refining-feature-requests

name	refining-feature-requests
description	Converts vague feature requests into structured product requirements (PRDs) and sprint-ready user stories. Use when scoping and planning a feature in a Product Manager or Scrum Master capacity. Don't use to write or modify application code.

Refining Feature Requests

This skill enforces strict Product Management and Agile (Scrum) methodologies to transform raw ideas into execution-ready engineering plans. You will act as both a Product Manager (defining "Why" and "What") and a Scrum Master (defining execution readiness).

Phase 1: Context Gathering (Product Manager)

1. Analyze the Request & Initial Reconnaissance: Extract the core objective and use codebase exploration tools (glob, grep, read) to scan for existing domain models, APIs, and conventions related to the request.
2. The Codebase Guardrail: Never ask the user a question about the existing system or design that can be answered by exploring the codebase directly. Auto-resolve any decision that can be grounded in the existing code.
3. Recursive Interrogation Loop:
   • Identify Unresolved Decisions: Map out the remaining technical and product decisions required to build the feature (e.g., target audience/persona, edge cases/error states, NFRs, and success metrics).
   • Group & Formulate Questions: Group the remaining unresolved decisions into logically cohesive themes (e.g., Database, UI/UX, Security). Ensure none of the questions in the group depend directly on the answers of other questions in the same group.
   • Provide Recommendations: For each question in the group, formulate a precise question paired with a "Recommended Answer" based on repository standards to reduce user friction.
   • Themed Stretch Delivery: Present the themed group of questions to the user in a single stretch using the question tool.
   • Strict Iteration Loop: Once the user answers, do NOT automatically jump to Phase 2 (PRD Drafting). Instead, analyze the answers, resolve dependencies, update your plan, and identify any new or remaining gaps. You must present the updated state and explicitly ask the user: "Would you like to refine the feature further with another round of questions, or are you ready to approve and proceed to Phase 2 (PRD Drafting)?"
   • Loop & Branch: Repeat this interrogation loop recursively. You are strictly forbidden from drafting the PRD in Phase 2 until the user explicitly gives approval to proceed (e.g., by saying "proceed", "approve", "ready for PRD", or choosing a "Proceed to PRD Drafting" option).

Phase 2: Product Requirements Document (PRD) Drafting

1. Draft a structured PRD containing exactly these sections:
   • Objective: 1-2 sentence summary of the business value.
   • User Stories: Format as "As a [persona], I want [action] so that [value]."
   • Acceptance Criteria (AC): Use Given/When/Then (BDD) format for every user story.
   • Technical Strategy: High-level architectural approach based on Phase 1 reconnaissance.
   • Out of Scope: Explicitly list what will not be built to prevent scope creep.
2. Present the PRD to the user and request explicit approval.

Phase 3: Sprint Planning (Scrum Master)

1. Apply INVEST Criteria: Break the approved PRD down into atomic engineering issues. Every issue must be Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, and Testable.
2. Map Dependencies: Explicitly list which issues block others (e.g., "Backend API endpoint must be built before Frontend UI consumption").
3. Format for Delegation: Group these tasks logically (e.g., Epics).
4. Handoff: Load the drafting-github-issues skill using the skill tool (with name drafting-github-issues) and follow its workflow to format the tasks and prepare them for GitHub upload.