azat-io Discovering Skill
Use when the what/why is unclear; output is a direction, not a solution.
When to Use vs Researching
What's unclear?
├── What/Why (goal, scope, requirements) → Discovering
└── How (technical approach, implementation) → Researching
When to Use
- Idea is vague or underspecified
- Multiple interpretations exist
- Need to align on scope and goals
- Stakeholders have different expectations
Skip if: request is clear and decision-ready (use researching skill instead).
Quick Reference
| Phase | Focus | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Context | Code, docs, recent changes | Current state |
| Intent | Purpose, constraints, criteria | Requirements |
| Directions | 2-3 approaches + trade-offs | Recommendation |
| Confirm | Sign-off | Discovery brief |
Core Rules
- Gather project context first
- One question at a time
- Prefer multiple choice
- High-level directions, not technical solutions
Flow
Context — Check code, docs, recent changes
Intent — Purpose, constraints, success criteria, scope
Directions — 2-3 high-level approaches with trade-offs; recommend one
Confirm & Output — Discovery brief:
- Goal (1 sentence)
- Non-goals
- Direction/approach
- Open questions (1-3 bullets)
Get sign-off before proceeding.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Jumping to technical solutions | Stay high-level; how comes later |
| Asking multiple questions at once | One question, wait for answer |
| Skipping context gathering | Always check existing code/docs first |
| No clear recommendation | Always pick one direction and explain why |
| Proceeding without sign-off | Get explicit confirmation |
Delegate
- Use explorer subagent for a breadth-first repo map and evidence from code/docs/recent history (Context phase)
After Discovery
- Technical uncertainty? → Use researching skill
- Direction clear? → Use blueprinting skill
Pipeline: discovering → researching → blueprinting → implementing → code-review