-creator/skills/hooks-guide/SKILL.md` as structural references when modifying skills or hooks
   Output: updated file with the gap addressed, CoVe verification passing

### Step 3D: Multi-Category Fix

When the gap spans multiple categories, execute steps in dependency order:

1. **Script first** (Step 3A) — new capabilities must exist before processes can reference them
2. **Process second** (Step 3B) — rules must be updated before documentation describes them
3. **Documentation last** (Step 3C) — skill/agent docs reflect the final state

### Step 4: Validate the Fix

Verify the gap is closed:

1. **Script changes**:

   ```bash
   uv run prek run --files <modified-files>
   uv run pytest .claude/skills/backlog/tests/
   ```

   For MCP tool additions: call the new `mcp__plugin_dh_backlog__<tool_name>` tool with valid parameters and confirm the returned dict contains expected result keys (not an `error` key).

2. **Process changes**: confirm the new rule/workflow handles the original gap scenario without ambiguity.

3. **Documentation changes**: confirm the updated instructions would have prevented the original workaround.

Report what changed:

```text
GAP: {original gap description}
TYPE: {SCRIPT|PROCESS|DOCUMENTATION|MULTI}
FILES CHANGED:
  - {file path}: {what changed}
VALIDATION: {PASS|FAIL — with details}
```

### Step 5: Update Domain Registry

If new files were created (new reference, new test, new script), update [./references/domain-registry.md](./references/domain-registry.md) to include them.

## Completion Criteria

- Gap identified with concrete description (operation, existing capability, workaround, impact)
- Gap classified as SCRIPT, PROCESS, DOCUMENTATION, or MULTI
- Fix delegated to appropriate agent (not implemented inline)
- Script changes pass tests and linting
- Process changes satisfy improve-processes excellence checklist
- Documentation changes pass CoVe verification
- Domain registry updated if new files were created
- Report delivered showing what changed and validation status
