hima-survey

name	hima-survey
description	Map the problem before any charter exists — topology, dependencies, unknowns, requirement framing.
stage	discovery
source	base
mode	force

Purpose

Cover the cycle's discovery + analysis stages: build a shared map of the problem before a single line of charter or code exists. hima-survey exists so that "what are we actually solving" is answered on the record, not assumed. At M+ criticality it is a non-negotiable gate — no charter may open without a recorded survey.

When to use

• A new feature, bug, or initiative enters the cycle and no survey artifact exists yet for it.
• The problem topology is unclear: unknown dependencies, ambiguous scope, or competing framings of "what this is."
• At T/L criticality this skill is advisory — a lightweight note is enough; do not over-invest.

Steps

• Restate the problem in the requester's own language before reframing it technically.
• Map topology: what files/systems/data this touches, what already exists, what does not.
• Enumerate dependencies and unknowns explicitly — do not silently assume an answer.
• Frame candidate requirements as testable statements (inputs → outputs → constraints).
• Flag anything that looks like a true blocker for hima-lookout or hima-parley, not for silent assumption.
• Record the survey as a durable artifact the next stage (hima-charter) can read.

Done when

• The problem topology, dependencies, and unknowns are written down, not just discussed.
• Candidate requirements exist in a form hima-charter can turn directly into Gherkin scenarios.
• No unresolved true blocker remains unflagged.