analysis-topic

name	analysis-topic
description	Topic viability analysis skill for marvinzhang.dev. Evaluates whether a topic is worth writing about by assessing audience fit, depth potential, timing, angle options, and recommended article style. Use when deciding "Should I write about X?" before committing to an article.
metadata	{"author":"marvinzhang","version":"1.0","tier":"analysis"}

Topic Analysis

Evaluate whether a topic is worth writing about and how to approach it.

When to Use

• "Should I write about X?" decisions
• Choosing between multiple potential topics
• Determining the right article style for a topic
• Assessing whether a topic has enough depth for a full article

Analysis Framework

1. Audience Assessment

Question	Answer
Who is the primary audience?	[Specific role/level]
What do they already know?	[Assumed knowledge]
What problem does this solve for them?	[Pain point]
Where would they encounter this topic?	[Context]

2. Depth Analysis

Evaluate whether the topic has enough substance:

• Surface level: Can be covered in a tweet or short post → Skip or combine with related topics
• Medium depth: One core insight with supporting points → Good for announcement or experiential
• Deep: Multiple interconnected concepts → Good for analytical or tutorial
• Expert: Requires specialized knowledge to appreciate → Narrow audience, ensure value justifies effort

3. Timing Evaluation

• Breaking: New release, announcement, or event → Write quickly, announcement style
• Trending: Growing interest, active discussion → Write soon, analytical or tutorial
• Evergreen: Always relevant → Write thoughtfully, any style
• Retrospective: Looking back at experience → Write reflectively, experiential style

4. Angle Exploration

Generate 2-3 possible angles:

Angle A: [Description] — Style: [analytical/tutorial/experiential/announcement]
Angle B: [Description] — Style: [...]
Angle C: [Description] — Style: [...]

Evaluate each on:

• Uniqueness (vs. existing content)
• Author expertise match
• Reader value
• Effort required

5. Style Recommendation

Based on the analysis, recommend:

Factor	→ Style
Data-heavy, multi-source analysis	analytical
"How to do X" with clear steps	tutorial
Personal story with lessons	experiential
New release or project update	announcement

Deliverables

# Topic Analysis: [Topic]

## Viability Score: [1-10]

## Audience: [Who and why they care]
## Depth: [Surface / Medium / Deep / Expert]
## Timing: [Breaking / Trending / Evergreen / Retrospective]

## Recommended Angle
[Description of the best angle]

## Recommended Style: [analytical / tutorial / experiential / announcement]

## Required Research
- [ ] [What needs to be researched first]

## Decision: [Write / Skip / Defer / Combine with other topic]

Quality Gates

• Audience clearly identified (not "developers" — be specific)
• Depth assessment honest (don't force a thin topic into a deep article)
• At least 2 angles considered before choosing
• Style recommendation justified
• Clear go/no-go decision with reasoning