diff --git a/home/roles/development/skills/beads_implement.md b/home/roles/development/skills/beads_implement.md
index e1e2a70..cbf4843 100644
--- a/home/roles/development/skills/beads_implement.md
+++ b/home/roles/development/skills/beads_implement.md
@@ -18,20 +18,49 @@ When this command is invoked:
      ```
      Then check which have plans in `thoughts/beads-{id}/plan.md`
 
-2. **Load bead and plan context**:
+2. **Load bead context**:
    ```bash
    bd show {bead-id}
    ```
+   Note the bead **type** (bug, feature, task) from the output.
+
+3. **Check for plan and handle by type**:
+
+   Check if plan exists:
+   ```bash
+   ls thoughts/beads-{bead-id}/plan.md 2>/dev/null
+   ```
+
+   **If plan exists**: Proceed normally (skip to step 4)
+
+   **If no plan**:
+   - **type=bug**: Proceed without plan (simple bugs can implement directly)
+   - **type=feature or type=task**: Warn and ask:
+     ```
+     No plan found for this {type}.
+
+     Plans help ensure complex work is well-designed and verifiable.
+     Location expected: thoughts/beads-{bead-id}/plan.md
+
+     Options:
+     1. Create a plan first (recommended) - Run /beads_plan {bead-id}
+     2. Proceed without a plan (for simple changes)
+
+     How would you like to proceed?
+     ```
+     Wait for user response before continuing.
+
+4. **Load plan and research context** (if plan exists):
    - Read `thoughts/beads-{bead-id}/plan.md` FULLY
    - Check for any existing checkmarks (- [x]) indicating partial progress
    - Read any research at `thoughts/beads-{bead-id}/research.md`
 
-3. **Mark bead in progress** (if not already):
+5. **Mark bead in progress** (if not already):
    ```bash
    bd update {bead-id} --status=in_progress
    ```
 
-4. **Respond with**:
+6. **Respond with**:
    ```
    Implementing plan for bead {bead-id}: {bead-title}
 
diff --git a/home/roles/development/skills/beads_workflow.md b/home/roles/development/skills/beads_workflow.md
index 21017e1..b24fbbe 100644
--- a/home/roles/development/skills/beads_workflow.md
+++ b/home/roles/development/skills/beads_workflow.md
@@ -335,3 +335,53 @@ The `shared/` structure still works for non-bead artifacts, but prefer per-bead
 - Keep existing `thoughts/shared/` content
 - New bead-tracked work uses `thoughts/beads-{id}/`
 - Reference old research from bead descriptions when relevant
+
+## Design Decisions
+
+### Phase Tracking: Artifacts vs Statuses
+
+**Current approach**: Skills infer workflow phase from artifact presence:
+- Has `research.md` → research done
+- Has `plan.md` → planning done
+- No artifacts → needs research/planning
+
+**Alternative considered**: Explicit phase statuses (`needs_research`, `needs_plan`, `implementing`, etc.)
+
+**Why artifacts win**:
+1. **Single source of truth** - Status can't drift from reality
+2. **Less state to maintain** - No need to update status when creating artifacts
+3. **Works across repos** - No custom status config needed
+4. **Skills already check artifacts** - Natural fit with existing behavior
+
+**When explicit statuses would help**:
+- Pipeline visualization (e.g., `bd list --status=needs_plan`)
+- Agent self-selection by phase
+- Team coordination dashboards
+
+**Recommendation**: Keep artifact-inference as primary mechanism. If pipeline visibility becomes important, consider adding statuses that skills auto-set when creating artifacts (advisory, not enforced).
+
+### One Bead Per Feature (Default)
+
+**Current approach**: File one bead per logical feature. Skills handle phases internally.
+
+**Alternative considered**: Separate beads for research → planning → implementation, linked by dependencies.
+
+**Why single bead wins for most work**:
+1. **Lower friction** - Quick idea dump without filing 3 tickets
+2. **Simpler tracking** - One status to check
+3. **Natural grouping** - Artifacts stay together in `thoughts/beads-{id}/`
+
+**When to split into multiple beads**:
+- Research reveals the work should be multiple features
+- Different phases need different assignees
+- Explicit dependency tracking matters (e.g., "auth must ship before payments")
+
+**The discovered-work pattern**: Start with one bead. If research reveals split work, file additional beads with dependencies. Skills guide this naturally.
+
+### Plan Requirements by Type
+
+**Bug fixes** (`type=bug`): Can proceed without plans - usually well-scoped from bug report.
+
+**Features/tasks** (`type=feature`, `type=task`): Should have plans - helps ensure design is sound before implementation.
+
+This is advisory, not enforced. Skills warn but allow override for simple changes.
diff --git a/home/roles/development/skills/parallel_beads.md b/home/roles/development/skills/parallel_beads.md
index 56ae0a2..ab043e1 100644
--- a/home/roles/development/skills/parallel_beads.md
+++ b/home/roles/development/skills/parallel_beads.md
@@ -9,8 +9,29 @@ This skill orchestrates parallel bead processing using subagents. Each bead gets
 ## Phase 1: Selection
 
 1. **Get ready beads**: Run `bd ready` to list all beads with no blockers
-2. **Present selection**: Use `AskUserQuestion` with `multiSelect: true` to let the user choose which beads to work on
+
+2. **Filter by plan readiness**:
+   For each ready bead, check if it's ready for batch implementation:
+   - **Has plan** (`thoughts/beads-{id}/plan.md` exists): Include
+   - **type=bug** without plan: Include (simple bugs can implement directly)
+   - **type=feature/task** without plan: Exclude with warning
+
+   ```bash
+   # Check for plan existence
+   ls thoughts/beads-{bead-id}/plan.md 2>/dev/null
+   ```
+
+3. **Report skipped beads**:
+   If any beads were skipped, inform the user:
+   ```
+   Skipped beads (no plan):
+   - {bead-id}: {title} (type: feature) - Run /beads_plan {bead-id} first
+   - {bead-id}: {title} (type: task) - Run /beads_plan {bead-id} first
+   ```
+
+4. **Present selection**: Use `AskUserQuestion` with `multiSelect: true` to let the user choose which beads to work on
    - Include bead ID and title for each option
+   - Only show beads that passed the plan check
    - Allow selection of multiple beads
 
 Example:
@@ -18,7 +39,7 @@ Example:
 AskUserQuestion with:
 - question: "Which beads do you want to work on in parallel?"
 - multiSelect: true
-- options from bd ready output
+- options from filtered bd ready output
 ```
 
 ## Phase 2: Parallel Implementation