Use the Superpowers-inspired Test-Driven project template in Manager: brainstorm a spec, plan bite-sized tasks and build each one test-first, with two reviews before done.
Every feature starts with a brainstorm that turns a rough idea into a short design doc in the wiki.
Each task records its TDD state, so you see which tests still fail and which pass.
Spec review, code quality review, then the definition of done. "Looks fine" is not verification.
Superpowers, by Jesse Vincent, is a library of skills that trigger on their own, so coding agents stop jumping into code. Its brainstorming skill turns an idea into a design doc, using-git-worktrees isolates a branch, and writing-plans breaks work into two-to-five-minute tasks.
Then subagent-driven-development gives each task a fresh subagent and two reviews, spec compliance, then code quality, while test-driven-development enforces red, green, refactor. Specs and plans stay Markdown files in your repository, and finishing-a-development-branch ends with a merge or pull request.
Adapted from the open-source Superpowers methodology by Jesse Vincent, MIT, github.com/obra/superpowers. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Superpowers.
What Superpowers keeps as Markdown in your repository becomes wiki pages, work items and a field.
| Superpowers | In Manager |
|---|---|
| brainstorming | The brainstorm skill; the feature moves from Backlog to Brainstorm to Plan. |
| Design doc | A wiki page linked to the feature. |
| writing-plans | The write-plan skill: tasks under the feature with file paths and a verification step. |
| using-git-worktrees | The worktree skill: one worktree and branch per feature. |
| subagent-driven-development | The execute-plan skill: a fresh subagent per task and a two-stage review. |
| RED-GREEN-REFACTOR | The TDD field on each task: Red, Green, Refactor. |
| verification-before-completion | The verify skill: a definition-of-done checklist gates Review to Done. |
Connect your coding agent to Manager over MCP and have it create a project from the Test-Driven template, with features, tasks and the five Superpowers skills.
Say to your agentManager: Create a project for this codebase from the Test-Driven template.
The brainstorm skill asks one theme at a time and weighs alternatives. The agreed spec becomes a short design doc in the wiki, linked to the feature.
Say to your agentManager: Let's brainstorm the spec for a new feature, one question at a time.
The write-plan skill breaks the feature into two-to-five-minute tasks, each with file paths and a verification step. The worktree skill gives it its own branch.
Say to your agentManager: Write the plan for this feature and set up a worktree for it.
For each task a fresh agent writes a failing test (Red), the least code to pass it (Green), then cleans up (Refactor). Spec and code reviews follow.
Say to your agentManager: Run execute-plan for this feature and keep going until you hit a real blocker.
The verify skill runs the definition of done on every task, then checks the feature against its design doc. Then the branch is integrated and the worktree removed.
Say to your agentManager: Verify the tasks of this feature, then check the feature against its design doc.
A project created from the Test-Driven template starts with these work item types and statuses. You can adapt all of them to your team later.
A user-facing capability; Execute has a WIP limit of two.
A two-to-five-minute unit of work, built test-first.
These skills come with the template in Manager:
brainstormTurns a rough idea into a design doc in the wiki.
write-planBreaks the spec into small tasks with file paths and checks.
worktreeOne git worktree and branch per feature, removed once integrated.
execute-planRuns each task test-first in a fresh context, with two reviews.
verifyGates each task, then the feature, with the definition of done.
Superpowers skills trigger on their own and keep specs and plans as repository files. Here you ask for a skill by name, and specs and plans live in Manager.
The Feature board flags Execute once a third feature lands there. Finish and verify one feature before you start the next.
For features built test-first and reviewed twice. Spec-Driven suits multi-phase releases, Change-Driven existing code, Governed Spec work under a constitution.
The Superpowers habits carry over, and Manager shows your team where every feature and task stands, down to the tests still red.
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