Bmad Orchestrator

BMAD Orchestrator

Purpose: Core orchestrator for the BMAD Method (Breakthrough Method for Agile AI-Driven Development), managing workflows, tracking status, and routing users through structured development phases.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• User requests /workflow-init or /init - Initialize BMAD in a project
• User requests /workflow-status or /status - Check progress and get recommendations
• User mentions "BMAD setup" or "start BMAD workflow"
• Project needs structured development methodology
• Coordination between multiple development phases is required

Core Responsibilities

1. Project Initialization - Set up BMAD directory structure and configuration
2. Status Tracking - Monitor progress across 4 development phases
3. Workflow Routing - Direct users to appropriate next steps based on project state
4. Progress Management - Maintain workflow status and completion tracking

BMAD Method Overview

4 Development Phases

1. Analysis (Optional) - Research, brainstorming, product brief
2. Planning (Required) - PRD or Tech Spec based on project complexity
3. Solutioning (Conditional) - Architecture design for medium+ projects
4. Implementation (Required) - Sprint planning, stories, development

Project Levels

• Level 0: Single atomic change (1 story) - Quick fixes, small tweaks
• Level 1: Small feature (1-10 stories) - Single feature additions
• Level 2: Medium feature set (5-15 stories) - Multiple related features
• Level 3: Complex integration (12-40 stories) - System integrations
• Level 4: Enterprise expansion (40+ stories) - Large-scale projects

Planning Requirements by Level:

• Level 0-1: Tech Spec required, PRD optional/recommended
• Level 2+: PRD required, Tech Spec optional
• Level 2+: Architecture required

Available Commands

/workflow-init or /init

Initialize BMAD structure in the current project.

Steps:

1. Create directory structure: ``` bmad/ ├── config.yaml └── agent-overrides/

docs/ ├── bmm-workflow-status.yaml └── stories/

.claude/commands/bmad/ (if not exists)

2. Collect project information:
   - Project name
   - Project type (web-app, mobile-app, api, game, library, other)
   - Project level (0-4)

3. Create project config using [config.template.yaml](templates/config.template.yaml)

4. Create workflow status file with conditional requirements based on level:
   - Use [workflow-status template](templates/config.template.yaml)
   - Set PRD: required if level >= 2, else recommended
   - Set Tech-spec: required if level <= 1, else optional
   - Set Architecture: required if level >= 2, else optional

5. Display initialization summary and recommend next workflow

6. Offer to start recommended workflow

**Example interaction:**

User: /workflow-init

Orchestrator: I'll initialize BMAD for your project. [Collects info, creates files...]

✓ BMAD Method initialized!

Project: MyApp Type: web-app Level: 2 (Medium feature set)

Configuration: bmad/config.yaml Status tracking: docs/bmm-workflow-status.yaml

Recommended next step: Create Product Brief with /product-brief This will help define your product vision and requirements.

Would you like to start with /product-brief?

### /workflow-status or /status

Check project status and get recommendations for next steps.

**Steps:**
1. Load project config (bmad/config.yaml)
2. Load workflow status (docs/bmm-workflow-status.yaml)
3. Determine current phase and next recommended workflow
4. Display status with visual indicators
5. Offer to execute recommended workflow

**Status Indicators:**
- ✓ = Completed (shows file path)
- ⚠ = Required but not started
- → = Current phase
- - = Optional/not required

**Example interaction:**

User: /status

Orchestrator: Checking your project status...

Project: MyApp (Web Application, Level 2)

✓ Phase 1: Analysis ✓ product-brief (docs/product-brief-myapp-2025-01-11.md)

→ Phase 2: Planning [CURRENT] ⚠ prd (required - NOT STARTED)

• tech-spec (optional)

Phase 3: Solutioning

• architecture (required)

Phase 4: Implementation

• sprint-planning (required)

Recommended next step: Create PRD with /prd command

Would you like to run /prd to create your PRD?

**If project not initialized:**
- Inform user BMAD not detected
- Offer to run `/workflow-init`

## Workflow Routing Logic

After determining project status, route users to specialized workflows:

- **Analysis workflows:** `/product-brief`, `/brainstorm`, `/research`
- **Planning workflows:** `/prd`, `/tech-spec`
- **UX workflows:** `/create-ux-design`
- **Architecture workflows:** `/architecture`
- **Sprint workflows:** `/sprint-planning`, `/create-story`
- **Development workflows:** `/dev-story`, `/code-review`

**Recommendation logic:**
1. If no product-brief and project new → Recommend: `/product-brief`
2. If product-brief complete, no PRD/tech-spec:
   - Level 0-1 → Recommend: `/tech-spec`
   - Level 2+ → Recommend: `/prd`
3. If PRD/tech-spec complete, no architecture, level 2+ → Recommend: `/architecture`
4. If planning complete → Recommend: `/sprint-planning`
5. If sprint active → Recommend: `/create-story` or `/dev-story`

See [REFERENCE.md](REFERENCE.md) for detailed routing logic.

## Configuration Files

### Project Config (bmad/config.yaml)

project_name: "MyApp" project_type: "web-app" # web-app, mobile-app, api, game, library, other project_level: 2 # 0-4 output_folder: "docs" communication_language: "English"

### Workflow Status (docs/bmm-workflow-status.yaml)
Tracks completion of each workflow with status values:
- `"optional"` - Can be skipped
- `"recommended"` - Strongly suggested
- `"required"` - Must be completed
- `"{file-path}"` - Completed (shows output file)
- `"skipped"` - Explicitly skipped

See [templates/config.template.yaml](templates/config.template.yaml) for full template.

## Helper Scripts

Execute via Bash tool:

- **init-project.sh** - Automated project initialization

bash scripts/init-project.sh --name "MyApp" --type web-app --level 2

- **check-status.sh** - Display current workflow status

bash scripts/check-status.sh

- **validate-config.sh** - Validate YAML configuration

bash scripts/validate-config.sh bmad/config.yaml

See [scripts documentation](resources/workflow-phases.md) for details.

## Error Handling

**Config missing:**
- Suggest `/workflow-init`
- Explain BMAD not initialized

**Invalid YAML:**
- Show error location
- Offer to fix or reinitialize

**Template missing:**
- Use inline fallback
- Log warning
- Continue operation

**Status file inconsistent:**
- Validate against project level
- Offer to regenerate

## Integration with Other Skills

This orchestrator coordinates with specialized BMAD skills:
- `business-analyst` - Analysis phase workflows
- `product-manager` - Planning phase workflows
- `system-architect` - Architecture design
- `scrum-master` - Sprint and story management
- `developer` - Development workflows

When routing to these skills, pass context:
- Current project config
- Workflow status
- Project level
- Output folder location

## Token Optimization

- Use script automation for repetitive tasks
- Reference REFERENCE.md for detailed logic
- Load files only when needed
- Keep status displays concise
- Delegate detailed work to specialized skills

## Subagent Strategy

This skill leverages parallel subagents to maximize context utilization (each agent has up to 1M tokens on Claude Sonnet 4.6 / Opus 4.6).

### Workflow Status Check Workflow
**Pattern:** Fan-Out Research
**Agents:** 3-4 parallel agents

| Agent | Task | Output |
|-------|------|--------|
| Agent 1 | Check project config and validate structure | bmad/outputs/config-status.md |
| Agent 2 | Analyze workflow status file and phase completion | bmad/outputs/workflow-status.md |