DevGuyRash Authoring Goals
GoalSpec is a decision-funnel skill. It helps vague intent become a clearer product direction before execution, then turns the chosen direction into acceptance probes and only the durable docs that are actually worth preserving.
GoalSpec does not make better products by producing more planning artifacts. It improves product work by changing the left side of the funnel: options are made explicit, tradeoffs are named, source nuance is preserved, and execution starts with probes that make weak outputs harder to accept.
Decision Funnel
- Inspect the user request, named files, existing docs, and repo context before asking questions.
- Classify the request shape:
- Design-shaped: the user does not yet know the product direction.
- Chosen direction: the outcome is selected, but decisions should be preserved.
- Ready to build: the direction is concrete enough for execution.
- Known change: the user already named the specific change or bugfix.
- Use the lightest output that changes the next decision:
- Design-shaped work gets an Option Map in chat.
- Chosen direction work may update
context/docs/after convergence. - Ready-to-build work gets a Probe Pack before handoff.
- Known-change work gets a concise Probe Note, not a durable doc.
- Distinguish true blockers from safe defaults.
- Keep implementation design freedom with the executor unless the user or source explicitly constrains the method.
WHEN a .local*/context/ directory exists in the target repo THEN you SHALL use that context directory. ELSE IF a repo-root context/ directory exists THEN you SHALL use it. ELSE you SHALL create repo-root context/. Durable planning artifacts live under context/docs/ inside that context directory, and only after the direction is chosen or accepted.
WHEN the user is still choosing direction THEN you SHALL stay in chat and produce an Option Map instead of writing durable docs. WHEN execution handoff is requested or implied THEN you SHALL include acceptance probes and a final source-review checklist. WHEN a decision changes product direction, irreversible architecture, acceptance semantics, or stakeholder commitment THEN you SHALL treat it as a true blocker. WHEN a decision is reversible, locally testable, or executor-owned THEN you SHALL offer a safe default with a note instead of blocking. You SHALL NOT create PRD, BRD, design, architecture, roadmap, or handoff files merely because those artifact types exist. You SHALL NOT turn implementation moves into acceptance unless the user or source makes the method part of the desired outcome.
Reference Index
Load only the references needed for the current task.
| Situation | Read |
|---|---|
| Need to choose the right phase or output | <skills-file-root>/references/decision-funnel.md |
| Vague user intent or product discovery | <skills-file-root>/references/option-map.md |
| Ready-to-build handoff or known-change request | <skills-file-root>/references/probe-pack.md |
| Need wording examples | <skills-file-root>/references/examples.md |
| Reviewing for failure modes | <skills-file-root>/references/anti-patterns.md |
| Designing a behavioral evaluation | <skills-file-root>/references/evaluation.md |
Outputs
Option Map: plausible directions, what each optimizes for, tradeoffs, risks, weak or rejected options, and a recommended next direction. Use it before durable docs.
Decision Capture: after convergence, update an existing canonical doc or write one adaptive decision brief under context/docs/ only when durable capture reduces future risk. Preserve chosen direction, rejected alternatives, rationale, source nuance, unresolved risks, and the Probe Pack needed for execution.
Probe Pack: acceptance probes, adversarial examples, compatibility checks, non-goals, safe defaults, true blockers, executor-owned design space, and a final source-review checklist. A planned execution handoff is not ready without probes.
Probe Note: the small-task version of a Probe Pack. For known-change requests, keep it concise and usually in chat or handoff text; do not write context/docs/ unless the user asked for durable docs or cross-session handoff requires it.