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Author SHA1 Message Date
Remote Box Agent 6a34259e99 Cut the 'it's user-invoked' rationale from the five preconditions
Per writing-for-agents' no-op test: "tell the user to run /X" is
already an unambiguous instruction with no branch where the agent
would otherwise try to call it, so the trailing justification changes
nothing at runtime. It also duplicates the rule .agents/invocation.md
already states as the single source of truth. Cut it from all five
call sites; the carve-out paragraph there is the one place the reason
needs to live.
2026-08-15 21:22:05 +00:00
Remote Box Agent 1dab98299c Stop skills from calling other user-invoked skills
Five skills (to-spec, wayfinder, to-tickets, triage, code-review) told
the agent to call the Skill tool on setup-matt-pocock-skills as a
missing-config precondition. It's user-invoked, so per
.agents/invocation.md no other skill — user- or model-invoked — can
ever reach it that way. PR #878 turned the old soft "/skill"-style
prose into a literal "Call the Skill tool with ..." instruction
without checking invocation type, which made this fire more reliably
in the wrong direction. Reworded all five as instructions to tell the
human to run it instead.

diagnosing-bugs had the same problem handing its post-mortem off to
improve-codebase-architecture, with no human anywhere in that loop to
catch the failed call. Removed the hand-off outright rather than
softening it, since it rarely fired in practice; Phase 6 is now
"Cleanup" only.

Added a carve-out to .agents/invocation.md's "Dependencies between
them" section — the section PR #878 introduced — so future
"call the Skill tool" instructions can't repeat this against a
user-invoked target.

Fixes #453.
2026-08-15 21:19:23 +00:00
Matt Pocock bb1c760d55 Merge pull request #878 from mattpocock/audit/skill-tool-invocation-terminology
Standardize cross-skill invocation on "call the Skill tool" phrasing
2026-08-15 22:01:36 +01:00
Claude da2cb7d411 Revert the docs re-sync — quoting SKILL.md text and narrating the change was bad documentation
The two FAQ edits quoted the literal new SKILL.md instruction text and
described "now X, replacing Y, intended to fix Z" — implementation-change
narration, exactly what .agents/writing-docs.md's "explain the why, not
the process" / "never reproduces the SKILL.md steps" rules argue against.
It also duplicates content that lives in SKILL.md, which is precisely
what caused the stale quote this PR already had to fix once. That story
belongs in the changeset/CHANGELOG, not the docs page. Reverted both
files to their pre-PR state; the changeset stays as the record of what
changed and why.

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-08-15 20:59:36 +00:00
Claude e3e547b57d Add changeset; re-sync the two docs pages tied to this bug
CLAUDE.md requires a docs re-sync when a promoted skill's behaviour
changes, and a changeset for versioning. Full re-syncs of all ten
touched skills' docs pages would be disproportionate for a wording-only
change to internal invocation instructions, but two pages specifically
document the exact reliability problem this phrasing targets — the
"most reported problem" FAQ on grill-with-docs's page, and the matching
"rough edge" FAQ on grilling's page, plus a stale literal quote of
grill-me's SKILL.md body. Updated those three spots to reflect the new
mechanism without overclaiming the bug is fully fixed, and added a
changeset summarizing the change across all ten affected skills.

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-08-15 20:55:23 +00:00
Matt Pocock 755611effd Merge pull request #879 from mattpocock/remove-em-dashes-grilling-skill
Remove em-dashes from grilling skill
2026-08-15 21:50:36 +01:00
remote-box d419977fe0 chore: add changeset for grilling em-dash removal 2026-08-15 20:50:05 +00:00
Claude 447ca70872 Clarify multi-skill steps as multiple Skill tool calls, not one call with two names
"Call the Skill tool with X and Y" reads as a single call taking two
arguments, but the tool takes one skill per call. Reworded every
two-skill site (grill-with-docs, triage, wayfinder x3) to "Call the
Skill tool twice, for X and Y," and added a line to
.agents/invocation.md documenting the convention for future skills.

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-08-15 20:48:40 +00:00
Claude fcf0071560 Switch Skill tool phrasing to with "name", revert grill-with-docs rewording
Matt's preferred form is `Call the Skill tool with "codebase-design"` —
quoted string, "with" not "for" — applied consistently everywhere a
literal skill name follows. Also reverts an unwanted rewording of
grill-with-docs's SKILL.md back to a direct terminology swap of the
original sentence, rather than restating what it does.

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-08-15 20:46:38 +00:00
remote-box 86cba45f42 Remove em-dashes from grilling skill
Replaces em-dash punctuation in SKILL.md with colons and semicolons for plain-text consistency.
