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Use Case: Sprint Planning

Step-by-step walkthrough for planning sprints using FAOS agents and workflows.

Overview​

MethodDurationBest For
Workflow (automated)5-15 minStandard sprint planning from backlog
Agent (interactive)VariableCustom planning, estimation discussions

Method 1: Using the Sprint Planning Workflow​

Step 1: Start the Workflow​

Prompt:

"Run FAOS sprint-planning workflow for sprint 16 with 40 story points capacity"

Response:

Starting sprint-planning workflow...
Workflow ID: wfrun_sprint_001
Status: running

Inputs:
- Sprint number: 16
- Capacity: 40 story points
- Duration: 2 weeks (default)

Steps:
1. Analyzing backlog priorities
2. Checking dependencies
3. Matching capacity to stories
4. Generating sprint plan

Step 2: Get Sprint Plan​

Prompt:

"Get the output of FAOS workflow wfrun_sprint_001"

Response:

Sprint 16 Plan

Duration: Jan 27 - Feb 10, 2026
Capacity: 40 points | Committed: 38 points

Selected Stories:
| Key    | Title                        | Points | Priority |
|--------|------------------------------|--------|----------|
| 55-7   | VSCode Chat Participant      | 13     | P0       |
| 55-8   | VSCode Code Actions          | 8      | P0       |
| 32-1   | Push Notification Setup      | 5      | P1       |
| 32-2   | New Decision Notifications   | 5      | P1       |
| 32-3   | Delegation Notifications     | 3      | P1       |
| 19-25  | TTS Provider Migration       | 4      | P0       |

Dependency Notes:
- 55-8 depends on 55-7 (start after 55-7 reaches 50%)
- 32-2, 32-3 can run parallel after 32-1

Sprint Goal:
Complete VSCode extension foundation and enable push notifications
for mobile decision queue.

Not Included (next sprint candidates):
- 32-4 Agent Completion Notifications (3pts)
- 55-9 VSCode Tree View (5pts)

Method 2: Using Agents Interactively​

Get Backlog Overview​

Prompt:

"Ask FAOS PM agent to summarize the current backlog and recommend stories for next sprint"

Response:

Backlog Analysis

Current State:
- Total stories in backlog: 47
- Ready for dev: 23
- P0 (Critical): 8
- P1 (High): 15

Recommended for Sprint 16 (40 pts):

Must Include (P0):
1. 55-7 VSCode Chat Participant (13pts)
   - Foundation for IDE integration
   - No blockers

2. 19-25 TTS Provider Migration (13pts)
   - Currently in-progress, needs completion
   - Technical debt reduction

Should Include (P1):
3. 32-1 Push Notification Registration (5pts)
   - Enables mobile engagement

4. 32-2 New Decision Notifications (5pts)
   - Depends on 32-1

Buffer (4pts remaining):
5. 32-3 Delegation Notifications (3pts)

This totals 39 points, leaving 1-point buffer for unknowns.

Discuss Estimates​

Prompt:

"Use FAOS dev agent to review the 13-point estimate for story 55-7. Does it seem accurate given the acceptance criteria?"

Response:

Estimate Review: Story 55-7 (13 points)

Acceptance Criteria Analysis:
1. Chat participant registered with VS Code
2. Messages routed to FAOS agents
3. Streaming responses displayed
4. Context from workspace included
5. Error handling with retry

Technical Assessment:
- VS Code Chat API is well-documented
- FAOS agent integration already proven (MCP)
- Main complexity: streaming + context gathering

Estimate Validation:
| Component           | Effort |
|---------------------|--------|
| Chat participant    | 3 pts  |
| Agent routing       | 2 pts  |
| Streaming display   | 3 pts  |
| Context gathering   | 3 pts  |
| Error handling      | 2 pts  |
| Total               | 13 pts |

Estimate appears accurate. No adjustment needed.

Risk factors to monitor:
- VS Code API version compatibility
- Large file context handling

Handle Capacity Changes​

Prompt:

"Team member is on vacation for 3 days. Recalculate sprint plan with 32 points capacity instead"

Response:

Revised Sprint 16 Plan (32 points)

Changes from original:
Removed: 32-3 Delegation Notifications (3pts)
Removed: 19-25 TTS Migration (moved to sprint 17)

New Plan:
| Key    | Title                        | Points |
|--------|------------------------------|--------|
| 55-7   | VSCode Chat Participant      | 13     |
| 55-8   | VSCode Code Actions          | 8      |
| 32-1   | Push Notification Setup      | 5      |
| 32-2   | New Decision Notifications   | 5      |

Total: 31 points (1 point buffer)

Impact Analysis:
- VSCode integration remains on track
- Push notifications feature complete
- TTS migration delayed by 1 sprint

Planning Techniques​

Story Splitting​

Prompt:

"Ask FAOS PM to split story 55-7 (13pts) into smaller stories that can be delivered incrementally"

Risk Assessment​

Prompt:

"Have FAOS SM agent identify risks for the proposed sprint plan and suggest mitigations"

Dependency Mapping​

Prompt:

"Show me a dependency graph for all stories in the sprint backlog"

Tips for Better Sprint Planning​

Do​

  • Start with context - Review current sprint status first
  • Use velocity - Base capacity on historical data
  • Consider dependencies - Let FAOS check for blockers
  • Keep buffer - 5-10% for unknowns
  • Define sprint goal - One clear objective

Don't​

  • Overcommit - 100% capacity rarely works
  • Ignore technical debt - Include some each sprint
  • Skip estimation review - Validate complex story points
  • Forget handoffs - Account for dependencies