Add out-of-scope note for grilling question limits

Records the rejection of #44 (request for a hard cap on grilling
questions) so the reasoning isn't lost when the issue is closed and so
future similar requests can be deduplicated against it.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

.out-of-scope/question-limits.md

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Hard limits on the number of questions during grilling
+
+The `/grill-me` skill (and grilling sessions inside other skills) does not enforce a maximum number of questions. Requests to add a configurable cap or hard ceiling are out of scope.
+
+## Why this is out of scope
+
+Grilling is intentionally open-ended. The point is to keep digging until each branch of the decision tree is resolved — some plans need three questions, some need fifty. A fixed cap would either cut off useful exploration on hard problems or feel arbitrary on easy ones.
+
+If a session feels too long, the right escape hatches already exist:
+
+- The user can stop the session at any time and accept the current state of the plan.
+- The user can tell the model to wrap up, summarise, and move on — natural-language steering is the intended control surface, not a numeric limit.
+
+Adding a hard cap would also conflate two different failure modes: a model that asks too many questions because the plan is genuinely under-specified (working as intended) vs. a model that asks redundant or low-value questions (a prompt-quality issue, not a quantity issue). The fix for the latter belongs in the skill prompt, not in a counter.
+
+## Prior requests
+
+- #44 — "Codex just asked me 200 questions"

CONTEXT.md

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# Matt Pocock Skills
+
+A collection of agent skills (slash commands and behaviors) loaded by Claude Code. Skills are organized into buckets and consumed by per-repo configuration emitted by `/setup-matt-pocock-skills`.
+
+## Language
+
+**Issue tracker**:
+The tool that hosts a repo's issues — GitHub Issues, Linear, a local `.scratch/` markdown convention, or similar. Skills like `to-issues`, `to-prd`, `triage`, and `qa` read from and write to it.
+_Avoid_: backlog manager, backlog backend, issue host
+
+**Issue**:
+A single tracked unit of work inside an **Issue tracker** — a bug, task, PRD, or slice produced by `to-issues`.
+_Avoid_: ticket (use only when quoting external systems that call them tickets)
+
+**Triage role**:
+A canonical state-machine label applied to an **Issue** during triage (e.g. `needs-triage`, `ready-for-afk`). Each role maps to a real label string in the **Issue tracker** via `docs/agents/triage-labels.md`.
+
+## Relationships
+
+- An **Issue tracker** holds many **Issues**
+- An **Issue** carries one **Triage role** at a time
+
+## Flagged ambiguities
+
+- "backlog" was previously used to mean both the *tool* hosting issues and the *body of work* inside it — resolved: the tool is the **Issue tracker**; "backlog" is no longer used as a domain term.
+- "backlog backend" / "backlog manager" — resolved: collapsed into **Issue tracker**.

