# Grilling

> Grill the user relentlessly about a plan, decision, or idea to stress-test their thinking.

- Skill: `austek/grilling` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add austek/grilling`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/austek/grilling/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: austek (https://skillmd.com/u/austek)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/austek/grilling

---


> Adapted from [mattpocock/skills](https://github.com/mattpocock/skills) (MIT) — see `THIRD-PARTY-LICENSES.md`.

# Grilling

Interview the user relentlessly to achieve a shared understanding. Map the problem as a **design tree** (every decision branches into dependent decisions).

## 1. Core Mechanics
- **The Frontier**: The set of decisions whose prerequisites are already settled.
- **Rounds**: Ask the *entire* frontier in a single round. Wait for user answers before proceeding.
- **Tree Reshaping**: Settled decisions unblock dependent questions for *later* rounds. Never ask a question that depends on another open question in the same round.
- **Completion**: Done when the frontier is empty (all branches visited, nothing assumed). Do NOT act until the user explicitly confirms shared understanding.

## 2. Output Format
Number each question and provide a recommended answer. Use this exact format:

```text
❓ **Q<N>** - **<Question Title>**: <Question body, context, or multiple choices>

➡️ <Your recommended answer>
```

## 3. Fact-Finding vs. Decisions
- **Facts**: Finding facts is YOUR job. If a frontier question requires environment context (files, tools), dispatch a sub-agent to find it. Do NOT ask the user for facts you can look up yourself.
- **Non-Blocking**: Do not block the whole round on a sub-agent. Ask the rest of the frontier immediately. Only the questions downstream of the running sub-agent must wait.
- **Decisions**: Only decisions belong to the user.