idea-genie

# Idea Genie One canonical root for idea work: elicit an evidence-grounded portfolio of options, or challenge a consequential idea with sealed independent perspectives. Both modes explore and advise; neither selects, schedules, tracks, implements, or validates work. ## Modes | Trigger phrases | Mode | Output contract | |---|---|---| | "idea genie", "what should we build next", "brainstorm options", "supported opportunities" | elicit | `idea-portfolio.v1` | | "challenge this idea", "compare independent proposals", "stress-test a one-way door" | duel | `idea-challenge.v1` | Elicit is the entry mode. Duel is an optional escalation for a consequential choice, typically consuming an `idea-portfolio.v1` or a framed question. A scored multi-member duel, where members score each other's ideas, is [Council](../council/SKILL.md)'s duel mode; a plan's failure modes belong to [Premortem](../premortem/SKILL.md). Both validators live in this skill's `scripts/` directory and need `jq`. Without `jq`, check the fields by hand against the shape and say the validator did not run. ## Elicit mode These rules carry the value: 1. **Observations cite a source:** a file and line, issue, doc or measurement. Anything uncited is an assumption, listed apart and never used as support. 2. **Every candidate cites the observations behind it.** No cited support, no candidate; an unsupported idea may stay listed as an assumption. Never pad the list to a count. 3. **Check overlap before claiming novelty.** Compare each candidate with what the product already does. A request an existing capability already covers is not new: record it under `overlaps` of the candidate it sharpens, or leave it out. 4. **One Given/When/Then per candidate**, a normal or edge case with an observable result. 5. **Do not rank, pick, schedule or start work.** The caller or Plan selects. 6. **Stop at saturation.** Merge equivalents, and run another pass only while it adds a materially new evidenced candidate. Zero candidates is valid. State the question, constraints, non-goals and sources first; hydrate only the sources this question needs and cite them, with no merged context store. Return the portfolio in this shape: ```json { "schema_version": "idea-portfolio.v1", "status": "candidates", "observations": [{"claim": "<what is true>", "evidence": "<cited source>"}], "assumptions": ["<belief no cited source supports>"], "candidates": [{ "id": "I1", "evidence": ["<cited sources behind this candidate>"], "overlaps": ["<existing capability it extends or repeats>"], "scenario": {"given": "<state>", "when": "<event>", "then": "<observable result>"} }], "termination": {"reason": "novelty-saturated", "novel_candidates_last_pass": 0} } ``` `overlaps` may be empty. When every idea overlaps or lacks support, set `status` to `no-new-work`, leave `candidates` empty and set `termination.reason` to `all-overlap-or-unsupported`. For a person, render the same fields as a short list, one block per candidate. When a file is wanted, write `.agents/scratch/ideas/<run-id>/idea-portfolio.json` and run `scripts/validate-output.sh` on it before handing it to the caller or Plan. Plan alone may incorporate a selected option into the existing bead or caller intent. ## Duel mode Produce independent challenges for a consequential choice. The result is advisory evidence for Plan. It never decides whether a plan is ready and never turns a later optional Premortem challenge into an approval gate. **Door class.** Ask what undoing the choice after it lands would cost. A one-way door needs a migration, breaks a published contract or caller, loses data, or has an external effect that cannot be recalled. A cheap two-way door is undone by a revert or a flag. ### Constraints - Seal generation: no perspective sees another until all are complete, so later proposals cannot anchor on earlier ones. - Preserve dissent, failed refutations and minority reasoning; Plan must see the alternatives synthesis would otherwise erase. - Keep a two-way door light: no pane manager, messaging service, council or model-family rule. - Emit no readiness, approval, quorum, retry, budget, helper, delivery, or tracker state: this strategy supplies evidence, not lifecycle authority. Consensus, transport availability or a self-score never becomes readiness. ### Workflow 1. Freeze the question, constraints, evidence paths and comparison rubric. 2. For a one-way door, start at least two fresh contexts: separate subagents or sessions with no shared transcript, one prompt each carrying the frozen question and evidence paths. Record each native context id as `context_id` and collect every perspective before revealing any. When the caller pins perspectives to model profiles, record each `model_identity` (see the `agent-native` model-dispatch recipe); disclose an unavailable profile and continue single-model. 3. Reveal the sealed perspectives and cross-review each by evidence, reversibility, system fit, failure modes and cost. 4. Attempt concrete refutations. Keep disagreements, failed refutations and minority reasoning explicit. 5. Write `idea-challenge.v1`, validate it, and pass it to Plan as one optional input alongside research and operator intent. For a cheap two-way door, emit the lightweight packet directly after one fresh challenge. Do not manufacture panel ceremony. ### Output Specification - **Artifact directory:** `.agents/scratch/ideas/<run-id>/` - **Filename:** `idea-challenge.json` - **Format:** `idea-challenge.v1` JSON with route-specific fields enforced by the validator; it carries no readiness field or decision - **Validation command:** `scripts/validate-challenge.sh <idea-challenge.json>` - **Downstream handoff:** `handoff.owner` is exactly `plan`; Plan may accept, reject, or combine the advisory evidence ## References - [Idea Genie behavior](references/idea-genie.feature) - [Idea challenge behavior](references/idea-challenge.feature)