bmad-correct-course
Assess the impact of a significant change during sprint execution across the PRD, epics, architecture, and UX documents, and produce a sprint change proposal. Use when the user says "correct course" or "propose sprint change"
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/bmad-code-org/bmad-method --skill bmad-correct-courseCorrect Course - Sprint Change Management Workflow
Goal: Manage significant changes during sprint execution by analyzing impact across all project artifacts and producing a structured Sprint Change Proposal.
Your Role: You are a Developer navigating change management. Analyze the triggering issue, assess impact across PRD, epics, architecture, and UX artifacts, and produce an actionable Sprint Change Proposal with clear handoff.
Conventions
- Bare paths (e.g.
checklist.md) resolve from the skill root. {skill-root}resolves to this skill's installed directory (wherecustomize.tomllives).{project-root}is the nearest folder containing_bmad/, starting at the project working directory and moving up through its parents.{skill-name}resolves to the skill directory's basename.
On Activation
Step 1: Resolve the Workflow Block
Run: uv run {project-root}/_bmad/scripts/resolve_customization.py --skill {skill-root} --project-root {project-root} --key workflow
If the script is not found, BMad is not set up here. Offer to run the bmad skill's setup, installing bmad first if you do not have it (npx skills add bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD --skill bmad), then run the command again.
If it fails for any other reason, resolve the workflow block yourself by reading these three files in base → team → user order and applying the same structural merge rules as the resolver:
{skill-root}/customize.toml— defaults{project-root}/_bmad/custom/{skill-name}.toml— team overrides{project-root}/_bmad/custom/{skill-name}.user.toml— personal overrides
Any missing file is skipped. Scalars override, tables deep-merge, arrays of tables keyed by code or id replace matching entries and append new entries, and all other arrays append.
Step 2: Execute Prepend Steps
Execute each entry in {workflow.activation_steps_prepend} in order before proceeding.
Step 3: Load Persistent Facts
Treat every entry in {workflow.persistent_facts} as foundational context you carry for the rest of the workflow run. Entries prefixed file: are paths or globs under {project-root} — load the referenced contents as facts. All other entries are facts verbatim.
Step 4: Load Config
Run: uv run {project-root}/_bmad/scripts/resolve_config.py --project-root {project-root} --key core.output_folder --key core.active_initiative
Script not found, or no
output_folder: BMad is not set up here. Offer to run thebmadskill's setup, installingbmadfirst if you do not have it (npx skills add bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD --skill bmad), then run the command again.No
active_initiative: hand off to thebmadskill to set or create one, then run the command again and continue.dateas system-generated current datetimeYOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT in your Agent communication style
DOCUMENT OUTPUT: A Sprint Change Proposal with clear, actionable changes.
Step 5: Greet the User
Greet the user.
Step 6: Execute Append Steps
Execute each entry in {workflow.activation_steps_append} in order.
Activation is complete. If activation_steps_prepend or activation_steps_append were non-empty, confirm every entry was executed in order before proceeding. Do not begin the main workflow until all activation steps have been completed.
Paths
default_output_file={output_folder}/{active_initiative}/change-{slug}/change-{slug}.md,{slug}the change's title in kebab-case
Input Files
Look in {output_folder}/{active_initiative}/ first, then {output_folder}/.
| Input | Path | Load Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| PRD | prd-*/prd-*.md |
FULL_LOAD |
| Architecture | architecture-*/architecture-*.md |
FULL_LOAD |
| UX Design | ux-*/: DESIGN.md and EXPERIENCE.md |
FULL_LOAD |
| Spec | spec-*/spec-*.md and the companions it lists |
FULL_LOAD |
| Project Context | AGENTS.md in the affected repo (the bmad:context block) |
FULL_LOAD |
Execution
Document Discovery - Loading Project Artifacts
Strategy: Course correction needs broad project context to assess change impact accurately. Load all available planning artifacts.
Discovery Process for FULL_LOAD documents (PRD, Architecture, UX Design, Spec):
- Find each document by type - the folder and main file patterns in Input Files
- If the main file is an index of section files beside it:
- Read ALL section files listed in the index
- Process the combined content as a single document
Discovery Process for Project Context:
- Read
AGENTS.mdin the repo the change affects — the block between thebmad:contextmarkers carries the policy, frozen paths, and conventions a course correction must respect. - Follow only the pointers that relate to the impacted areas — nested component files or linked rule files listed under "Where things are". Do not load them all.
- This document is optional — skip if the repo has no
AGENTS.md(greenfield projects).
Fuzzy matching: Be flexible with document names — users may use variations like prd.md, bmm-prd.md, product-requirements.md, etc.
Missing documents: Not all documents may exist. A PRD or a spec is essential; Architecture, UX Design, and Project Context are loaded if available. HALT if neither a PRD nor a spec can be found.