README.md

@@ -28,9 +28,14 @@ If you want to keep up with changes to these skills, and any new ones I create,
 npx skills@latest add mattpocock/skills
 ```
 
-2. Pick the skills you want, and which coding agents you want to install them on.
+2. Pick the skills you want, and which coding agents you want to install them on. **Make sure you select `/setup-matt-pocock-skills`**.
 
-3. Bam - you're ready to go.
+3. Run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills` in your agent. It will:
+   - Ask you which issue tracker you want to use (GitHub, Linear, or local files)
+   - Ask you what labels you apply to ticks when you triage them (`/triage` uses labels)
+   - Ask you where you want to save any docs we create
+
+4. Bam - you're ready to go.
 
 ## Why These Skills Exist
 
@@ -141,9 +146,9 @@ Skills I use daily for code work.
 
 - **[diagnose](./skills/engineering/diagnose/SKILL.md)** — Disciplined diagnosis loop for hard bugs and performance regressions: reproduce → minimise → hypothesise → instrument → fix → regression-test.
 - **[grill-with-docs](./skills/engineering/grill-with-docs/SKILL.md)** — Grilling session that challenges your plan against the existing domain model, sharpens terminology, and updates `CONTEXT.md` and ADRs inline.
-- **[triage](./skills/engineering/triage/SKILL.md)** — Triage backlog issues through a state machine of triage roles.
+- **[triage](./skills/engineering/triage/SKILL.md)** — Triage issues through a state machine of triage roles.
 - **[improve-codebase-architecture](./skills/engineering/improve-codebase-architecture/SKILL.md)** — Find deepening opportunities in a codebase, informed by the domain language in `CONTEXT.md` and the decisions in `docs/adr/`.
-- **[setup-matt-pocock-skills](./skills/engineering/setup-matt-pocock-skills/SKILL.md)** — Scaffold the per-repo config (backlog backend, triage label vocabulary, domain doc layout) that the other engineering skills consume. Run once per repo before using `to-issues`, `to-prd`, `triage`, `diagnose`, `tdd`, `improve-codebase-architecture`, or `zoom-out`.
+- **[setup-matt-pocock-skills](./skills/engineering/setup-matt-pocock-skills/SKILL.md)** — Scaffold the per-repo config (issue tracker, triage label vocabulary, domain doc layout) that the other engineering skills consume. Run once per repo before using `to-issues`, `to-prd`, `triage`, `diagnose`, `tdd`, `improve-codebase-architecture`, or `zoom-out`.
 - **[tdd](./skills/engineering/tdd/SKILL.md)** — Test-driven development with a red-green-refactor loop. Builds features or fixes bugs one vertical slice at a time.
 - **[to-issues](./skills/engineering/to-issues/SKILL.md)** — Break any plan, spec, or PRD into independently-grabbable GitHub issues using vertical slices.
 - **[to-prd](./skills/engineering/to-prd/SKILL.md)** — Turn the current conversation context into a PRD and submit it as a GitHub issue. No interview — just synthesizes what you've already discussed.

docs/adr/0001-explicit-setup-pointer-only-for-hard-dependencies.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Explicit `/setup-matt-pocock-skills` pointer only for hard dependencies
 
-Engineering skills depend on per-repo config (backlog backend, triage label vocabulary, domain doc layout) seeded by `/setup-matt-pocock-skills`. Some skills cannot meaningfully function without that config — they have to publish to a specific backlog or apply a specific label string. Others only use it to sharpen output (vocabulary, ADR awareness) and degrade gracefully without it.
+Engineering skills depend on per-repo config (issue tracker, triage label vocabulary, domain doc layout) seeded by `/setup-matt-pocock-skills`. Some skills cannot meaningfully function without that config — they have to publish to a specific issue tracker or apply a specific label string. Others only use it to sharpen output (vocabulary, ADR awareness) and degrade gracefully without it.
 
 We split these into **hard-dependency** and **soft-dependency** skills:
 

skills/engineering/README.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ Skills I use daily for code work.
 
 - **[diagnose](./diagnose/SKILL.md)** — Disciplined diagnosis loop for hard bugs and performance regressions: reproduce → minimise → hypothesise → instrument → fix → regression-test.
 - **[grill-with-docs](./grill-with-docs/SKILL.md)** — Grilling session that challenges your plan against the existing domain model, sharpens terminology, and updates `CONTEXT.md` and ADRs inline.
-- **[triage](./triage/SKILL.md)** — Triage backlog issues through a state machine of triage roles.
+- **[triage](./triage/SKILL.md)** — Triage issues through a state machine of triage roles.
 - **[improve-codebase-architecture](./improve-codebase-architecture/SKILL.md)** — Find deepening opportunities in a codebase, informed by the domain language in `CONTEXT.md` and the decisions in `docs/adr/`.
-- **[setup-matt-pocock-skills](./setup-matt-pocock-skills/SKILL.md)** — Scaffold the per-repo config (backlog backend, triage label vocabulary, domain doc layout) that the other engineering skills consume.
+- **[setup-matt-pocock-skills](./setup-matt-pocock-skills/SKILL.md)** — Scaffold the per-repo config (issue tracker, triage label vocabulary, domain doc layout) that the other engineering skills consume.
 - **[tdd](./tdd/SKILL.md)** — Test-driven development with a red-green-refactor loop. Builds features or fixes bugs one vertical slice at a time.
 - **[to-issues](./to-issues/SKILL.md)** — Break any plan, spec, or PRD into independently-grabbable GitHub issues using vertical slices.
 - **[to-prd](./to-prd/SKILL.md)** — Turn the current conversation context into a PRD and submit it as a GitHub issue.

