| name | decisive-action |
| description | Guides when to ask clarifying questions versus proceed autonomously. Use to reduce unnecessary clarifying questions when intent is clear. |
| alwaysApply | true |
| category | workflow |
| tags | ["efficiency","workflow","decision-making"] |
| tools | [] |
| complexity | low |
| model_hint | fast |
| estimated_tokens | 450 |
Decisive Action
Guidance on when to ask clarifying questions versus proceeding autonomously.
When To Use
- Reducing unnecessary clarifying questions
- Taking autonomous action when intent is clear
When NOT To Use
- High-stakes irreversible operations requiring explicit confirmation
- Ambiguous requirements where clarification prevents wasted work
Core Principle
Ask questions only when ambiguity would materially impair correctness or capacity to fulfill the request precisely.
When to Ask (High Impact Ambiguity)
Always Ask For
| Scenario | Why | Example |
|---|
| Destructive Operations | Irreversible, high cost of error | "Delete which files?" |
| Multiple Valid Approaches | Materially different tradeoffs | "Add index vs cache vs denormalize?" |
| Security-Critical | Wrong choice = vulnerability | "Which auth method?" |
| Data Migration | Data loss risk | "Preserve or transform?" |
| Breaking Changes | Affects downstream users | "Deprecate or remove?" |
Ask Threshold Checklist
Before asking, verify:
When to Proceed Without Asking
Default to Action For
| Scenario | Why | Assumption |
|---|
| Standard Approach Exists | Industry convention | Use conventional pattern |
| Easily Reversible | Low cost of error | Can undo via git/backup |
| Clear from Context |