Confirm change trigger and gather user description of the issue Ask: "What specific issue or change has been identified that requires navigation?" Verify access to project documents: - PRD (Product Requirements Document) or spec — required - Architecture documentation — optional, load if available - UI/UX specifications — optional, load if available Ask the user to describe the epics and stories the change affects: what each covers and where it stands Ask user for mode preference: - **Incremental** (recommended): Refine each edit collaboratively - **Batch**: Present all changes at once for review Store mode selection for use throughout workflowHALT: "Cannot navigate change without clear understanding of the triggering issue. Please provide specific details about what needs to change and why."
HALT: "Need access to a PRD or a spec to assess change impact. Please ensure one is accessible. Architecture and UI/UX will be used if available."
Read fully and follow the systematic analysis from: checklist.md Work through each checklist section interactively with the user Record status for each checklist item: - [x] Done - Item completed successfully - [N/A] Skip - Item not applicable to this change - [!] Action-needed - Item requires attention or follow-up Maintain running notes of findings and impacts discovered Present checklist progress after each major sectionIdentify blocking issues and work with user to resolve before continuing
Based on checklist findings, create explicit edit proposals for each identified artifactFor Story changes:
Show old → new text format
Include story ID and section being modified
Provide rationale for each change
Example format:
Story: [STORY-123] User Authentication Section: Acceptance Criteria OLD: - User can log in with email/password NEW: - User can log in with email/password - User can enable 2FA via authenticator app Rationale: Security requirement identified during implementation
For PRD modifications:
- Specify exact sections to update
- Show current content and proposed changes
- Explain impact on MVP scope and requirements
For Architecture changes:
- Identify affected components, patterns, or technology choices
- Describe diagram updates needed
- Note any ripple effects on other components
For UI/UX specification updates:
- Reference specific screens or components
- Show wireframe or flow changes needed
- Connect changes to user experience impact
Collect all edit proposals and present together at end of step
Compile comprehensive Sprint Change Proposal document with following sections:Section 1: Issue Summary
- Clear problem statement describing what triggered the change
- Context about when/how the issue was discovered
- Evidence or examples demonstrating the issue
Section 2: Impact Analysis
- Epic Impact: Which epics are affected and how
- Story Impact: Current and future stories requiring changes
- Artifact Conflicts: PRD, Architecture, UI/UX documents needing updates
- Technical Impact: Code, infrastructure, or deployment implications
Section 3: Recommended Approach
- Present chosen path forward from checklist evaluation:
- Direct Adjustment: Modify/add stories within existing plan
- Potential Rollback: Revert completed work to simplify resolution
- MVP Review: Reduce scope or modify goals
- Provide clear rationale for recommendation
- Include effort estimate, risk assessment, and timeline impact
Section 4: Detailed Change Proposals
- Include all refined edit proposals from Step 3
- Group by artifact type (Stories, PRD, Architecture, UI/UX)
- Ensure each change includes before/after and justification
Section 5: Implementation Handoff
- Categorize change scope:
- Minor: Direct implementation by Developer agent
- Moderate: Backlog reorganization needed (PO/DEV)
- Major: Fundamental replan required (PM/Architect)
- List the epic and story changes (added, removed, resequenced, or rescoped) for the user to apply with
bmad-ticket - Specify handoff recipients and their responsibilities
- Define success criteria for implementation
Present complete Sprint Change Proposal to user Write Sprint Change Proposal document to {default_output_file} HALT and give the user a choice:
- Continue — proceed to approval
- Edit — revise the proposal first If the user chooses **Edit**, revise the proposal with them and write the updated document before continuing.
- Minor: Can be implemented directly by Developer agent
- Moderate: Requires backlog reorganization and PO/DEV coordination
- Major: Needs fundamental replan with PM/Architect involvement
Provide appropriate handoff based on scope:
Route to: Developer agent for direct implementation Deliverables: Finalized edit proposals and implementation tasks Route to: Product Owner / Developer agents Deliverables: Sprint Change Proposal + backlog reorganization plan Route to: Product Manager / Solution Architect Deliverables: Complete Sprint Change Proposal + escalation noticeConfirm handoff completion and next steps with user Document handoff in workflow execution log
Summarize workflow execution: - Issue addressed: {{change_trigger}} - Change scope: {{scope_classification}} - Artifacts modified: {{list_of_artifacts}} - Routed to: {{handoff_recipients}}Confirm all deliverables produced:
- Sprint Change Proposal document
- Specific edit proposals with before/after
- Implementation handoff plan
Report workflow completion to user: "Correct Course workflow complete!"
Remind user of success criteria and next steps for Developer agent
Run: uv run {project-root}/_bmad/scripts/resolve_customization.py --skill {skill-root} --project-root {project-root} --key workflow.on_complete — if the resolved value is non-empty, follow it as the final terminal instruction before exiting.