skills/engineering/setup-matt-pocock-skills/SKILL.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 name: setup-matt-pocock-skills
-description: Sets up an `## Agent skills` block in AGENTS.md/CLAUDE.md and `docs/agents/` so the engineering skills know this repo's backlog backend (GitHub or local markdown), triage label vocabulary, and domain doc layout. Run before first use of `to-issues`, `to-prd`, `triage`, `diagnose`, `tdd`, `improve-codebase-architecture`, or `zoom-out` — or if those skills appear to be missing context about the backlog, triage labels, or domain docs.
+description: Sets up an `## Agent skills` block in AGENTS.md/CLAUDE.md and `docs/agents/` so the engineering skills know this repo's issue tracker (GitHub or local markdown), triage label vocabulary, and domain doc layout. Run before first use of `to-issues`, `to-prd`, `triage`, `diagnose`, `tdd`, `improve-codebase-architecture`, or `zoom-out` — or if those skills appear to be missing context about the issue tracker, triage labels, or domain docs.
 disable-model-invocation: true
 ---
 
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ disable-model-invocation: true
 
 Scaffold the per-repo configuration that the engineering skills assume:
 
-- **Backlog** — where issues/tickets live (GitHub by default; local markdown is also supported out of the box)
+- **Issue tracker** — where issues live (GitHub by default; local markdown is also supported out of the box)
 - **Triage labels** — the strings used for the five canonical triage roles
 - **Domain docs** — where `CONTEXT.md` and ADRs live, and the consumer rules for reading them
 
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ Look at the current repo to understand its starting state. Read whatever exists;
 - `CONTEXT.md` and `CONTEXT-MAP.md` at the repo root
 - `docs/adr/` and any `src/*/docs/adr/` directories
 - `docs/agents/` — does this skill's prior output already exist?
-- `.scratch/` — sign that a local-markdown backlog convention is already in use
+- `.scratch/` — sign that a local-markdown issue tracker convention is already in use
 
 ### 2. Present findings and ask
 
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@ Summarise what's present and what's missing. Then walk the user through the thre
 
 Assume the user does not know what these terms mean. Each section starts with a short explainer (what it is, why these skills need it, what changes if they pick differently). Then show the choices and the default.
 
-**Section A — Backlog backend.**
+**Section A — Issue tracker.**
 
-> Explainer: "Backlog" is where issues/tickets live for this repo. Skills like `to-issues`, `triage`, `to-prd`, and `qa` read from and write to it — they need to know whether to call `gh issue create`, write a markdown file under `.scratch/`, or follow some other workflow you describe. Pick the place you actually track work for this repo.
+> Explainer: The "issue tracker" is where issues live for this repo. Skills like `to-issues`, `triage`, `to-prd`, and `qa` read from and write to it — they need to know whether to call `gh issue create`, write a markdown file under `.scratch/`, or follow some other workflow you describe. Pick the place you actually track work for this repo.
 
 Default posture: these skills were designed for GitHub. If a `git remote` points at GitHub, propose that. Otherwise (or if the user prefers), offer:
 
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ Default posture: these skills were designed for GitHub. If a `git remote` points
 
 **Section B — Triage label vocabulary.**
 
-> Explainer: When the `triage` skill processes an incoming issue, it moves it through a state machine — needs evaluation, waiting on reporter, ready for an AFK agent to pick up, ready for a human, or won't fix. To do that, it needs to apply labels (or the equivalent in your backlog) that match strings *you've actually configured*. If your repo already uses different label names (e.g. `bug:triage` instead of `needs-triage`), map them here so the skill applies the right ones instead of creating duplicates.
+> Explainer: When the `triage` skill processes an incoming issue, it moves it through a state machine — needs evaluation, waiting on reporter, ready for an AFK agent to pick up, ready for a human, or won't fix. To do that, it needs to apply labels (or the equivalent in your issue tracker) that match strings *you've actually configured*. If your repo already uses different label names (e.g. `bug:triage` instead of `needs-triage`), map them here so the skill applies the right ones instead of creating duplicates.
 
 The five canonical roles:
 
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ The five canonical roles:
 - `ready-for-human` — needs human implementation
 - `wontfix` — will not be actioned
 
-Default: each role's string equals its name. Ask the user if they want to override any. If their backlog has no existing labels, the defaults are fine.
+Default: each role's string equals its name. Ask the user if they want to override any. If their issue tracker has no existing labels, the defaults are fine.
 
 **Section C — Domain docs.**
 
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ Confirm the layout:
 Show the user a draft of:
 
 - The `## Agent skills` block to add to whichever of `CLAUDE.md` / `AGENTS.md` is being edited (see step 4 for selection rules)
-- The contents of `docs/agents/backlog.md`, `docs/agents/triage-labels.md`, `docs/agents/domain.md`
+- The contents of `docs/agents/issue-tracker.md`, `docs/agents/triage-labels.md`, `docs/agents/domain.md`
 
 Let them edit before writing.
 
@@ -92,9 +92,9 @@ The block:
 ```markdown
 ## Agent skills
 
