structured-questions

name	structured-questions
description	How to use ask_user_question — the single operator-input channel for every interview question, including free-form fields via allow_other=true.
allowed-tools	Read Write
metadata	{"subdomain":"planning","when_to_use":"interview the operator, ask a yes/no, pick engagement type, choose attack class, scope window, posture choice, multi-select kill-chain phases, free-form name / IP / contact","tags":"interview, ask_user_question, picker, multiple-choice","upstream_ref":"Soundwave operator-interview channel — ask_user_question structured input templates"}

Structured Operator Questions (ask_user_question)

The Soundwave interview has exactly one question channel:

• ask_user_question — structured picker rendered in the CLI. For free-form dimensions (organization name, IP ranges, contact addresses) set allow_other=true and the picker appends a free-text fallback the operator can type into.

There is no prose-question path. Every operator-facing question goes through this tool.

When to call ask_user_question

EVERY operator-facing question. There is no prose-question path. Provide 2–6 best-guess options for the dimension and always set allow_other=true so the operator can override with a custom answer when none of your predefined options fit.

Typical dimensions:

• Engagement type: External / Internal / Hybrid / Assumed-breach / Physical
• Attack class: Web / Cloud / AD / Mixed
• Scope window: Business hours / 24x7 / Custom
• Posture choices: OPSEC level (Loud / Quiet / Stealth)
• Confirmations: Two-option Yes / No after a derived assumption
• Phase selection: Multi-select over kill-chain phases (set multi_select=true)
• Free-form fields (organization / IP range / contact): still use the tool — list 2–4 plausible guesses + allow_other=true, the operator types the actual value via the Other fallback if your guesses miss.

The tool pauses the run while the operator picks, then resumes with the chosen label (or list of labels for multi-select, or free text when the operator chose Other). Treat the returned value as authoritative.

Habits (the typed tool signature already encodes the schema)

• Mark the most common option with a trailing (Recommended) on its label
• Never invent an Other option yourself — set allow_other=true and the picker appends a free-text fallback that returns the operator's text verbatim
• For multi-select questions, set multi_select=true; the tool returns the list of chosen labels (in selection order)

Examples

Single-select, with recommendation

ask_user_question(
    question="What is the operator's posture for this engagement?",
    header="OPSEC",
    options=[
        {"label": "Quiet (Recommended)", "description": "Minimize detection signals; rate-limited recon"},
        {"label": "Loud",                "description": "Speed over stealth; full-rate scans permitted"},
        {"label": "Stealth",             "description": "Avoid detection at all costs; manual cadence"},
    ],
)

Confirmation with allow_other for custom note

ask_user_question(
    question="Is the testing window strictly business hours (09:00–18:00, client TZ)?",
    header="Window",
    options=[
        {"label": "Yes", "description": "Business hours only"},
        {"label": "No",  "description": "24x7 testing permitted"},
    ],
    allow_other=True,  # operator can type a custom window if neither fits
)

Multi-select for kill-chain phases

ask_user_question(
    question="Which kill-chain phases are in scope?",
    header="Phases",
    options=[
        {"label": "Recon",        "description": "Passive + active enumeration"},
        {"label": "Exploitation", "description": "Initial access via discovered weaknesses"},
        {"label": "Post-exploit", "description": "Privilege escalation, lateral movement, C2"},
        {"label": "Exfiltration", "description": "Crown-jewel retrieval simulation"},
    ],
    multi_select=True,
)

Anti-patterns

• Asking via prose (chat message) instead of ask_user_question — even free-form fields go through the tool. Provide 2–4 best-guess options
  • allow_other=true so the operator can type a custom answer if your guesses miss. The tool is the ONLY operator-input channel.
• Adding an "Other" entry to options manually — set allow_other=true and the picker appends the free-text fallback for you
• Header longer than 12 chars ("Engagement Type" → use "Eng. type")
• Re-asking the same dimension after the operator already answered — the returned value is authoritative; record it and move to the next dimension
• Pausing for per-document approval after writing RoE / CONOPS / Deconfliction — there is no approval gate between documents. The approval moments are (a) each ask_user_question picker during the interview, and (b) the final bundle summary right before complete_engagement_planning.