| name | product-thinking |
| description | Run structured product thinking exercises before writing a spec. Use this skill when:
- You need to think through a feature idea before writing a PRD
- You want to run the 11-star experience exercise for a feature
- You need a positioning statement using Geoffrey Moore's framework
- You want to define product principles and success vision for a new feature
- You have a raw feature idea and need to turn it into a structured brief
|
Product Thinking
Interactive skill that builds product thinking through 5 structured exercises. Outputs a Product Thinking Brief that feeds into spec writing.
This is the "thinking before writing" layer — run this BEFORE drafting any spec.
Workflow
- Gather context — Ask user for: feature idea, target users, motivation
- Read source files — Personas, product context, feedback, competitors (only relevant files)
- Run 5 exercises — Present findings, get user validation at each step
- Write brief — Output to file or print
The 5 Exercises
Exercise 1: Problem Statement
Answer four questions with evidence:
| Dimension | What to Answer |
|---|
| Who | Specific persona (not generic "users") |
| Evidence | Cite feedback, pilot data, research — not assertions |
| Impact if unsolved | Quantify or describe the cost of inaction |
| Why unsolved | Technical, behavioral, or systemic barriers |
Exercise 2: 11-Star Experience Ladder
For THIS specific feature, describe star levels 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11. Identify realistic target for current phase.
See references/11-star-framework.md for the full framework.
Output: Table + "Target Star Level: {N} — {rationale}"
Exercise 3: Positioning Statement
Geoffrey Moore's framework:
"For [target users], who [need/pain], [product/feature] is a [category] that [key benefit]. Unlike [competitors], it [differentiator]."
- Pull target users from persona files
- Include "current manual process" as a competitor if no direct competitor exists
Exercise 4: Product Principles
Define 3-5 guardrails for this feature:
| Principle | Description | Following It | Violating It |
|---|
| e.g., "Offline-first" | Works without internet | Auto-sync when connected | Require internet for core flow |
Exercise 5: Success Vision
Answer in 2-3 paragraph narrative:
- Done well in 6 months — Describe the ideal outcome
- Behavior change expected — How will users act differently?
- Kill criteria — What evidence would make us kill this feature?
Output Format
# Product Thinking Brief — {Feature Name}
**Date:** {DD-MM-YYYY}
**Author:** [your name]
## 1. Problem Statement
[table from Exercise 1]
## 2. 11-Star Experience
[table from Exercise 2]
**Target Star Level:** {N} — {rationale}
## 3. Positioning Statement
> For [target users], who [need/pain]...
## 4. Product Principles
[table from Exercise 4]
## 5. Success Vision
[narrative from Exercise 5]
## Next Step
Use this brief as input for your PRD/spec writing skill.
Anti-Patterns
- Don't skip the problem statement — it's the foundation
- Don't set target star level above 7 for early phases — be realistic
- Don't write generic principles — they should be specific enough to be falsifiable
- Don't skip kill criteria — knowing when to stop is as important as knowing what to build
Quality Checklist