2026-08-15 20:45:25 +00:00
Claude d28dfdc39b Standardize cross-skill invocation on explicit "call the Skill tool" phrasing
Bare `/skill`-style prose ("run the `/grilling` skill") relies on the model
reading a slash-prefixed name as a command to fire. Naming the tool directly
gets a higher hit rate, and it's actually more harness-neutral than the old
convention since it drops the Claude-Code-specific `/` trigger syntax
entirely rather than assuming it. Updates the documented convention in
.agents/invocation.md and every operative cross-skill invocation site in
skills/**/SKILL.md to match.

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-08-15 20:42:06 +00:00
Matt Pocock 8b78b531ab Merge pull request #848 from mattpocock/domain-modeling-trigger-context-adr
domain-modeling: trigger on CONTEXT.md / ADR writes
2026-08-13 10:06:21 +01:00
Claude 54bc6b6040 domain-modeling: drop the "another skill needs to maintain" caveat
Every skill that delegates to domain-modeling (grill-with-docs,
wayfinder, improve-codebase-architecture, triage) already invokes
/domain-modeling explicitly by name, so the description never needed
to carry that branch — it's the invoking skill's job to say so, not
this one's to anticipate it.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-08-13 08:34:35 +00:00
Claude e12e7ec6a7 domain-modeling: reword terminology trigger to "discussing codebase terminology"
"Pin down domain terminology or a ubiquitous language" was stiff and
leaned on DDD jargon. Swap it for the plainer, more naturally-phrased
"discussing codebase terminology".

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-08-13 08:21:20 +00:00
Claude f02e2ed362 chore: add changeset for domain-modeling trigger update
Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-08-13 08:14:55 +00:00
Claude bd8e81baaf domain-modeling: trigger on CONTEXT.md / ADR writes explicitly
The description only fired on conversational framing ("pin down
terminology", "record a decision"). Add explicit triggers for writing
or editing a CONTEXT.md or an ADR directly, so the skill loads even
when the file operation itself is the request rather than the
underlying activity.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-08-13 08:13:05 +00:00
Matt Pocock 84fdeffd12 Merge pull request #788 from mattpocock/grill-me-align
docs(grill-me): drop the "holds decisions" phrasing
2026-08-06 20:49:51 +01:00
Matt PocockandClaude Opus 5 6332c818c2 docs(grill-me): drop the "holds decisions" phrasing
The catalog row now reads "Align on an idea before committing to it."
The page's opening carried the same metaphor — "until it has real
decisions in it" — so it now says "until you can commit to it".

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-08-06 20:48:46 +01:00
21 changed files with 65 additions and 31 deletions
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@@ -13,7 +13,13 @@ Bucket `README.md`s and the top-level `README.md` group entries into **User-invo
## Dependencies between them ## Dependencies between them
Dependencies are expressed as **`/skill`-style prose invocation** ("Run the `/grilling` skill"), not deep `../other-skill/FILE.md` cross-references. Shared reference docs live inside the skill that owns them; other skills reach that material by invoking the skill, not by linking across folders. Dependencies are expressed as an explicit instruction to **call the Skill tool** with the named skill (`Call the Skill tool with "grilling"`), not deep `../other-skill/FILE.md` cross-references, and not a bare `/skill`-style mention left for the model to interpret. Naming the tool is what gets it fired: most harnesses expose skill invocation as a tool the model calls, and spelling that out gets a higher hit rate than dropping a `/name` into prose and hoping it's read as a command. Dropping the leading `/` also keeps this harness-neutral rather than less — a skill name on its own carries no assumption about which harness's trigger syntax it belongs to. Shared reference docs live inside the skill that owns them; other skills reach that material by calling the Skill tool with it, not by linking across folders.
This is about **operative** instructions — a skill's own steps telling the agent to go run another skill right now. Router prose that just names skills for a human to pick from (`ask-matt`, bucket `README.md`s) isn't invoking anything, so it keeps `/skill`-style names as plain labels.
The Skill tool takes one skill per call. A step that needs two skills is two calls, not one call with two names — say so (`Call the Skill tool twice, for "grilling" and "domain-modeling"`), not "call it with X and Y," which reads as a single call taking both.
This whole convention only holds when the named skill is **model-invoked**. A user-invoked skill can never be reached this way, full stop — per the invariant above, no other skill can call it, including by naming it to the Skill tool. When a step's precondition is a user-invoked skill (e.g. `setup-matt-pocock-skills`), phrase it as an instruction for the human to act on — "tell the user to run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills`" — never as a Skill tool call.
