| name | ticket-grill |
| description | Q↔R loop skill for the ticket-writing workflow. Runs iterative grilling against an oriented ticket bundle until the five readiness criteria from QRDSPIV are met. Mode-shifts between brainstorming, research, elicitation, and prototyping. Dispatches research subagents in parallel per the question-shape→subagent table. Updates CONTEXT.md inline via the context-md-format skill. Writes Decision Records via the decision-record-format skill when the three-condition gate fires. Loops back to itself until ready; hands off to ticket-design when readiness is confirmed. |
Execute workflow by following instructions and producing output
Always read COMPLETE files - NEVER use offset/limit when reading any workflow related files
Instructions are MANDATORY - either as file path, steps or embedded list in YAML, XML or markdown
Execute ALL steps in instructions IN EXACT ORDER
Save to template output file after EVERY "template-output" tag
NEVER skip a step - YOU are responsible for every step's execution without fail or excuse
Steps execute in exact numerical order (1, 2, 3...) unless an explicit goto directs otherwise
Optional steps: Ask user unless YOLO mode active
Template-output tags: Save content, discuss with the user the section completed, and NEVER proceed until the user indicates to proceed (unless YOLO mode has been activated)
For each step in instructions:
<substep n="1a" title="Track Progress">
<action if="first iteration">Create todo list from all instruction step titles (TodoWrite)</action>
<action>Mark current step as in_progress (TodoWrite)</action>
</substep>
<substep n="1b" title="Handle Step Attributes">
<check>If optional="true" and NOT YOLO -> Use Question tool to ask user whether to include (Yes/Skip)</check>
<check>If if="condition" -> Evaluate condition</check>
<check>If for-each="item" -> Repeat step for each item</check>
<check>If repeat="n" -> Repeat step n times</check>
</substep>
<substep n="1c" title="Execute Step Content">
<action>Process step instructions (markdown or XML tags)</action>
<action>Replace {{variables}} with values (ask user if unknown)</action>
<execute-tags>
<tag>action -> Perform the action</tag>
<tag>action type="script" -> Execute as shell command, capture output</tag>
<tag>check if="condition" -> Conditional block wrapping actions (requires closing </check>)</tag>
<tag>ask -> Prompt user using Question tool and WAIT for response. When options exist, present them as selectable choices. For open-ended questions, provide helpful suggested options with custom input enabled</tag>
<tag>invoke-skill name="skill-name" -> Execute another skill via OpenCode skill system</tag>
<tag>invoke-agent name="subagent" prompt="task" -> Delegate to subagent via Task tool</tag>
<tag>goto step="x" -> Jump to specified step (used for explicit loop-back in Q-R style flows)</tag>
</execute-tags>
</substep>
<substep n="1d" title="Handle template-output Tags">
<if tag="template-output">
<mandate>Generate content for this section</mandate>
<mandate>Save to file (Write first time, Edit subsequent)</mandate>
<action>Display generated content</action>
<action>Use Question tool to present checkpoint options. WAIT for response.
<options>
<option label="Continue" description="Approve this section and move to the next step" />
<option label="Advanced Elicitation" description="Explore this section deeper before proceeding" />
<option label="YOLO" description="Auto-complete the rest of this workflow without stopping" />
</options>
<if response="Advanced Elicitation">
<action>Invoke advanced-elicitation skill</action>
</if>
<if response="Continue">
<action>Continue to next step</action>
</if>
<if response="YOLO">
<action>Enter YOLO mode for the rest of the workflow</action>
</if>
</action>
</if>
</substep>
<substep n="1e" title="Step Completion">
<action>Mark current step as completed (TodoWrite)</action>
<check>If no special tags and NOT YOLO:</check>
<action>Use Question tool to ask:
<options>
<option label="Continue" description="Proceed to the next step" />
<option label="Edit" description="Revise this step before moving on" />
</options>
</action>
</substep>
</step>
<step n="2" title="Completion">
<check>Confirm all instruction steps have been executed</check>
<output>Workflow complete.</output>
</step>
Full user interaction and confirmation of EVERY step at EVERY template output - NO EXCEPTIONS except YOLO mode
Skip all confirmations and elicitation, minimize prompts and try to produce all of the workflow automatically by simulating the remaining discussions with a simulated expert user
step n="X" goal="..." - Define step with number and goal
substep n="Xa" title="..." - Sub-step within a step
phase n="X" - Phase within a substep
optional="true" - Step can be skipped
if="condition" - Conditional execution
for-each="collection" - Iterate over items
repeat="n" - Repeat n times
action - Required action to perform
action type="script" - Execute shell command
action if="condition" - Single conditional action (inline, no closing tag needed)
check if="condition">...</check> - Conditional block wrapping multiple items (closing tag required)
ask - Get user input via Question tool (ALWAYS wait for response before continuing). Present defined options as selectable choices. For open-ended questions, offer helpful suggestions with custom input enabled
goto - Jump to another step (explicit loop-back)
invoke-skill - Call another skill
invoke-agent - Delegate to subagent via Task tool
invoke-protocol - Execute a reusable protocol (e.g., discover_inputs)
template-output - Save content checkpoint
critical - Cannot be skipped
example - Show example output
note - Informational content
output - Display to user without saving
halt-conditions - Define conditions that MUST stop execution
condition - Single halt condition
validation - Pre-condition rules to check
- This is the complete workflow execution engine
- You MUST follow instructions exactly as written
- This workflow uses INTENT-DRIVEN PLANNING - adapt organically to product type and context
- YOU ARE FACILITATING A CONVERSATION with a user to produce a final document step by step
- The whole process is meant to be collaborative - helping the user flesh out their ideas
- Do not rush or optimize and skip any section
Run the Q↔R loop on an oriented ticket bundle until the five readiness
criteria are met (problem scoped, current state mapped, impact
understood, edge cases identified, agent can articulate understanding
unprompted). Q↔R is iterative; this skill loops back to itself across
turns and exits only when readiness is confirmed.
