goal-and-brief

name	goal-and-brief
description	Establish project thesis before first code. Infer product type from domain/folder/README. Identify users, business model, pSEO strategy, AI-native dev approach. Maintain PROJECT_BRIEF.md as source of truth.
metadata	{"version":"2.1.0","updated":"2026-05-03","effort":"medium","model":"haiku"}
license	Rutgers
compatibility	{"claude-code":">=2.0.0","agentskills":">=1.0.0"}
submodules	null
priority	2
pack	website-build
stage	beta
triggers	["new project","project brief","goals"]
paths	["org:website_build"]

02 — Goal and Brief

Establish the project thesis and maintain PROJECT_BRIEF.md as the source of truth before any code is written.

Run FIRST on every new project / rebuild

Before code, write PROJECT_BRIEF.md. The brief drives every downstream decision (skill 05 stack, skill 06 build, skill 09 brand, skill 16 site mode).

One-line website prompt? Hand off after the brief: 16-cinematic-website-prime-directive is the prime directive (trumps generic 06-build); website-build-manifest is the acceptance index of every gate; website-build-doctrine is the Phase -1→8 sequence. Brief → manifest → doctrine → build.

Org-type inference (drives everything)

Detect from domain + folder name + scraped homepage + Google Places category:

Pattern	Org type
*.com w/ pricing page + signup →	saas
*.org w/ donate button + 501(c)(3) →	nonprofit
Google Places category in {restaurant, salon, medical, legal, fitness, automotive, retail, photography, real-estate, education, financial, pet, wedding} →	local-business
*.com portfolio of links + bio + projects →	portfolio
*.gov / .gov.uk / .ca.gov →	government
*.edu / *.ac.uk →	edu
*.church / parish JSON-LD →	church
ProductHunt / G2 / Capterra listing →	saas

Output: _org_type.json = {type, confidence, evidence[]}.

PROJECT_BRIEF.md (source of truth)

# {Project Name}

## Thesis
One sentence: what this project does + for whom + why now.

## Org type
{saas | nonprofit | local-business | portfolio | edu | gov | church}

## Primary user
- Persona: {role + context}
- Job to be done: {task they're trying to accomplish}
- Success metric: {what "done" looks like for them}

## Business model
- Revenue: {subscription / donation / one-time / B2B / B2C / ads}
- Pricing: {tier list w/ values}
- Margins: {high / medium / low + rationale}

## pSEO strategy (5 types)
- Integration pages (`/integrations/{tool}`) — Y/N
- Comparison (`/compare/{a}-vs-{b}`) — Y/N
- Use-case (`/for/{audience}`) — Y/N
- Template (`/templates/{type}`) — Y/N
- Location (`/{city}-{service}`) — Y/N

## AI-native development approach
- AI-first features: {list}
- Workers AI / Llama 3.3 for first-pass content
- Opus 4.8 for top-10 conversion polish
- AI vision QA on every visual surface

## Constraints
- Budget
- Timeline
- Compliance (HIPAA / SOC 2 / GDPR / FERPA / ADA)
- Localization needs (`_kernel/standards.md` § ADA + `rules/i18n-by-demographics.md`)

## Decision log
{Every architectural decision + rationale + alternatives considered}

Question discipline

• Before code, scan brief for gaps. Use AskUserQuestion ONLY for genuinely unresolvable items (e.g., bilingual-staff confirmation, NAP verification, license number).
• Per brian-preferences.md: pick ONE answer when inferable, never offer options.
• Silence = approval.

What this skill produces

• PROJECT_BRIEF.md — committed
• _org_type.json — input to skill 05 (stack) + skill 09 (brand) + skill 16 (site mode)
• _brief_summary.txt — 100-word digest for downstream agents