## Passive vs active domain work ## Passive vs active domain work
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
"mattpocock-skills": patch
---
domain-modeling: trigger on discussing codebase terminology and on writing or editing a CONTEXT.md or an ADR directly, replacing the narrower "pin down domain terminology or a ubiquitous language" / "record an architectural decision" phrasing. Also drops the "another skill needs to maintain the domain model" caveat — that's the invoking skill's job to state explicitly, not this description's.
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@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
---
"mattpocock-skills": patch
---
grilling: remove em-dashes from `SKILL.md`, replacing them with colons and semicolons so the instructions read as plain text.
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
---
"mattpocock-skills": patch
---
Standardize cross-skill invocation on an explicit "call the Skill tool" instruction instead of bare `/skill`-style prose, across `code-review`, `diagnosing-bugs`, `grill-with-docs`, `grill-me`, `improve-codebase-architecture`, `tdd`, `to-spec`, `to-tickets`, `triage`, and `wayfinder`.
- A skill that names another skill in prose ("run the `/grilling` skill") does not reliably cause it to load — this is the documented rough edge behind `grill-with-docs`'s most-reported problem. Naming the tool directly (`Call the Skill tool with "grilling"`) is intended to raise the hit rate. Dropping the leading `/` also makes the instruction harness-neutral rather than less: it no longer assumes Claude Code's trigger syntax.
- A step needing more than one skill now says so as multiple calls ("Call the Skill tool twice, for `grilling` and `domain-modeling`"), not one call carrying two names.
- Documents the convention in `.agents/invocation.md` for future skills to follow.
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
---
"mattpocock-skills": patch
---
Stop skills from trying to reach user-invoked skills through the Skill tool — fix cross-skill references that violated the "no other skill can call it" invariant in `.agents/invocation.md`, in `to-spec`, `wayfinder`, `to-tickets`, `triage`, `code-review`, and `diagnosing-bugs`.
- `to-spec`, `wayfinder`, `to-tickets`, `triage`, and `code-review` each carried a precondition ("...run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills` if not") that PR #878 rewrote into a literal `Call the Skill tool with "setup-matt-pocock-skills"` instruction. `setup-matt-pocock-skills` is user-invoked, so none of these skills — user-invoked or model-invoked — can call it. Reworded all five as instructions for the agent to tell the human to run it instead.
- `diagnosing-bugs`'s Phase 6 post-mortem hand off to `improve-codebase-architecture` (also user-invoked) the same way, from an autonomous, often-unattended bug-fixing flow with no human in the loop to catch the failed call. Removed the hand-off outright rather than softening it — it rarely fired in practice. Phase 6 is now "Cleanup" only; the mechanical checklist is untouched.
- Added a carve-out paragraph to `.agents/invocation.md`'s "Dependencies between them" section: the `Call the Skill tool with "name"` convention only applies when the named skill is model-invoked. This is the section PR #878 introduced without reconciling it against the user-invoked/model-invoked invariant stated eight lines above it — the gap is most of why this bug reached six call sites instead of one.
Fixes #453.
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@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
## What it does ## What it does
`grill-me` takes a **loose idea** and interviews you until it has real decisions in it. You do not need a worked-out plan to start — producing one is what the [session](https://www.aihero.dev/ai-coding-dictionary/session) is for. It asks in **rounds**: each round is the whole **frontier** — every question whose prerequisites you have already settled — so you are never asked something that hinges on an answer it hasn't heard yet. `grill-me` takes a **loose idea** and interviews you until you can commit to it. You do not need a worked-out plan to start — producing one is what the [session](https://www.aihero.dev/ai-coding-dictionary/session) is for. It asks in **rounds**: each round is the whole **frontier** — every question whose prerequisites you have already settled — so you are never asked something that hinges on an answer it hasn't heard yet.
It is **[stateless](https://www.aihero.dev/ai-coding-dictionary/stateless)**. It writes no files and leaves no workspace behind. The only thing it leaves is a sharper version of the idea, in your own head. It is **[stateless](https://www.aihero.dev/ai-coding-dictionary/stateless)**. It writes no files and leaves no workspace behind. The only thing it leaves is a sharper version of the idea, in your own head.
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@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Two-axis review of the diff between `HEAD` and a fixed point the user supplies:
Both axes run as **parallel sub-agents** so they don't pollute each other's context, then this skill aggregates their findings. Both axes run as **parallel sub-agents** so they don't pollute each other's context, then this skill aggregates their findings.
The issue tracker should have been provided to you — run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills` if `docs/agents/issue-tracker.md` is missing. The issue tracker should have been provided to you. If `docs/agents/issue-tracker.md` is missing, tell the user to run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills`.
