| name | clarify-and-plan |
| description | Use for ambiguous, multi-step, or high-impact requests where the agent must clarify assumptions, compare 2-3 viable approaches, break work into phases, and get phase-one alignment before implementation. Trigger on vague "build", "refactor", "add feature", "figure out", product/design/dev asks, conflicting requirements, or work whose direction materially changes the outcome. Do not use for tiny factual answers or obvious one-line edits. |
Clarify And Plan
Use this skill before execution when a request is underspecified, broad, risky, or could be solved in multiple reasonable ways. It is a preflight skill: clarify just enough, choose a direction, then hand off to the domain skill.
Workflow
- Restate the goal in one or two concrete success criteria.
- State assumptions briefly. Separate facts found in the repo from assumptions you are making.
- Ask clarifying questions only when the answer would change the implementation, scope, safety posture, or user-facing outcome.
- When more than one viable path exists, present 2-3 options with tradeoffs and a recommendation.
- Break complex work into phases with verification checkpoints.
- In interactive sessions, confirm phase 1 before starting phase 2 when the phase boundary changes scope, architecture, data, auth, publishing, or irreversible state.
- After alignment, use the narrowest relevant domain skill and proceed.
Option Format
Use this compact shape when tradeoffs matter:
Option A: <short name>
Best when: <condition>
Tradeoff: <cost/risk>
Recommendation: <one sentence>
Phase Plan Format
Phase 1: Explore and confirm direction
Verify: <how we know phase 1 is done>
Phase 2: Implement the smallest complete change
Verify: <tests/checks/manual proof>
Phase 3: Polish, document, and release if needed
Verify: <final acceptance checks>
Hard Avoids
- Do not use this for tiny factual answers, casual conversation, or obvious one-command tasks.
- Do not ask questions that repo inspection can answer safely.
- Do not produce a long strategy doc when the user needs a small implementation.
- Do not let planning replace execution once the direction is clear.
Attribution
Original Overdrive skill by Stefan / Radu Stefan Dumitru, inspired by the Karpathy-style coding-agent guidance from multica-ai/andrej-karpathy-skills.
