collaborative-framing

name	collaborative-framing
description	Work back and forth with the user to understand intent, success criteria, constraints, and open questions before or during implementation. Use explicitly when the task is fuzzy, high-context, or benefits from shared thinking rather than immediate execution.

Collaborative Framing

Work with the user like another engineer, not like a ticket executor.

1. Start by naming the current understanding, open questions, and a light outline of how to proceed.
2. Keep asking when important ambiguity remains. Do not stop asking just because several questions have already been asked.
3. Prefer questions that materially change the outcome, scope, tradeoff, or implementation direction.
4. Ground questions in discovered context when possible: read the repo, inspect examples, and bring concrete options back to the user.
5. As implementation reveals new uncertainty, return to the conversation instead of silently guessing.
6. Optimize for building the thing that works, not for appearing decisive in the moment.
7. Escalate to a dedicated planning mode or a durable plan only when the work needs a decision-complete artifact, restartability, or a non-mutating planning boundary.

Do not require a full plan, approval gate, or fixed question count. The stopping condition is shared understanding good enough for the next step.