| name | bmad-advanced-elicitation |
| description | Push the LLM to reconsider, refine, and improve its recent output. Use when user asks for deeper critique or mentions a known deeper critique method, e.g. socratic, first principles, pre-mortem, red team. |
Advanced Elicitation
Goal: Push the LLM to reconsider, refine, and improve its recent output.
CRITICAL LLM INSTRUCTIONS
- MANDATORY: Execute ALL steps in the flow section IN EXACT ORDER
- DO NOT skip steps or change the sequence
- HALT immediately when halt-conditions are met
- Each action within a step is a REQUIRED action to complete that step
- Sections outside flow (validation, output, critical-context) provide essential context - review and apply throughout execution
- YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT in your Agent communication style with the
communication_language
INTEGRATION (When Invoked Indirectly)
When invoked from another prompt or process:
- Receive or review the current section content that was just generated
- Apply elicitation methods iteratively to enhance that specific content
- Return the enhanced version back when user selects 'x' to proceed and return back
- The enhanced content replaces the original section content in the output document
FLOW
Step 1: Method Registry Loading
Action: Load ./methods.csv for elicitation methods. If party-mode may participate, resolve the agent roster via:
python3 {project-root}/_bmad/scripts/resolve_config.py --project-root {project-root} --key agents
The resolver merges four layers in order: _bmad/config.toml (installer base, team-scoped), _bmad/config.user.toml (installer base, user-scoped), _bmad/custom/config.toml (team overrides), and _bmad/custom/config.user.toml (personal overrides). Each entry under agents is keyed by the agent's code and carries name, title, icon, description, module, and team.
CSV Structure
- category: Method grouping (core, structural, risk, etc.)
- method_name: Display name for the method
- description: Rich explanation of what the method does, when to use it, and why it's valuable
- output_pattern: Flexible flow guide using arrows (e.g., "analysis -> insights -> action")
Context Analysis
- Use conversation history
- Analyze: content type, complexity, stakeholder needs, risk level, and creative potential
Smart Selection
- Analyze context: Content type, complexity, stakeholder needs, risk level, creative potential
- Parse descriptions: Understand each method's purpose from the rich descriptions in CSV
- Select 5 methods: Choose methods that best match the context based on their descriptions
- Balance approach: Include mix of foundational and specialized techniques as appropriate
Step 2: Present Options and Handle Responses
Display Format
**Advanced Elicitation Options**
_If party mode is active, agents will join in._
Choose a number (1-5), [r] to Reshuffle, [a] List All, or [x] to Proceed:
1. [Method Name]
2. [Method Name]
3. [Method Name]
4. [Method Name]
5. [Method Name]
r. Reshuffle the list with 5 new options
a. List all methods with descriptions
x. Proceed / No Further Actions
Response Handling
Case 1-5 (User selects a numbered method):
- Execute the selected method using its description from the CSV
- Adapt the method's complexity and output format based on the current context
- Apply the method creatively to the current section content being enhanced
- Display the enhanced version showing what the method revealed or improved
- CRITICAL: Ask the user if they would like to apply the changes to the doc (y/n/other) and HALT to await response.
- CRITICAL: ONLY if Yes, apply the changes. IF No, discard your memory of the proposed changes. If any other reply, try best to follow the instructions given by the user.
- CRITICAL: Re-present the same 1-5,r,x prompt to allow additional elicitations
Case r (Reshuffle):
- Select 5 random methods from methods.csv, present new list with same prompt format
- When selecting, try to think and pick a diverse set of methods covering different categories and approaches, with 1 and 2 being potentially the most useful for the document or section being discovered
Case x (Proceed):
- Complete elicitation and proceed
- Return the fully enhanced content back to the invoking skill
- The enhanced content becomes the final version for that section
- Signal completion back to the invoking skill to continue with next section
Case a (List All):
- List all methods with their descriptions from the CSV in a compact table
- Allow user to select any method by name or number from the full list
- After selection, execute the method as described in the Case 1-5 above
Case: Direct Feedback:
- Apply changes to current section content and re-present choices
Case: Multiple Numbers:
- Execute methods in sequence on the content, then re-offer choices
Step 3: Execution Guidelines
- Method execution: Use the description from CSV to understand and apply each method
- Output pattern: Use the pattern as a flexible guide (e.g., "paths -> evaluation -> selection")
- Dynamic adaptation: Adjust complexity based on content needs (simple to sophisticated)
- Creative application: Interpret methods flexibly based on context while maintaining pattern consistency
- Focus on actionable insights
- Stay relevant: Tie elicitation to specific content being analyzed (the current section from the document being created unless user indicates otherwise)
- Identify personas: For single or multi-persona methods, clearly identify viewpoints, and use party members if available in memory already
- Critical loop behavior: Always re-offer the 1-5,r,a,x choices after each method execution
- Continue until user selects 'x' to proceed with enhanced content, confirm or ask the user what should be accepted from the session
- Each method application builds upon previous enhancements
- Content preservation: Track all enhancements made during elicitation
- Iterative enhancement: Each selected method (1-5) should:
- Apply to the current enhanced version of the content
- Show the improvements made
- Return to the prompt for additional elicitations or completion
