Backlog-This Trigger Word Workflow

Why this exists

I can move fast with AI, but speed can turn into scatterbrain mode if I follow every interesting branch immediately. I want a clean interrupt mechanism that lets me preserve good ideas without derailing what I am actively shipping.

backlog-this is that mechanism.

Core concept

When I say backlog-this, I am switching from build mode to capture mode.

• Build mode: implement, edit code, run commands, ship changes
• Capture mode: do not implement; only structure and store the idea for later

Goals

1. Avoid losing promising ideas
2. Reduce context-switch thrash
3. Keep implementation focus on current priority
4. Preserve enough detail to resume quickly later

Non-goals

1. No immediate feature implementation
2. No architecture rabbit holes during capture
3. No bikeshedding format details before capture exists

Command

If I say backlog-this, the workflow should:

1. Stop proposing implementation steps for the current tangent
2. Summarize the idea and current context
3. Store it as a backlog entry using a consistent template
4. Return to the original active track

Backlog entry template

Each parked idea should capture:

• Title: concise and searchable
• Problem: what pain or opportunity I noticed
• Proposed direction: rough path, not full solution
• Why not now: what current priority this interrupts
• Next step: smallest concrete action for future me
• Context snapshot: relevant project state, files, links, or assumptions
• Tags: classification for later filtering

Storage options

Option A: Single running backlog doc

• Fastest to start
• One place to scan
• Can get noisy over time

Option B: One file per parked idea

• Cleaner long-term organization
• Better linking and metadata
• Slightly more overhead per capture

Recommended starting point

Start with Option A for speed, then migrate to Option B if volume grows.

Success criteria

This workflow is successful if:

1. Capturing an idea takes less than 60 seconds
2. I can reliably find parked ideas later
3. Parked ideas are actionable when reopened
4. I stay focused on the current shipping task

Next refinement pass

In the next pass, I want to lock:

1. Exact storage shape
2. Exact field schema
3. Retrieval commands (e.g., list open, list recent, reopen by slug)