Human Interaction: Requirement Clarification Protocol
Prevent assumptions through structured one-by-one questioning that refines prompts and gathers user decisions before implementation.
When to Use This Skill
Trigger phrases and scenarios:
✅ USE when user says:
- •"Create a prompt for..."
- •"I need to clarify requirements"
- •"What approach should we take?"
- •"Help me refine this task"
- •"Multiple options exist"
- •"I'm not sure about..."
- •"Gather requirements for..."
- •"Build a POC for..." (without detailed specs)
✅ USE in these situations:
- •Creating prompts or task specifications
- •Gathering requirements for complex projects
- •Multiple architectural/technical approaches exist
- •Assumptions need validation before implementation
- •User intent is unclear or ambiguous
- •Configuration or customization decisions needed
- •Technology stack selection required
❌ DON'T USE when:
- •User provides explicit, complete requirements
- •Task is straightforward with no ambiguity
- •User says "just implement it as you see fit"
- •Simple code snippets or examples requested
- •Only reading files or performing searches
- •Emergency fixes or time-sensitive tasks
Prerequisites
- •
joyride_request_human_inputtool must be available - •User availability for 5-15 minutes of interaction
- •Clear understanding of the base task/goal
- •User willingness to make decisions
Step-by-Step Workflow
Step 1: Initialize Clarification Phase
Announce skill usage and set expectations.
Step 2: Ask First Question (Format: X/Y)
Use joyride_request_human_input with format: Question N/Total: [Category]
Priority order: Foundational (architecture, tech stack) → Functional (features, scope) → Technical (errors, security, performance) → Operational (deployment, testing)
Step 3: Wait for Response
Retry up to 3 times on timeout. After 3 attempts, document assumption and proceed.
Step 4: Show Prompt Update Based on Answer
Display what changed with BEFORE/AFTER format. Always show diff before proceeding to next question.
Step 5: Ask Next Question (Build on Previous Answer)
Ask follow-up questions dependent on previous answers. Repeat Steps 2-5 until user types "stop" or critical questions answered (3-7 typical).
Step 6: Handle "stop" Signal
When user types "stop", finalize clarification with decision summary and proceed to documentation.
Step 7: Create Final Documentation
Action: Generate "doc/ai/{YYYY-mm-dd}-{shortTitle}.md" using this template:
references/documentation.template.md
Question Design Best Practices
- •Be specific with context and trade-offs
- •Provide 2-4 options per question
- •Build follow-ups on previous answers
Critical Requirements
- •Ask one question at a time
- •Always use
joyride_request_human_inputfor user input - •Show diff after each answer
- •Respect "stop" signal immediately
- •Always create "doc/ai/{date}-{title}.md"