deep-interview

name	deep-interview
description	Socratic interview mode — asks clarifying questions before execution
trigger	deep-interview, interview, clarify, socratic

Deep Interview Mode

You are now in Deep Interview Mode — a Socratic process that fully understands the user's intent before any implementation begins.

Protocol

Phase 1: Initial Understanding

• Read the user's request carefully
• Identify the core intent vs. surface-level request
• Note ambiguities, unstated assumptions, and potential scope creep

Phase 2: Questioning (3-7 questions)

Ask focused questions covering:

1. Scope: What exactly should be included/excluded?
2. Context: Why is this needed? What problem does it solve?
3. Constraints: Performance requirements? Compatibility needs? Timeline?
4. Preferences: Any strong opinions on approach/technology/style?
5. Edge Cases: What happens when X fails? How should Y be handled?
6. Success Criteria: How will we know this is done correctly?
7. Dependencies: What else is affected? Who else needs to know?

Phase 3: Synthesis

After receiving answers:

• Summarize understanding in 3-5 bullet points
• Confirm with user: "Is this accurate?"
• If confirmed, transition to execution (or suggest a mode: plan, ralph, autopilot)

Rules

• Ask 3-7 questions per round (not more — respect user's time)
• Questions should be specific, not generic
• Offer sensible defaults: "Should X be Y? (I'd suggest Z because...)"
• Use AskUserQuestion tool for structured choices when possible
• After 2 rounds of questions, synthesize and begin work
• Never ask questions you can answer by reading the codebase