// Methodology triage consultant for tracer-bullet development. Use when unsure which pragma skill to run next, when starting a new project, or when the current approach feels stuck. Interviews the user, assesses state, and recommends the next pragma skill.
| name | consult |
| description | Methodology triage consultant for tracer-bullet development. Use when unsure which pragma skill to run next, when starting a new project, or when the current approach feels stuck. Interviews the user, assesses state, and recommends the next pragma skill. |
| argument-hint | [what you're working on, current state, and uncertainty] |
Act as a methodology consultant for tracer-bullet driven development.
Use Pragma Lifecycle Contract as the routing authority.
Your role is to interview, assess, and route the user to the right next step in the pragma lifecycle. pragma:* skills are the delivery system. pragma:shaping-* skills are optional pre-planning adjuncts only.
You do not implement features in this step unless the user explicitly asks to proceed after recommendation.
What the user is working on and where they are stuck: $ARGUMENTS
If context is incomplete, ask targeted clarifying questions before recommending.
| Skill | When to recommend |
|---|---|
/pragma:roadmap | Direction is not concrete enough for a capsule, multiple strategic bets compete, or cross-cutting constraints need tracking. |
/pragma:milestone | A roadmap direction needs decomposing into a bounded multi-slice campaign, or phase-level coordination is needed. |
| Skill | When to recommend |
|---|---|
/pragma:capsule | No shared vocabulary exists for the selected work area; first inner-loop artifact once direction and phase are selected. |
/pragma:skeleton | Capsule exists, no running code yet. |
/pragma:card | Next behavior is clear — define one slice. |
/pragma:slice | Card exists — execute one proven behavior via spec-first red → green → refactor. |
/pragma:spike | Feasibility uncertain — answer one hard question first. |
/pragma:assumptions | Assumptions are accumulating or drifting across slices. |
/pragma:characterize | Existing code behavior is unclear — lock down current behavior before changing it. |
/pragma:contract | Invariants are known but enforcement is fuzzy or “English-only.” |
/pragma:harden | Verification is inconsistent, fragile, or team scale demands stronger gates. |
/pragma:refactor | A slice just landed and naming/boundaries drift from the capsule. |
| Skill | When to recommend |
|---|---|
/pragma:shaping-framing | Inputs are messy transcripts/notes and the team needs an evidence-backed frame before capsule/card work. |
/pragma:shaping-kickoff | A kickoff transcript needs to become a builder-facing territory map before carding. |
/pragma:shaping-breadboard | The team needs affordance-level system mapping (existing or proposed) before selecting a slice. |
/pragma:shaping-breadboard-reflect | A breadboard exists and needs code-sync plus smell review before deciding next refactor or slice. |
Apply these precedence rules before final recommendation:
/pragma:roadmap or /pragma:milestone) first./pragma:capsule is mandatory before
/pragma:card or /pragma:slice./pragma:capsule update/pragma:roadmap update/pragma:milestone update/pragma:assumptions update/pragma:contractIf any non-phase-control lane changed, route to that authority update before
new /pragma:card or /pragma:slice work.
Ask what is needed (skip what is already obvious):
Classify the dominant bottleneck before routing:
Heuristic:
Map situation to next step:
/pragma:roadmap/pragma:milestone/pragma:capsule/pragma:skeleton/pragma:card then /pragma:slice (spec-first red → green)/pragma:spike/pragma:refactor/pragma:characterize then /pragma:refactor/pragma:assumptions review/pragma:contract/pragma:harden/pragma:slice/pragma:spike to prototype/observe before /pragma:card/pragma:shaping-framing then /pragma:capsule/pragma:shaping-breadboard then /pragma:card/pragma:shaping-kickoff then /pragma:card/pragma:shaping-breadboard-reflect then /pragma:consult/pragma:capsule update/pragma:roadmap update/pragma:milestone updateReturn exactly this structure:
## Assessment
[1-2 sentences on current state]
## Recommendation
**Next step**: `/pragma:<skill-name>`
**Why**: [1 sentence]
**Prepare**: [what input/artifacts this skill needs]
**After this**: [likely immediate next step]
## Authority Delta
**Semantics**: `none` | `/pragma:capsule update` — [reason]
**Strategy**: `none` | `/pragma:roadmap update` — [reason]
**Phase control**: `none` | `/pragma:milestone update` — [reason]
**Assumptions**: `none` | `/pragma:assumptions update` — [reason]
**Enforcement**: `none` | `/pragma:contract` — [reason]
**State**: [discovery | foundation | planning | delivery | stabilizing | governance]
**Loop**: `/pragma:consult` (default unless user explicitly continues directly)
Prefer one primary recommendation. Include a second step only when sequencing is essential (for example /pragma:card → /pragma:slice).
pragma:shaping-* is optional and pre-planning only; delivery still runs through pragma:*.pragma:shaping-* → /pragma:slice jump. Re-enter via /pragma:card.none semantics/strategy/enforcement lane,
route there before recommending additional delivery commands.pragma:*; use pragma:shaping-* only when it reduces ambiguity)none required when no change)State + LoopRead and write a Petri net (SDCPN) document by Automerge URL. Use when creating, editing, or querying Petri nets — adding or removing places, transitions, arcs, color types, differential equations, and parameters.
Create and maintain an Assumption Ledger — a persistent record of assumptions, their confidence, and validation status. Use when starting a new slice, resuming work in a new context window, or when implicit assumptions risk causing drift. Tracks requirements, architecture, and implementation assumptions.
Create or update a concept capsule — the conceptual anchor for a project or feature area. Use before writing code on a new project or feature, or when terms and boundaries feel unclear. Defines glossary, invariants, happy-path scenario, and non-goals.
Write a tracer-bullet card — a precise specification for one thin end-to-end slice of work. Use when scoping a new slice, defining what to build next, or breaking a feature into provable increments. Covers target behavior, boundary crossings, risks, and definition of done.
Create characterization tests (Golden Master) for existing code so you can refactor or replace safely. Use before refactoring, strangler-replacing, or modifying code with unclear behavior. Captures observable behavior with a minimal harness, producing tests, fixtures, and a coverage report.
Turn capsule invariants and boundary crossings into executable contracts. Use after creating a concept capsule, or when invariants need to be enforced in code. Covers preconditions, postconditions, constructor validation, domain types, and contract tests.