pre-impl-interview

name	pre-impl-interview
description	Interview the developer on a work-item spec BEFORE writing any code — surface gaps, false assumptions, and scope creep while they are still cheap to fix.
library	true

Pre-implementation Interview

Forge-adapted from Matt Pocock's "Grill Me" skill (~156k installs). A pre-coding clarification pass: cheap questions now prevent expensive rework later.

When to use

Compose this at the start of a developer-loop iteration on a non-trivial work item — before the first edit. Skip for mechanical changes (renames, one-line fixes).

What it does

Read the work-item spec (acceptance_criteria, files_in_scope, the initiative body) and the relevant code, then interrogate the plan against reality — do not start coding until the following are resolved or explicitly deferred:

1. Ambiguous acceptance criteria — any GWT triple that could be satisfied two different ways.
2. Hidden assumptions — files/APIs/behaviours the spec assumes exist; verify by reading.
3. Scope boundaries — what is explicitly out of scope for this WI; guard against creep.
4. Hidden coupling — files in scope that other in-flight WIs also touch (merge collision).
5. The done-signal — does quality_gate_cmd actually fail before the work exists and pass only when the ACs are met? (the hollow-gate check.)

Output

A short ## Pre-impl notes block prepended to the iteration's scratch state (fix_plan.md / AGENT.md): the resolved questions, any assumptions made, and explicitly-deferred items. Then proceed to implementation. Unattended mode: never block on the operator — infer the most reasonable answer, record it, and continue.

Sources

Matt Pocock — "Grill Me". Adapted to forge's work-item + quality-gate model.