## Process ## Process
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@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ If a correct seam exists:
4. Watch it pass. 4. Watch it pass.
5. Re-run the Phase 1 feedback loop against the original (un-minimised) scenario. 5. Re-run the Phase 1 feedback loop against the original (un-minimised) scenario.
## Phase 6 — Cleanup + post-mortem ## Phase 6 — Cleanup
Required before declaring done: Required before declaring done:
@@ -136,5 +136,3 @@ Required before declaring done:
- [ ] All `[DEBUG-...]` instrumentation removed (`grep` the prefix) - [ ] All `[DEBUG-...]` instrumentation removed (`grep` the prefix)
- [ ] Throwaway prototypes deleted (or moved to a clearly-marked debug location) - [ ] Throwaway prototypes deleted (or moved to a clearly-marked debug location)
- [ ] The hypothesis that turned out correct is stated in the commit / PR message — so the next debugger learns - [ ] The hypothesis that turned out correct is stated in the commit / PR message — so the next debugger learns
**Then ask: what would have prevented this bug?** If the answer involves architectural change (no good test seam, tangled callers, hidden coupling) hand off to the `/improve-codebase-architecture` skill with the specifics. Make the recommendation **after** the fix is in, not before — you have more information now than when you started.
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@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
--- ---
name: domain-modeling name: domain-modeling
description: Build and sharpen a project's domain model. Use when the user wants to pin down domain terminology or a ubiquitous language, record an architectural decision, or when another skill needs to maintain the domain model. description: Build and sharpen a project's domain model. Use when discussing codebase terminology, writing or editing a CONTEXT.md, or recording or editing an ADR.
--- ---
# Domain Modeling # Domain Modeling
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@@ -4,4 +4,4 @@ description: A relentless interview to sharpen a plan or design, which also crea
disable-model-invocation: true disable-model-invocation: true
--- ---
Run a `/grilling` session, using the `/domain-modeling` skill. Call the Skill tool twice, for "grilling" and "domain-modeling".
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Surface architectural friction and propose **deepening opportunities** — refac
This command is _informed_ by the project's domain model and built on a shared design vocabulary: This command is _informed_ by the project's domain model and built on a shared design vocabulary:
- Run the `/codebase-design` skill for the architecture vocabulary (**module**, **interface**, **depth**, **seam**, **adapter**, **leverage**, **locality**) and its principles (the deletion test, "the interface is the test surface", "one adapter = hypothetical seam, two = real"). Use these terms exactly in every suggestion — don't drift into "component," "service," "API," or "boundary." - Call the Skill tool with "codebase-design" for the architecture vocabulary (**module**, **interface**, **depth**, **seam**, **adapter**, **leverage**, **locality**) and its principles (the deletion test, "the interface is the test surface", "one adapter = hypothetical seam, two = real"). Use these terms exactly in every suggestion — don't drift into "component," "service," "API," or "boundary."
- The domain language in `CONTEXT.md` gives names to good seams; ADRs in `docs/adr/` record decisions this command should not re-litigate. - The domain language in `CONTEXT.md` gives names to good seams; ADRs in `docs/adr/` record decisions this command should not re-litigate.
## Process ## Process
@@ -61,11 +61,11 @@ Do NOT propose interfaces yet. After the file is written, ask the user: "Which o
### 3. Grilling loop ### 3. Grilling loop
Once the user picks a candidate, run the `/grilling` skill to walk the decision tree with them — constraints, dependencies, the shape of the deepened module, what sits behind the seam, what tests survive. Once the user picks a candidate, call the Skill tool with "grilling" to walk the decision tree with them — constraints, dependencies, the shape of the deepened module, what sits behind the seam, what tests survive.
Side effects happen inline as decisions crystallize — run the `/domain-modeling` skill to keep the domain model current as you go: Side effects happen inline as decisions crystallize — call the Skill tool with "domain-modeling" to keep the domain model current as you go:
- **Naming a deepened module after a concept not in `CONTEXT.md`?** Add the term to `CONTEXT.md`. Create the file lazily if it doesn't exist. - **Naming a deepened module after a concept not in `CONTEXT.md`?** Add the term to `CONTEXT.md`. Create the file lazily if it doesn't exist.
- **Sharpening a fuzzy term during the conversation?** Update `CONTEXT.md` right there. - **Sharpening a fuzzy term during the conversation?** Update `CONTEXT.md` right there.
- **User rejects the candidate with a load-bearing reason?** Offer an ADR, framed as: _"Want me to record this as an ADR so future architecture reviews don't re-suggest it?"_ Only offer when the reason would actually be needed by a future explorer to avoid re-suggesting the same thing — skip ephemeral reasons ("not worth it right now") and self-evident ones. - **User rejects the candidate with a load-bearing reason?** Offer an ADR, framed as: _"Want me to record this as an ADR so future architecture reviews don't re-suggest it?"_ Only offer when the reason would actually be needed by a future explorer to avoid re-suggesting the same thing — skip ephemeral reasons ("not worth it right now") and self-evident ones.
