| name | question-reformulation |
| description | Reframe research questions using abstraction laddering, HMW formulation, and Socratic probing. Find the most productive level and framing for investigation. |
| dependencies | {"sops":["abstraction-laddering","hmw-formulation","socratic-probing"]} |
Question Reformulation
Reframe research questions to find the most productive framing.
When to Use
The current question framing may be limiting — need to explore alternative framings at different abstraction levels.
Budget
| Base SOP | Target | ±10% Range |
|---|
| web-search | 20 | 18–22 |
| web-research | 5 | 4–6 |
| paper-overview | 20 | 18–22 |
| paper-search | 15 | 13–17 |
| paper-research | 5 | 4–6 |
State Ledger
<HARD-GATE>
| SOP | Done | Target | % |
|-----|------|--------|---|
| web-search | ? | 20 | ? |
| web-research | ? | 5 | ? |
| paper-overview | ? | 20 | ? |
| paper-search | ? | 15 | ? |
| paper-research | ? | 5 | ? |
Budget Gate: OPEN/CLOSED (>=80% required to exit)
</HARD-GATE>
Available SOPs
Import: web-search, web-research, paper-overview, paper-search, paper-research
Subagent: abstraction-laddering, hmw-formulation, socratic-probing
Execution Guidance
Use abstraction laddering to move between concrete and abstract framings. Generate HMW questions from tensions/insights. Apply Socratic probing to test question quality.
Output Format
Reformulated Questions — abstraction ladder, HMW set, Socratic challenges, recommended framing with reasoning.
Available SOPs
Optional, no fixed order; the final leaf is always a sop.
| SOP | When to use |
|---|
| abstraction-laddering | Move between concrete and abstract framings — 3 levels up (Why?) and 3 levels down (How?) to find the most productive research level. |
| hmw-formulation | Generate "How Might We" questions at different scope levels (narrow, medium, broad). Ensures each is actionable without being prescriptive. |
| socratic-probing | Apply 6 types of Socratic questions to test claims and assumptions. Exposes weaknesses and strengthens reasoning. |
