# Design Book Outline --- task: id: design-book-outline name: Design Book Outline description: Create complete technical book structure with learning path and chapter breakdown persona_default: instructional-designer inputs: - book-topic - target-audience - publisher-target (PacktPub, O'Reilly, Manning, Self-publish) steps: - Elicit book concept, target audience, and technical scope - Identify learning objectives for entire book (what readers will accomplish) - Review publisher-specific structure requirements from book-structures.md - Break into logical parts/sections based on learning progression - Design chapter sequence ensuring proper scaffolding (simple to complex) - For each chapter, define learning objectives and main topics - Map prerequisites and dependencies between chapters - Apply Bloom's Taxonomy to ensure progression (Remember→Understand→Apply→Analyze→Evaluate→Create) - Plan code repository structure and testing approach - Estimate page counts and timeline - Use template book-outline-tmpl.yaml with create-doc.md task - Run execute-checklist.md with learning-objectives-checklist.md - Run execute-checklist.md with prerequisite-clarity-checklist.md output: docs/book-outline.md --- ## Purpose This task guides you through creating a comprehensive book outline that balances publisher requirements, learning pedagogy, and technical accuracy. The result is a complete roadmap for the entire book. ## Prerequisites Before starting this task: - Have a clear book topic and target technology - Know your target reader's skill level - Understand which publisher you're targeting (or self-publishing) - Access to book-structures.md and learning-frameworks.md knowledge bases ## Workflow Steps ### 1. Elicit Book Concept and Audience Ask the user about: - Book topic and core technology/framework - Target reader's skill level (beginner, intermediate, advanced) - Prerequisites readers should have - What readers will accomplish after reading - Estimated book length (200-400 pages typical) - Publisher target (PacktPub, O'Reilly, Manning, self-publish) ### 2. Review Publisher Requirements Consult book-structures.md for publisher-specific guidelines: - **PacktPub**: Hands-on, project-based, practical tutorials - **O'Reilly**: Learning path with exercises and examples - **Manning**: Deep tutorial style with progressive complexity - **Self-publish**: Flexible structure, but follow best practices ### 3. Define Book-Level Learning Objectives Identify 5-10 major learning objectives for the entire book using action verbs: - What will readers be able to CREATE after reading? - What technologies will they IMPLEMENT? - What concepts will they ANALYZE and EVALUATE? Ensure objectives are: - Measurable and specific - Appropriate for target skill level - Achievable within book scope ### 4. Design Part/Section Structure Break the book into logical parts (typically 3-5 parts): **Example Structure:** - Part I: Foundations (Chapters 1-4) - Part II: Core Concepts (Chapters 5-8) - Part III: Advanced Topics (Chapters 9-12) - Part IV: Real-World Applications (Chapters 13-15) Each part should have: - Clear learning arc - Coherent theme - Progressive difficulty ### 5. Create Chapter Sequence For each chapter, define: - Chapter number and title - 3-5 learning objectives (using Bloom's taxonomy action verbs) - Main topics covered - Tutorials and exercises planned - Code examples needed - Estimated page count - Prerequisites (which chapters must come before) - Difficulty level **Scaffolding Guidelines:** - Start simple, add complexity gradually - Each chapter builds on previous knowledge - Introduce concepts before using them - Provide practice before advancing ### 6. Map Dependencies Create a dependency map: - Which chapters must be completed before others? - What external knowledge is assumed? - Where are the major skill milestones? - Are there any optional chapters? ### 7. Apply Bloom's Taxonomy Ensure learning progression across the book: - **Early chapters**: Remember, Understand (definitions, concepts) - **Middle chapters**: Apply, Analyze (hands-on practice, debugging) - **Later chapters**: Evaluate, Create (optimization, design decisions) ### 8. Plan Code Repository Design companion code structure: - Chapter folder organization - Testing strategy (unit tests, integration tests) - Version compatibility targets - CI/CD pipeline for validation ### 9. Generate Book Outline Use the create-doc.md task with book-outline-tmpl.yaml template to create the structured outline document. ### 10. Validate Outline Run checklists: - learning-objectives-checklist.md - Verify all objectives are measurable - prerequisite-clarity-checklist.md - Ensure prerequisites are explicit ### 11. Review and Refine Ask the user: - Does the chapter progression feel natural? - Are there any gaps in coverage? - Is the scope appropriate for the target page count? - Does this match publisher expectations? ## Success Criteria A completed book outline should have: - [ ] Clear target audience and prerequisites defined - [ ] Book-level learning objectives (5-10 measurable outcomes) - [ ] Part structure with 3-5 logical groupings - [ ] Complete chapter list (typically 12-20 chapters) - [ ] Each chapter has 3-5 learning objectives - [ ] Dependencies and prerequisites mapped - [ ] Scaffolding ensures proper progression - [ ] Code repository structure planned - [ ] Estimated page counts and timeline - [ ] Publisher requirements incorporated - [ ] All checklists passed ## Common Pitfalls to Avoid - **Too much coverage**: Better to go deep on fewer topics - **Poor scaffolding**: Don't use concepts before explaining them - **Missing prerequisites**: Be explicit about what readers need - **Inconsistent difficulty**: Avoid sudden jumps in complexity - **No practice**: Include exercises and tutorials throughout - **Ignoring publisher style**: Each publisher has specific expectations ## Next Steps After completing the book outline: 1. Review with technical experts or potential readers 2. Create detailed chapter outlines (create-chapter-outline.md) 3. Begin drafting first chapter 4. Set up code repository structure