- **Want to explore alternative interfaces for the deepened module?** Run the `/codebase-design` skill and use its design-it-twice parallel sub-agent pattern. - **Want to explore alternative interfaces for the deepened module?** Call the Skill tool with "codebase-design" and use its design-it-twice parallel sub-agent pattern.
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@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ A **seam** is the public boundary you test at: the interface where you observe b
Ask: "What's the public interface, and which seams should we test?" Ask: "What's the public interface, and which seams should we test?"
When the shape of that interface is itself in question — how deep the module is, where the seam belongs, what the interface should expose — use the `/codebase-design` skill for the vocabulary. It is the shared source of the module, interface, depth, seam, adapter, leverage and locality terms, and it is a reference to consult, not a session to run. When the shape of that interface is itself in question — how deep the module is, where the seam belongs, what the interface should expose — call the Skill tool with "codebase-design" for the vocabulary. It is the shared source of the module, interface, depth, seam, adapter, leverage and locality terms, and it is a reference to consult, not a session to run.
## Anti-patterns ## Anti-patterns
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@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ disable-model-invocation: true
This skill takes the current conversation context and codebase understanding and produces a spec. Do NOT interview the user — just synthesize what you already know. This skill takes the current conversation context and codebase understanding and produces a spec. Do NOT interview the user — just synthesize what you already know.
The issue tracker and triage label vocabulary should have been provided to you run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills` if not. The issue tracker and triage label vocabulary should have been provided to you. If not, tell the user to run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills`.
## Process ## Process
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@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ disable-model-invocation: true
Break a plan, spec, or conversation into a set of **tickets** — tracer-bullet vertical slices, each declaring the tickets that **block** it. Break a plan, spec, or conversation into a set of **tickets** — tracer-bullet vertical slices, each declaring the tickets that **block** it.
The issue tracker and triage label vocabulary should have been provided to you run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills` if not. The issue tracker and triage label vocabulary should have been provided to you. If not, tell the user to run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills`.
## Process ## Process
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@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ For a PR, the same states read against the attached code: `ready-for-agent` mean
Every triaged issue should carry exactly one category role and one state role. If state roles conflict, flag it and ask the maintainer before doing anything else. Every triaged issue should carry exactly one category role and one state role. If state roles conflict, flag it and ask the maintainer before doing anything else.
These are canonical role names — the actual label strings used in the issue tracker may differ. The mapping should have been provided to you - run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills` if not. These are canonical role names — the actual label strings used in the issue tracker may differ. The mapping should have been provided to you. If not, tell the user to run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills`.
State transitions: an unlabeled issue normally goes to `needs-triage` first; from there it moves to `needs-info`, `ready-for-agent`, `ready-for-human`, or `wontfix`. `needs-info` returns to `needs-triage` once the reporter replies. The maintainer can override at any time — flag transitions that look unusual and ask before proceeding. State transitions: an unlabeled issue normally goes to `needs-triage` first; from there it moves to `needs-info`, `ready-for-agent`, `ready-for-human`, or `wontfix`. `needs-info` returns to `needs-triage` once the reporter replies. The maintainer can override at any time — flag transitions that look unusual and ask before proceeding.
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ Show counts and a one-line summary per item. Let the maintainer pick.
3. **Verify the claim.** Before any grilling, check that the claim holds up. For a bug, reproduce it from the reporter's steps. For a PR, confirm the diff does what it claims — check it out, run the relevant tests or commands. Report what happened: confirmed (with code path), failed, or insufficient detail (a strong `needs-info` signal). A confirmed verification makes a much stronger agent brief. 3. **Verify the claim.** Before any grilling, check that the claim holds up. For a bug, reproduce it from the reporter's steps. For a PR, confirm the diff does what it claims — check it out, run the relevant tests or commands. Report what happened: confirmed (with code path), failed, or insufficient detail (a strong `needs-info` signal). A confirmed verification makes a much stronger agent brief.
4. **Grill (if needed).** If the request needs fleshing out, run the `/grilling` and `/domain-modeling` skills together — grill it into shape a round of questions at a time, sharpening domain terms and updating `CONTEXT.md`/ADRs inline as decisions land. 4. **Grill (if needed).** If the request needs fleshing out, call the Skill tool twice, for "grilling" and "domain-modeling" — grill it into shape a round of questions at a time, sharpening domain terms and updating `CONTEXT.md`/ADRs inline as decisions land.