<output>
An updated ticket bundle where:
- The research file holds factual findings from subagent dispatch
- The questions file holds every Q↔R exchange (question, chosen answer,
rejected alternatives with brief why-not)
- CONTEXT.md (or its per-context variants) reflects any terms resolved
during grilling
- Zero or more Decision Records have been scaffolded in
{shared_folder}/decisions/ for hard-to-reverse decisions that surfaced
- The ticket file's body has the user-request restatement and (if the
loop concluded) the readiness summary; the design summary lives in
ticket-design, not here
Session state ready for ticket-design.
</output>
<key-responsibility>
Grilling is patient work. The agent stays in this loop until the
readiness criteria are GENUINELY met, not until impatience overrides
them. Each turn:
1. Reads the current bundle state
2. Orients on what is known vs unknown
3. Formulates one focused user-facing question OR a research agenda
4. Dispatches subagents in parallel per the question-shape table
5. Synthesizes findings, writes them to the research doc, logs the Q&A
6. Checks readiness; if not ready, loops back to step 2
The four Q↔R sub-activities (brainstorming, research, elicitation,
prototyping) are mode-shifts within this loop, not separate phases.
The "hide the intent" pattern from QRDSPIV applies only to
implementation Q↔R, NOT here — ticket-writing grilling is open about
what is being grilled.
</key-responsibility>
<step n="1" title="Load Bundle">
<action>Load and execute: references/steps/step-01-load-bundle.xml</action>
<note>
Read the ticket, research, questions files, the Orient Summary
breadcrumb from the questions file, and CONTEXT.md. This is the
only step that runs once per session; all subsequent steps may
loop multiple times.
</note>
</step>
<step n="2" title="Orient on Current State">
<action>Load and execute: references/steps/step-02-orient-current-state.xml</action>
<note>
Re-assess what is known and what is unknown after the last turn's
findings (or, on the first turn, after the Orient Summary).
Identify the highest-value gap to close THIS turn.
</note>
</step>
<step n="3" title="Formulate Questions">
<action>Load and execute: references/steps/step-03-formulate-questions.xml</action>
<note>
Split the turn's questions into:
- User-directed (asked immediately via Question tool — firm checkpoint)
- Research agenda (dispatched to subagents in step 4)
- Artifact checks (e.g., reading specs, briefs, existing thoughts/ docs)
</note>
</step>
<step n="4" title="Dispatch and Synthesize">
<action>Load and execute: references/steps/step-04-dispatch-and-synthesize.xml</action>
<note>
Dispatch 2-4 subagents in parallel per the question-shape table at
references/subagent-dispatch.md. Wait for ALL to return. Synthesize
findings into the research file. This step never runs serially —
parallel is mandatory.
</note>
</step>
<step n="5" title="Update Bundle Files">
<action>Load and execute: references/steps/step-05-update-bundle-files.xml</action>
<note>
Write the turn's Q&A to the questions file (one entry per resolved
question with the chosen answer + rejected alternatives + brief
why-not). Update CONTEXT.md inline if any terms were resolved
(via context-md-format skill). If a hard-to-reverse decision
surfaced and the three-condition gate fires, scaffold a Decision
Record (via decision-record-format skill and
scaffold-decision-record.py). Stamp last_updated on every modified
bundle file.
</note>
</step>
<step n="6" title="Readiness Gate">
<action>Load and execute: references/steps/step-06-readiness-gate.xml</action>
<note>
Check all five readiness criteria. If any is not yet true, present
the gap to the user with a Question tool checkpoint and loop back
to step 2. If all five are true, present the readiness summary
and hand off to ticket-design.
</note>
</step>
When step 6 confirms readiness, the bundle is ready for ticket-design.
Present the user with:
1. Readiness summary (one paragraph: what was learned, what was decided)
2. Bundle file paths (ticket, research, questions, any spawned DRs)
3. Next action: invoke the `ticket-design` skill from the ticketsmith
menu (cmd: TD) for the Design phase.