-### Backlog
+### Issue tracker
 
-[one-line summary of where the backlog lives]. See `docs/agents/backlog.md`.
+[one-line summary of where issues are tracked]. See `docs/agents/issue-tracker.md`.
 
 ### Triage labels
 
@@ -107,13 +107,13 @@ The block:
 
 Then write the three docs files using the seed templates in this skill folder as a starting point:
 
-- [backlog-github.md](./backlog-github.md) — GitHub backlog
-- [backlog-local.md](./backlog-local.md) — local-markdown backlog
+- [issue-tracker-github.md](./issue-tracker-github.md) — GitHub issue tracker
+- [issue-tracker-local.md](./issue-tracker-local.md) — local-markdown issue tracker
 - [triage-labels.md](./triage-labels.md) — label mapping
 - [domain.md](./domain.md) — domain doc consumer rules + layout
 
-For "other" backlog backends, write `docs/agents/backlog.md` from scratch using the user's description.
+For "other" issue trackers, write `docs/agents/issue-tracker.md` from scratch using the user's description.
 
 ### 5. Done
 
-Tell the user the setup is complete and which engineering skills will now read from these files. Mention they can edit `docs/agents/*.md` directly later — re-running this skill is only necessary if they want to switch backlog backends or restart from scratch.
+Tell the user the setup is complete and which engineering skills will now read from these files. Mention they can edit `docs/agents/*.md` directly later — re-running this skill is only necessary if they want to switch issue trackers or restart from scratch.

skills/engineering/setup-matt-pocock-skills/issue-tracker-github.md

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Backlog: GitHub
+# Issue tracker: GitHub
 
 Issues and PRDs for this repo live as GitHub issues. Use the `gh` CLI for all operations.
 
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Issues and PRDs for this repo live as GitHub issues. Use the `gh` CLI for all op
 
 Infer the repo from `git remote -v` — `gh` does this automatically when run inside a clone.
 
-## When a skill says "publish to the backlog"
+## When a skill says "publish to the issue tracker"
 
 Create a GitHub issue.
 

skills/engineering/setup-matt-pocock-skills/issue-tracker-local.md

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Backlog: Local Markdown
+# Issue tracker: Local Markdown
 
 Issues and PRDs for this repo live as markdown files in `.scratch/`.
 
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Issues and PRDs for this repo live as markdown files in `.scratch/`.
 - Triage state is recorded as a `Status:` line near the top of each issue file (see `triage-labels.md` for the role strings)
 - Comments and conversation history append to the bottom of the file under a `## Comments` heading
 
-## When a skill says "publish to the backlog"
+## When a skill says "publish to the issue tracker"
 
 Create a new file under `.scratch/<feature-slug>/` (creating the directory if needed).
 

skills/engineering/setup-matt-pocock-skills/triage-labels.md

@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # Triage Labels
 
-The skills speak in terms of five canonical triage roles. This file maps those roles to the actual label strings used in this repo's backlog.
+The skills speak in terms of five canonical triage roles. This file maps those roles to the actual label strings used in this repo's issue tracker.
 
-| Label in mattpocock/skills | Label in our backlog | Meaning                                  |
+| Label in mattpocock/skills | Label in our tracker | Meaning                                  |
 | -------------------------- | -------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
 | `needs-triage`             | `needs-triage`       | Maintainer needs to evaluate this issue  |
 | `needs-info`               | `needs-info`         | Waiting on reporter for more information |

skills/engineering/to-issues/SKILL.md

@@ -1,19 +1,19 @@
 ---
 name: to-issues
-description: Break a plan, spec, or PRD into independently-grabbable issues on the project backlog using tracer-bullet vertical slices. Use when user wants to convert a plan into issues, create implementation tickets, or break down work into issues.
+description: Break a plan, spec, or PRD into independently-grabbable issues on the project issue tracker using tracer-bullet vertical slices. Use when user wants to convert a plan into issues, create implementation tickets, or break down work into issues.
 ---
 
 # To Issues
 
-Break a plan into independently-grabbable backlog issues using vertical slices (tracer bullets).
+Break a plan into independently-grabbable issues using vertical slices (tracer bullets).
 