5. **Apply the outcome:** 5. **Apply the outcome:**
- `ready-for-agent` — post an agent brief comment ([AGENT-BRIEF.md](AGENT-BRIEF.md)). - `ready-for-agent` — post an agent brief comment ([AGENT-BRIEF.md](AGENT-BRIEF.md)).
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@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ The map is a single issue on this repo's issue tracker, labelled `wayfinder:map`
The map is an **index**, not a store. It lists the decisions made and points at the tickets that hold their detail; a decision lives in exactly one place — its ticket — so the map never restates it, only gists it and links. The map is an **index**, not a store. It lists the decisions made and points at the tickets that hold their detail; a decision lives in exactly one place — its ticket — so the map never restates it, only gists it and links.
**Where the map, its child tickets, blocking, and frontier queries physically live is tracker-specific.** The issue tracker should have been provided to you run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills` if not. Consult the tracker doc's "Wayfinding operations" section for how _this_ repo expresses them. If no tracker has been provided, default to the local-markdown tracker. **Where the map, its child tickets, blocking, and frontier queries physically live is tracker-specific.** The issue tracker should have been provided to you. If not, tell the user to run `/setup-matt-pocock-skills`. Consult the tracker doc's "Wayfinding operations" section for how _this_ repo expresses them. If no tracker has been provided, default to the local-markdown tracker.
### The map body ### The map body
@@ -74,9 +74,9 @@ The answer isn't part of the body — it's recorded on resolution (see [Work thr
Every ticket is either **HITL** — human in the loop, worked _with_ a human who speaks for themselves — or **AFK**, driven by the agent alone. A HITL ticket only resolves through that live exchange; the agent never stands in for the human's side of it (a grilling agent that answers its own questions has broken this). Every ticket is either **HITL** — human in the loop, worked _with_ a human who speaks for themselves — or **AFK**, driven by the agent alone. A HITL ticket only resolves through that live exchange; the agent never stands in for the human's side of it (a grilling agent that answers its own questions has broken this).
- **Research** (AFK): Reading documentation, third-party APIs, or local resources like knowledge bases to surface a fact a decision waits on. Resolved by a `/research` **subagent**. Use when knowledge outside the current working directory is required. - **Research** (AFK): Reading documentation, third-party APIs, or local resources like knowledge bases to surface a fact a decision waits on. Resolved by a subagent that calls the Skill tool with "research". Use when knowledge outside the current working directory is required.
- **Prototype** (HITL): Raise the fidelity of the discussion by making a cheap, rough, concrete artifact to react to — an outline, a rough take, a stub, or UI/logic code via the /prototype skill. Links the prototype as an asset. Use when "how should it look" or "how should it behave" is the key question. - **Prototype** (HITL): Raise the fidelity of the discussion by making a cheap, rough, concrete artifact to react to — an outline, a rough take, a stub, or UI/logic code, by calling the Skill tool with "prototype". Links the prototype as an asset. Use when "how should it look" or "how should it behave" is the key question.
- **Grilling** (HITL): Conversation. The default case. Always invoke the /grilling and /domain-modeling skills. - **Grilling** (HITL): Conversation. The default case. Always call the Skill tool twice, for "grilling" and "domain-modeling".
- **Task** (HITL or AFK): Manual work that must happen before a _decision_ can be made — nothing to decide, prototype, or research, but the discussion is blocked until it's done. Signing up for a service so its API can be judged, provisioning access, moving data so its shape can be seen. This is the one type that _does_ rather than decides — and it earns its place by unblocking a decision, not by delivering the destination. The agent drives it alone where it can (AFK); otherwise it hands the human a precise checklist (HITL). Resolved when the work is done; the answer records what was done and any resulting facts (credentials location, new URLs, row counts) later tickets depend on. - **Task** (HITL or AFK): Manual work that must happen before a _decision_ can be made — nothing to decide, prototype, or research, but the discussion is blocked until it's done. Signing up for a service so its API can be judged, provisioning access, moving data so its shape can be seen. This is the one type that _does_ rather than decides — and it earns its place by unblocking a decision, not by delivering the destination. The agent drives it alone where it can (AFK); otherwise it hands the human a precise checklist (HITL). Resolved when the work is done; the answer records what was done and any resulting facts (credentials location, new URLs, row counts) later tickets depend on.
## Fog of war ## Fog of war
@@ -108,11 +108,11 @@ Two modes. Either way, **never resolve more than one ticket per session** — wi
User invokes with a loose idea. User invokes with a loose idea.
