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Use iterate-refinement-notes to turn [refinement session notes] into shareable notes covering story outcomes, estimates, decisions, owned questions, action items, blockers, and next-session preparation.
Required inputs
[refinement session notes]
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SKILL.md
name: iterate-refinement-notesdescription: Documents backlog refinement session outcomes including stories refined, estimates, questions raised, and decisions made. Use during or after refinement to capture the results and share with absent team members.license: Apache-2.0metadata: phase: iterate version: "2.1.0" updated: 2026-06-10 category: coordination frameworks: [triple-diamond, lean-startup, design-thinking] author: product-on-purpose
Refinement Notes
Refinement notes capture the outcomes of backlog refinement (grooming) sessions.what was discussed, what was estimated, and what decisions were made. They serve as a quick reference for team members who missed the session and a historical record of how stories evolved from idea to ready-for-sprint.
When to Use
During refinement sessions to capture decisions in real-time
After refinement to share outcomes with absent team members
When onboarding new team members to explain backlog context
Before sprint planning to review what's been refined
When stories need re-refinement due to time elapsed
When NOT to Use
You need the stories themselves written -> use deliver-user-stories
You need a general meeting summary, not a backlog-refinement record -> use foundation-meeting-recap
You are running the retrospective ceremony -> use iterate-retrospective
Refined stories need their failure scenarios enumerated -> use deliver-edge-cases
Instructions
When asked to document refinement notes, follow these steps:
Record Session Metadata
Note the date, attendees, and duration. This helps track who was part of decisions and when discussions happened.
List Stories Discussed
For each story, capture the outcome: estimated points, refined status, key discussion points, and any modifications made to the original scope.
Document Questions Raised
Questions that couldn't be answered in the session need owners and due dates. Don't let them disappear.they often block sprint planning.
Capture Decisions Made
Record any scope decisions, technical approaches agreed upon, or priority changes. These decisions are valuable context that gets lost without documentation.
Note Action Items
Any follow-up work needed before stories are sprint-ready: mockups to create, technical spikes to run, stakeholders to consult.
Flag Blocked Stories
Clearly identify stories that can't proceed until blockers are resolved. Include what the blocker is and who owns resolution.
Plan Next Session
Note what should be refined next and any preparation needed.
Output Format
Use the template in references/TEMPLATE.md to structure the output. Complete notes fill every template section: Session Info; Summary; Stories Refined; Stories Summary Table; Questions Raised; Decisions Made; Action Items; Blocked Stories; Parking Lot; and Next Session.
Quality Checklist
Before finalizing, verify:
All discussed stories have outcomes recorded
Open questions have owners assigned
Decisions are captured with enough context
Blocked stories are clearly flagged
A reader who missed the session can tell each story's outcome and what happens next without asking
Examples
See references/EXAMPLE.md for a completed example.