🎤 ORC Interview

A lightweight interview mechanism for surfacing and resolving decisions. Works standalone or as a primitive called by other skills.

📖 Usage

/orc-interview                    (start ad-hoc interview)
/orc-interview "Topic to decide"  (interview about specific topic)

When called from another skill (ship-synthesize, ship-plan, etc.), the interview runs inline without taking over the conversation.

💬 Interview Format

Each question follows this natural language structure:

[Question X/Y]

<Context and stakes - what's being decided and why it matters>

<Trade-offs between options>

<Recommendation with rationale>

1. Approve - accept the recommendation
2. Plan B - choose the alternative
3. Skip - defer this decision
4. Discuss - explore further before deciding

📋 Format Guidelines

• •Natural language: Write conversationally, not as rigid forms
• •Context first: Explain the situation and what's at stake
• •Trade-offs visible: Show what each choice enables or costs
• •Clear recommendation: State what you'd suggest and why
• •Numbered options: Always 1-4 (approve, alternative, skip, discuss)
• •Progress indicator: Always show [Question X/Y]

💡 Example Question

[Question 2/5]

These two notes propose different approaches to focus scope - NOTE-506 says
any actor can focus anything, while NOTE-507 limits it to commission-level
entities. The difference matters because unrestricted focus adds flexibility
but could clutter the summary view with noise.

I'd recommend NOTE-507's approach (commission-level only) - it keeps focus
meaningful as a navigation concept rather than just a bookmark.

1. Approve - go with commission-level focus
2. Universal focus instead
3. Skip
4. Discuss

🎯 Standalone Mode

When invoked directly via /orc-interview:

Step 1: Identify Topic

If argument provided:

• •Use it as the interview topic

If no argument:

• •Ask: "What decision or topic should we work through?"

Step 2: Gather Context

Ask clarifying questions to understand:

• •What's being decided
• •What options exist
• •What constraints apply
• •Who's affected

Step 3: Run Interview

Conduct structured interview:

• •Max 5 questions (default)
• •Each question surfaces one decision point
• •Record answers as decisions are made

Step 4: Summarize Decisions

Output:

Interview complete. Decisions made:

1. [Topic]: [Decision]
2. [Topic]: [Decision]
...

These decisions can inform next steps or be recorded as notes.

🔗 Nested Mode

When called from another skill (ship-synthesize, ship-plan, orc-architecture):

⚡ Behavior

• •Lightweight: No greeting, no "interview complete" ceremony
• •Inline: Questions appear in the parent skill's flow
• •Returns decisions: Parent skill receives answers and continues
• •Respects parent's max: Parent can specify max questions

🔌 Integration Pattern

Parent skill prepares:

• •List of themes/topics to interview about
• •Max questions (optional, default 5)
• •Context already gathered

Interview runs:

• •Questions presented one at a time
• •User responds with 1, 2, 3, or 4
• •Decisions accumulated

Parent skill receives:

• •List of decisions made
• •Any topics skipped
• •Any topics needing more discussion

📝 Example Integration

# In ship-synthesize, after identifying themes:

Running interview for 3 themes...

[Question 1/5]

Notes 503-507 have scattered ideas about focus scope. NOTE-507 proposes
limiting to commission-level entities, while NOTE-506 suggests universal
focus. This affects how flexible vs. meaningful the focus command feels.

I'd recommend commission-level only - keeps focus as a navigation waypoint
rather than a general bookmark.

1. Approve commission-level focus
2. Go with universal focus
3. Skip - decide later
4. Discuss further

> 1

[Question 2/5]
...

⚙️ Parameters

🎯 Response Handling

When user chooses "4. Discuss":

• •Invite them to share concerns or questions
• •Incorporate their input
• •Re-present the question with adjusted framing, or
• •Move on if they indicate readiness

💡 Best Practices

✍️ Writing Good Questions

1. •Lead with context: Don't assume the reader remembers everything
2. •Make stakes clear: Why does this decision matter?
3. •Show trade-offs honestly: Don't hide downsides of your recommendation
4. •Be opinionated: A recommendation is more helpful than pure neutrality
5. •Keep it concise: One screen, readable at a glance

⏱️ Respecting User Time

• •Don't pad with unnecessary questions
• •If something is obvious, don't ask - just note it
• •5 questions max keeps interviews focused
• •Skip ceremony when nested

🤔 Handling Uncertainty

If you're unsure what to recommend:

• •Say so: "I'm not confident here, but leaning toward X because..."
• •Offer "4. Discuss" as a genuine option
• •Be ready to learn from the user's perspective