name: delivery description: "Project delivery skills: planning, risk management, dependency tracking, communication. Use when: planning releases, managing risks, coordinating teams."

Delivery Skills

Core Competencies

1. Release Planning

Best Practices:

• Break work into milestones (weekly/bi-weekly)
• Define clear acceptance criteria for each milestone
• Assign owners to tasks
• Track progress regularly (daily standups, weekly reviews)
• Adjust plan based on learnings

Milestone Structure:

Planning Principles:

• Timeboxing: Set fixed time, adjust scope
• Buffer: Add 20-30% buffer for unknowns
• Prioritization: Must-have vs nice-to-have
• Flexibility: Plan to change plan

2. Risk Management

Best Practices:

• Identify risks early (during planning)
• Assess probability and impact
• Define mitigation strategies
• Assign risk owners
• Monitor risks regularly

Risk Register:

Risk Categories:

• Technical: Complexity, unknowns, dependencies
• Schedule: Time estimates, resource availability
• Resource: Skills, availability, capacity
• External: Third-party services, regulations

Mitigation Strategies:

• Avoid: Change plan to avoid risk
• Mitigate: Reduce probability or impact
• Transfer: Move risk to someone else (vendor, insurance)
• Accept: Acknowledge and monitor

3. Dependency Tracking

Best Practices:

• Map all dependencies early (during planning)
• Identify dependency types (finish-to-start, etc.)
• Assign owners to dependencies
• Track dependency status regularly
• Escalate blocked dependencies quickly

Dependency Types:

• Finish-to-Start: Task B can't start until Task A finishes
• Start-to-Start: Task B can start when Task A starts
• Finish-to-Finish: Task B can finish when Task A finishes
• Start-to-Finish: Task B can finish when Task A starts (rare)

Dependency Map:

Task A (API)
  └─> Task B (UI) [finish-to-start]
      └─> Task C (Tests) [finish-to-start]

Critical Path:

• Identify tasks that, if delayed, delay entire project
• Focus monitoring on critical path tasks
• Have backup plans for critical path risks

4. Communication Planning

Best Practices:

• Define communication cadence (daily, weekly, etc.)
• Identify audiences (team, stakeholders, users)
• Choose right format (email, meeting, dashboard)
• Provide context (not just updates)
• Create feedback loops

Communication Plan:

Communication Principles:

• Transparency: Share good and bad news
• Timeliness: Communicate early and often
• Clarity: Use simple language, avoid jargon
• Actionability: Include next steps
• Consistency: Regular cadence builds trust

5. Progress Tracking

Best Practices:

• Track progress regularly (daily/weekly)
• Use visual indicators (dashboards, charts)
• Focus on outcomes (not just activities)
• Identify blockers early
• Adjust plan based on progress

Tracking Metrics:

• Velocity: Work completed per iteration
• Burndown: Work remaining over time
• Blockers: Issues preventing progress
• Quality: Bugs, test coverage, etc.

Status Updates:

• On Track: Green, proceeding as planned
• At Risk: Yellow, may miss deadline
• Blocked: Red, cannot proceed

Output Quality Checklist

When producing artifacts, ensure:

• ✅ Milestones defined with dates and owners
• ✅ Risks identified with mitigation strategies
• ✅ Dependencies mapped and tracked
• ✅ Communication plan includes all audiences
• ✅ Progress tracking mechanism defined
• ✅ Escalation paths clear

Common Pitfalls

• Optimistic planning: Not accounting for unknowns
• No buffer: Not adding time for unexpected issues
• Ignoring dependencies: Not tracking dependencies
• Poor communication: Not keeping stakeholders informed
• No adjustment: Not changing plan when needed