yiming-qing/research-agent---1st-place-in-alibaba-cloud-data-ai-competition/create-plan

Create Plan

Goal

Turn a user request into one clear, actionable plan that an agent (chat, websearch, or tool-using) can directly follow.

The plan should be concise, structured, and focused on what to do next, not how to implement details.

Operating principles

• Operate in read-only / planning mode (no execution).
• Prefer clarity over completeness.
• Optimize for agent executability: each step should be something an agent can actually do.
• Assume the agent may have access to tools such as search, browsing, or analysis, but do not depend on any specific tool unless required.

Minimal workflow

1. Understand the request and context

• Identify the user’s goal, success criteria, and constraints.
• Use available context (conversation, provided links, known domain knowledge).
• If relevant, note assumptions about audience, timeframe, or format.

1. Ask follow-ups only if blocking

• Ask at most 1–2 questions.
• Only ask if the plan would be meaningfully wrong without the answer.
• Prefer assumptions over questions when safe; make assumptions explicit if needed.

1. Create the plan using the template below

• Start with 1–3 sentences describing intent and overall approach.
• Clearly define what is in scope and out of scope.
• Provide a short, ordered checklist of concrete actions (default 6–10).
• Steps should be atomic, verb-first, and outcome-oriented.
• Typical flow: understanding → gathering info → analysis → synthesis → validation → delivery.
• Include:
• At least one validation / quality check step.
• At least one risk, edge case, or uncertainty step when applicable.
• If important unknowns remain, add a small Open questions section (max 3).

1. Output only the plan

• Do not include meta commentary, explanations, or alternatives.
• Do not include implementation details beyond what’s necessary for planning.

Plan template (follow exactly)

# Plan
 
<1–3 sentences: what we’re doing, why, and the high-level approach.>
 
## Scope
-In:
-Out:
 
## Action items
[ ] <Step 1>
[ ] <Step 2>
[ ] <Step 3>
[ ] <Step 4>
[ ] <Step 5>
[ ] <Step 6>
 
## Open questions
-<Question 1>
-<Question 2>
-<Question 3>