master-plan

Master Plan is a text based project management tool that implements an algebra of projects.

These are the values propositions of master plan:

• Simplicity: keep project management into a single text file.
• Agility: embrace change, by allowing projects to specify uncertainty and allow for refinement anytime.
• Freedom: master plan is a open specification, not dependent on tools or hosting. There is this current open-source implementation, but anyone can implement tools or visualizations on top of it.

Algebra of Projects

In the algebra of projects, a project is an expression of sub-projects combined using dependency operators. These operators define how sub-projects relate to the higher-level projects in terms of execution and structural dependency, that is, in which order (if any) the sub-projects must be executed, and also whether all or some of the sub-projects must be executed at all.

At some level, sub-projects will be small enough that they don't break down further, in this case, they consist of a unit of execution.

There is also the notion cost estimation and risk. Cost may mean different things depending on the domain, but most usually it's time.

Given all these constraints and structure, master plan will build an optimum prioritization of projects and sub-projects for execution.

The entire definition of a project is defined into a single plan.txt file using a simple language. There are defaults for most constrains and properties such that things can be less verbose if using the defaults.

The tool is able to build visualizations and reports from the plan file.

Ideally, the plan file should be kept in version control so that execution and planning progress can be recorded.

Commands

The mp command line tool supports the following commands:

• prioritize - list, in order of priority, the projects ready for execution.
• render - generate a report output, specified by one of the backend formats.

Syntax

Comments are preceded by hashtag (#), and extend to the end of line (like Shell and Python).

Everything else are definitions, in the form lrs = rhs. There are two kinds of definitions with respect to lrs (left hand side):

• Definition of a project: in the form identifier = expression
• Definition of a property of a project: in the form identifier(identifier) = expression. This is used to define properties of names.

A project is identified by a unique identifier. The "root" project is identified by a special root identifier.

Project expressions are expressions where project identifiers are combined via binary operators. Parenthesis can be used to enforce operator precedence. There are three operators:

• p = a + b - Sum: p is executed when a or b is executed.
• p = a x b - Product: p is executed when a and b is executed.
• p = a > b - Sequence: p is executed when a and b is executed, in order.

Properties

Following is a list of supported properties of projects:

Property name	Expected Type	Description
name	text	title of the project
description	text	longer description of what the project is
url	URL	reference in the web for more context about the project
owner	username	name of the person responsible for execution
status	blocked,ready,progress,done,cancelled	status of execution
progress	percentage	how much progress has been made so far
cost	number	estimated cost (aliases: "time", "estimation")
risk	percentage	risk of failure

Grammar

definition = project_def | predicate_def

project_def = identifier "=" expression
expression = term ((">>" | "x") term)*
term = factor ("+" factor)*
factor = "(" expression ")" | identifier

predicate_def = identifier "(" identifier ")" "=" value
value = number | text