1. **Name the destination.** Run a `/grilling` and `/domain-modeling` session to pin down what this map is finding its way to — the spec, decision, or change. The destination fixes the scope, so it's settled first. 1. **Name the destination.** Call the Skill tool twice, for "grilling" and "domain-modeling", to pin down what this map is finding its way to — the spec, decision, or change. The destination fixes the scope, so it's settled first.
2. **Map the frontier.** Grill again, **breadth-first** this time: fan out across the whole space rather than deep on any one thread, surfacing the open decisions and the first steps takeable now. **If this surfaces no fog** — the way to the destination is already clear, the whole journey small enough for one session — you don't need a map. Stop and ask the user how they'd like to proceed. 2. **Map the frontier.** Grill again, **breadth-first** this time: fan out across the whole space rather than deep on any one thread, surfacing the open decisions and the first steps takeable now. **If this surfaces no fog** — the way to the destination is already clear, the whole journey small enough for one session — you don't need a map. Stop and ask the user how they'd like to proceed.
3. **Create the map** (label `wayfinder:map`): Destination and Notes filled in, Decisions-so-far empty, the fog sketched into **Not yet specified**. 3. **Create the map** (label `wayfinder:map`): Destination and Notes filled in, Decisions-so-far empty, the fog sketched into **Not yet specified**.
4. **Create the tickets you can specify now** as child issues of the map — then wire blocking edges in a **second pass** (issues need ids before they can reference each other). Wiring sorts them into the frontier and the blocked; everything you can't yet specify stays in the fog — the **Not yet specified** section. 4. **Create the tickets you can specify now** as child issues of the map — then wire blocking edges in a **second pass** (issues need ids before they can reference each other). Wiring sorts them into the frontier and the blocked; everything you can't yet specify stays in the fog — the **Not yet specified** section.
5. **Fire the research subagents.** For each `research` ticket you just created, spin up a `/research` subagent to resolve it in parallel, capturing its findings on a throwaway `research/<name>` branch with a context pointer from the ticket. 5. **Fire the research subagents.** For each `research` ticket you just created, spin up a subagent that calls the Skill tool with "research" to resolve it in parallel, capturing its findings on a throwaway `research/<name>` branch with a context pointer from the ticket.
6. Stop — charting is one session's work; it hand-resolves nothing. 6. Stop — charting is one session's work; it hand-resolves nothing.
### Work through the map ### Work through the map
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ User invokes with a map (URL or number). A ticket is **optional** — without on
1. Load the **map** — the low-res view, not every ticket body. 1. Load the **map** — the low-res view, not every ticket body.
2. Choose the ticket. If the user named one, use it. Otherwise take the first frontier ticket in order. **Claim it**: assign it to yourself before any work. 2. Choose the ticket. If the user named one, use it. Otherwise take the first frontier ticket in order. **Claim it**: assign it to yourself before any work.
3. Resolve it — **zoom as needed**: fetch the full body of any related or closed ticket on demand; invoke the skills the `## Notes` block names. If in doubt, use `/grilling` and `/domain-modeling`. 3. Resolve it — **zoom as needed**: fetch the full body of any related or closed ticket on demand; call the Skill tool for whichever skills the `## Notes` block names. If in doubt, call the Skill tool twice, for "grilling" and "domain-modeling".
4. Record the resolution: post the answer as a **resolution comment**, **close** the issue, and **append a context pointer** to the map's Decisions-so-far. 4. Record the resolution: post the answer as a **resolution comment**, **close** the issue, and **append a context pointer** to the map's Decisions-so-far.
5. Add newly-surfaced tickets (create-then-wire); graduate any fog the answer has made specifiable, clearing each graduated patch from **Not yet specified** so it lives only as its new ticket. If the answer reveals a ticket — this one or another — sits beyond the destination, **rule it out of scope** rather than resolving it on the route. If the decision invalidates other parts of the map, update or delete those tickets. 5. Add newly-surfaced tickets (create-then-wire); graduate any fog the answer has made specifiable, clearing each graduated patch from **Not yet specified** so it lives only as its new ticket. If the answer reveals a ticket — this one or another — sits beyond the destination, **rule it out of scope** rather than resolving it on the route. If the decision invalidates other parts of the map, update or delete those tickets.
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@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ Write a handoff summary of the current conversation so a fresh agent can continu
Always pass `-n`/`--name` with a descriptive name (e.g. `--name "Fix login bug"`) — it sets the display name shown in the job list, session picker, and terminal title. Always pass `-n`/`--name` with a descriptive name (e.g. `--name "Fix login bug"`) — it sets the display name shown in the job list, session picker, and terminal title.
Include a "suggested skills" section in the summary, which suggests skills that the agent should invoke. Include a "suggested skills" section in the summary, naming which skills the next agent should call the Skill tool for.
