Accountability Skill#

Board Info#

• Board ID: Configured via boardId in plugin config
• Columns: Configured via columns in plugin config (with sensible defaults)

Columns#

ColumnConfig KeyTypePurposeStatuscolumns.statusstatusActive / Done / BlockedCheck Frequencycolumns.checkFrequencytextHow often to check: 1h, 2h, 4h, 8h, dailyLast Checkedcolumns.lastCheckeddateWhen the agent last reviewed this itemDetailscolumns.detailslong_textFull definition of what "done" means, context, blockersAssigned Bycolumns.assignedBystatusWho created/assigned this task: {owner} or {agent}

Completion Rules#

• Owner-assigned tasks: Only the owner can mark them Done. The agent may suggest completion but must NOT change status to Done.
• Agent-assigned tasks: The agent can mark them Done independently.
• Always check "Assigned By" before changing any status to Done.

API Setup#

• Token: configured via mondayApiToken in plugin config
• Endpoint: https://api.monday.com/v2 (GraphQL)
• Auth header: Authorization: <token>

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Hourly Work Session (Cron-Triggered)#

This is the core loop. Every hour, a cron job fires and the agent runs a real work session — not just a status check.

Phase 1: Review & Plan#

1. Read all active items from the Monday board (including sub-items)
2. Assess each item: What's the current state? What changed since last check? What's blocking progress?
3. Pick what to work on — prioritize items that are unblocked and can make real progress
4. Break work into subtasks — create sub-items under the main accountability item on Monday
5. Write the plan in the Doc column of the sub-item: what you're about to do, approach, expected outcome

Phase 2: Do the Work#

1. Execute the plan:

   • For code work: Follow the product-dev process — Claude Code writes code, test, iterate. Never code directly.
   • For non-code work: Do it directly (config changes, research, outreach, etc.)

2. Write an update on the main accountability item in Monday (Updates section) with what was done and results

Phase 3: Handle Being Stuck#

If stuck, blocked, or unsure what to do next:

1. Reassess the whole project fresh — don't keep banging on the same approach
2. If it's code: Read ALL of it. Understand the goal. Reflect on everything as if seeing it for the first time.
3. Create new tasks as needed (sub-items on Monday)
4. Orchestrate others:

• Sub-agents: Spawn Claude Code or other coding agents for implementation
• People: Message anyone who can help unblock you

1. If you genuinely need the owner: Message them with specific context — what you tried, what failed, what you need from them

Phase 4: Wrap Up#

1. Update "Last Checked" date on all reviewed items
2. Update statuses: Move items to Blocked/Stuck if appropriate
3. For owner-assigned items that look complete: Write an update suggesting it's done, but do NOT change status to Done — only the owner can do that

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Workflow: Creating New Accountability Items#

1. Create item on the configured board with accountability_create_item
2. Set Details column with: goal, definition of done, current state
3. Set Check Frequency (e.g. "1h")
4. Set Assigned By: {owner} or {agent} depending on who initiated it
5. Write first update with current status
6. The hourly work session cron handles all items — no need for per-item crons

Workflow: Daily Summary#

Every day at the configured time, review all active items and write a consolidated update to the owner.

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Monday.com Sub-Items#

Sub-items are used as subtasks under each accountability item. They represent specific work units.

Create sub-item#

graphql

mutation { create_subitem(parent_item_id: PARENT_ID, item_name: "SUBTASK_NAME", column_values: "{\"DETAILS_COL_ID\":{\"text\":\"PLAN\"}}") { id } }

Read sub-items#

graphql

{ items(ids: [PARENT_ID]) { subitems { id name column_values { id text value } } } }

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GraphQL Snippets#

Read all active items (with sub-items)#

graphql

{ boards(ids: BOARD_ID) { items_page(limit: 50) { items { id name column_values { id text value } updates(limit: 3) { body created_at } subitems { id name column_values { id text value } } } } } }

Create item#

graphql

mutation { create_item(board_id: BOARD_ID, item_name: "TITLE", column_values: "{\"DETAILS_COL\":{\"text\":\"DETAILS\"},\"FREQ_COL\":\"FREQ\",\"ASSIGNED_COL\":{\"label\":\"ASSIGNEE\"}}") { id } }

Write update#

graphql

mutation { create_update(item_id: ITEM_ID, body: "<p>UPDATE_HTML</p>") { id } }

Update Last Checked#

graphql

mutation { change_column_value(board_id: BOARD_ID, item_id: ITEM_ID, column_id: "LAST_CHECKED_COL", value: "{\"date\":\"YYYY-MM-DD\"}") { id } }

Change Status#

Status labels: Working on it (1/orange), Done (2/green), Stuck (0/red)

graphql

mutation { change_column_value(board_id: BOARD_ID, item_id: ITEM_ID, column_id: "STATUS_COL", value: "{\"label\":\"Working on it\"}") { id } }

Helper Script#

Run scripts/monday-api.sh for common operations:

bash

# List items
bash scripts/monday-api.sh list
# Add update to item
bash scripts/monday-api.sh update <item_id> "<html body>"
# Set last checked
bash scripts/monday-api.sh checked <item_id>

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Messaging Etiquette#

• Never message people outside configured messaging hours unless it's genuinely urgent
• If you need someone's input and it's outside hours, note it as a blocker and follow up when hours resume

Critical: Read Before Working#

Before doing ANY work on an accountability item, you MUST read the full Document/Details column on that item first. This contains important context, constraints, and explicit instructions about what to do and what NOT to do. Skipping this step has caused the agent to undo previous decisions. No exceptions.

Sub-Agent Context Rule#

When spawning any sub-agent for work on an accountability item, you MUST include the full text from the item's Details/Doc column in the sub-agent's task prompt. This includes constraints, warnings, history, and explicit "DO NOT" instructions. The sub-agent has no memory of previous sessions — if it doesn't get the context in its prompt, it will make decisions that contradict prior decisions.