-The backlog backend and triage label vocabulary should have been provided to you — run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills` if not.
+The issue tracker and triage label vocabulary should have been provided to you — run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills` if not.
 
 ## Process
 
 ### 1. Gather context
 
-Work from whatever is already in the conversation context. If the user passes a backlog ticket reference (issue number, URL, or path) as an argument, fetch it from the backlog and read its full body and comments.
+Work from whatever is already in the conversation context. If the user passes an issue reference (issue number, URL, or path) as an argument, fetch it from the issue tracker and read its full body and comments.
 
 ### 2. Explore the codebase (optional)
 
@@ -49,16 +49,16 @@ Ask the user:
 
 Iterate until the user approves the breakdown.
 
-### 5. Publish the issues to the backlog
+### 5. Publish the issues to the issue tracker
 
-For each approved slice, publish a new issue to the backlog. Use the issue body template below. Apply the `needs-triage` triage label so each issue enters the normal triage flow.
+For each approved slice, publish a new issue to the issue tracker. Use the issue body template below. Apply the `needs-triage` triage label so each issue enters the normal triage flow.
 
 Publish issues in dependency order (blockers first) so you can reference real issue identifiers in the "Blocked by" field.
 
 <issue-template>
 ## Parent
 
-A reference to the parent ticket on the backlog (if the source was a backlog ticket, otherwise omit this section).
+A reference to the parent issue on the issue tracker (if the source was an existing issue, otherwise omit this section).
 
 ## What to build
 

skills/engineering/to-prd/SKILL.md

@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 ---
 name: to-prd
-description: Turn the current conversation context into a PRD and publish it to the project backlog. Use when user wants to create a PRD from the current context.
+description: Turn the current conversation context into a PRD and publish it to the project issue tracker. Use when user wants to create a PRD from the current context.
 ---
 
 This skill takes the current conversation context and codebase understanding and produces a PRD. Do NOT interview the user — just synthesize what you already know.
 
-The backlog backend and triage label vocabulary should have been provided to you — run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills` if not.
+The issue tracker and triage label vocabulary should have been provided to you — run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills` if not.
 
 ## Process
 
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ A deep module (as opposed to a shallow module) is one which encapsulates a lot o
 
 Check with the user that these modules match their expectations. Check with the user which modules they want tests written for.
 
-3. Write the PRD using the template below, then publish it to the project backlog. Apply the `needs-triage` triage label so it enters the normal triage flow.
+3. Write the PRD using the template below, then publish it to the project issue tracker. Apply the `needs-triage` triage label so it enters the normal triage flow.
 
 <prd-template>
 

skills/engineering/triage/SKILL.md

@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 ---
 name: triage
-description: Triage backlog issues through a state machine driven by triage roles. Use when user wants to create an issue, triage issues, review incoming bugs or feature requests, prepare issues for an AFK agent, or manage issue workflow.
+description: Triage issues through a state machine driven by triage roles. Use when user wants to create an issue, triage issues, review incoming bugs or feature requests, prepare issues for an AFK agent, or manage issue workflow.
 ---
 
 # Triage
 
-Move issues on the project backlog through a small state machine of triage roles.
+Move issues on the project issue tracker through a small state machine of triage roles.
 
-Every comment or issue posted to the backlog during triage **must** start with this disclaimer:
+Every comment or issue posted to the issue tracker during triage **must** start with this disclaimer:
 
 ```
 > *This was generated by AI during triage.*
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ Five **state** roles:
 
 Every triaged issue should carry exactly one category role and one state role. If state roles conflict, flag it and ask the maintainer before doing anything else.
 
-These are canonical role names — the actual label strings used on the backlog may differ. The mapping should have been provided to you - run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills` if not.
+These are canonical role names — the actual label strings used in the issue tracker may differ. The mapping should have been provided to you - run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills` if not.
 
 State transitions: an unlabeled issue normally goes to `needs-triage` first; from there it moves to `needs-info`, `ready-for-agent`, `ready-for-human`, or `wontfix`. `needs-info` returns to `needs-triage` once the reporter replies. The maintainer can override at any time — flag transitions that look unusual and ask before proceeding.
 
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ The maintainer invokes `/triage` and describes what they want in natural languag
 
 ## Show what needs attention
 
-Query the backlog and present three buckets, oldest first:
+Query the issue tracker and present three buckets, oldest first:
 
 1. **Unlabeled** — never triaged.
 2. **`needs-triage`** — evaluation in progress.