ask-questions-if-underspecified

name	ask-questions-if-underspecified
description	Ask the minimum clarifying questions before implementation when requirements are ambiguous or missing crucial details
version	1.2.0
category	Planning & Architecture
agents	["planner","developer","architect"]
model	sonnet
invoked_by	both
user_invocable	true
tools	["Read","Write","Bash"]
tags	["clarification","requirements","underspecified","questions","scope","ambiguity"]
verified	true
lastVerifiedAt	"2026-03-01T00:00:00.000Z"
best_practices	["Follow existing project patterns","Document all outputs clearly","Handle errors gracefully"]
error_handling	graceful
streaming	supported
source	builtin
trust_score	100
provenance_sha	5fa7e785c76f411b

Ask Questions If Underspecified

Ask Questions If Underspecified Skill - Ask the minimum clarifying questions before implementation when requirements are ambiguous or missing crucial details - Identify ambiguous or missing requirements that would block correct implementation - Generate minimum viable clarifying questions with concrete best-guess defaults - Distinguish scope/constraint questions (ask) from implementation detail decisions (decide yourself) - Unblock parallel work by proceeding with stated defaults while awaiting answers

Step 1: Assess Underspecification

Identify which aspects are unclear or missing:

• Scope: What exactly should be included/excluded?
• Constraints: Performance targets, platform requirements, security rules?
• Acceptance criteria: How will the user judge success?
• Priority: Which conflicting options should win?

Do NOT ask about things you can determine by reading existing code and conventions.

Step 2: Triage Questions

Categorize each candidate question:

Type	Ask or Decide?
Scope boundary (what to include)	Ask
Non-functional requirement (perf/security target)	Ask
Acceptance criteria	Ask
Implementation approach	Decide yourself
Code style / naming	Decide yourself (follow existing patterns)
Nice-to-have polish	Decide yourself (proceed with sensible default)

Step 3: Ask Concisely (Max 3 Questions)

For each blocking question:

1. State what you assume (best-guess default)
2. Ask the specific question in one sentence
3. Offer 2–3 concrete options when applicable

Format:

I'll [proceed with X default assumption]. Quick questions before I start:
1. [Specific question]? (default: [assumption])
2. [Specific question]? (default: [assumption])

</execution_process>

<best_practices>

1. Provide defaults with every question: Always state your best-guess assumption so the user can simply confirm rather than answer from scratch
2. Ask about outcomes, not implementation: "Should this support offline use?" not "Should I use IndexedDB or localStorage?"

**Example — Underspecified feature request:**