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