Do not duplicate content already captured in other artifacts (specs, plans, ADRs, issues, commits, diffs). Reference them by path or URL instead. Do not duplicate content already captured in other artifacts (specs, plans, ADRs, issues, commits, diffs). Reference them by path or URL instead.
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ disable-model-invocation: true
Make every package in this repo a **deep module**: a lot of behaviour behind a small interface. A package's public surface is its **entry points** — the files at the package root — and everything in its subfolders is hidden. This skill installs [dependency-cruiser](https://github.com/sverweij/dependency-cruiser) and the rules that make the entry points the only way in, then proves the rules bite. Make every package in this repo a **deep module**: a lot of behaviour behind a small interface. A package's public surface is its **entry points** — the files at the package root — and everything in its subfolders is hidden. This skill installs [dependency-cruiser](https://github.com/sverweij/dependency-cruiser) and the rules that make the entry points the only way in, then proves the rules bite.
For the vocabulary (deep module, interface, seam, depth), run the `/codebase-design` skill — use its language throughout. For the vocabulary (deep module, interface, seam, depth), call the Skill tool with "codebase-design" — use its language throughout.
## The shape this enforces ## The shape this enforces
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@@ -4,4 +4,4 @@ description: A relentless interview to sharpen a plan or design.
disable-model-invocation: true disable-model-invocation: true
--- ---
Run a `/grilling` session. Call the Skill tool with "grilling".
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@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ description: Grill the user relentlessly about a plan, decision, or idea. Use wh
Interview the user relentlessly until you reach a shared understanding. Map this as a **design tree**: every decision branches into the decisions that hang off it. Interview the user relentlessly until you reach a shared understanding. Map this as a **design tree**: every decision branches into the decisions that hang off it.
Work the tree in **rounds**. The **frontier** is every decision whose prerequisites are already settled the questions you can ask _now_ without guessing at answers you haven't heard yet. Ask the whole frontier in one round: number each question and give your recommended answer. Then wait for the user's answers before the next round. Work the tree in **rounds**. The **frontier** is every decision whose prerequisites are already settled: the questions you can ask _now_ without guessing at answers you haven't heard yet. Ask the whole frontier in one round: number each question and give your recommended answer. Then wait for the user's answers before the next round.
Each question should be formatted like so: Each question should be formatted like so:
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ Each question should be formatted like so:
➡️ <your recommended answer> ➡️ <your recommended answer>
``` ```
Each round the user answers reshapes the tree settled decisions push the frontier outward and unblock questions that depended on them. Recompute the frontier and ask the next round. A question whose answer depends on another question still open in this round belongs to a _later_ round, not this one. Each round the user answers reshapes the tree: settled decisions push the frontier outward and unblock questions that depended on them. Recompute the frontier and ask the next round. A question whose answer depends on another question still open in this round belongs to a _later_ round, not this one.
Finding _facts_ is your job, never the user's. When a frontier question needs a fact from the environment (filesystem, tools, etc.), dispatch a sub-agent to find it don't ask the user for anything you could look up yourself. Don't block on it: a running exploration is an unsettled prerequisite, so only the questions downstream of it wait for the sub-agent to report ask the rest of the frontier now. The _decisions_ are the user's put each to them and wait. Finding _facts_ is your job, never the user's. When a frontier question needs a fact from the environment (filesystem, tools, etc.), dispatch a sub-agent to find it; don't ask the user for anything you could look up yourself. Don't block on it: a running exploration is an unsettled prerequisite, so only the questions downstream of it wait for the sub-agent to report; ask the rest of the frontier now. The _decisions_ are the user's: put each to them and wait.
The session is done when the frontier is empty: every branch of the design tree visited, nothing left silently assumed. Do not act on it until the user confirms you have reached a shared understanding. The session is done when the frontier is empty: every branch of the design tree visited, nothing left silently assumed. Do not act on it until the user confirms you have reached a shared understanding.
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@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ disable-model-invocation: true
Write a handoff document summarising the current conversation so a fresh agent can continue the work. Save to the temporary directory of the user's OS - not the current workspace. Write a handoff document summarising the current conversation so a fresh agent can continue the work. Save to the temporary directory of the user's OS - not the current workspace.
Include a "suggested skills" section in the document, which suggests skills that the agent should invoke. Include a "suggested skills" section in the document, naming which skills the next agent should call the Skill tool for.
Do not duplicate content already captured in other artifacts (specs, plans, ADRs, issues, commits, diffs). Reference them by path or URL instead. Do not duplicate content already captured in other artifacts (specs, plans, ADRs, issues, commits, diffs). Reference them by path or URL instead.