Pack Availability Guard
Before telling the user to run a skill from another project-local pack, check .agents/project.json.enabled_packs. If the target pack is not enabled, recommend /pack install <pack> instead of the target skill. Global skills are always valid. Skills from this same pack are valid because the current skill is already running from that pack.
ICP — Research-Driven Customer Discovery
Report-First Approval Gate
Default to report-only: present findings, evidence coverage, assumptions, recommended artifact path, and proposed file changes in a pre-approval alignment page plus a concise conversation summary for user approval before creating or updating canonical research, spec, or task files.
Do not write or overwrite synthesized deliverables until the user explicitly approves, unless the user invoked an explicit write/update/fix mode or clearly asked to write files upfront. Raw evidence capture may be persisted before analysis when reproducibility requires it; report those raw paths separately and still gate synthesized research/report writes.
When stopping for approval, build and attempt to open the alignment preview page first, then ask the user to review it and approve, question, or request adjustments. Do not include Recommended next skill, Recommended next command, or downstream routing language. The approval request itself is the next action. Only emit next-skill routing after the approved artifact has been written or updated.
Automated research that identifies multiple ICP candidates, maps their pain points and value props, scores them, and selects a primary ICP. Replaces interview-driven approaches with web search + codebase analysis. Input is a spec file path, concept/idea as $ARGUMENTS, or research/idea-brief.md / research/{slug}/idea-brief.md when present.
The output preserves the canonical 9-section format at the top level (for downstream compatibility with /spec-interview, /mvp-gap, /roadmap, /journey-map) while adding multi-ICP analysis, cross-ICP prioritization, and a supplementary section 10 (## Discovery & Evaluation Behavior) that captures how personas find, evaluate, and choose solutions.
Process
0. Product-Path Scope Resolution
Resolve research scope by product path before using code or app structure as a hint:
- If
$ARGUMENTS names a non-archived research/{slug}/ directory or a product-path ID whose scope_path points there, use that path. Treat {slug} as the product/app name, not the ICP, audience, or segment label.
- If
$ARGUMENTS names only research/_archive/{slug}/ or a manifest entry with status: archived or legacy status: abandoned, stop and warn that the path is archived; do not write or update scoped outputs there.
- Read
research/.progress.yaml when present. Normalize legacy active_path to active_paths on read and write back active_paths on manifest updates. Treat legacy abandoned as archived; exclude archived, abandoned, deferred, revisit_candidate, promoted, and any scope_path under research/_archive/ from active target selection.
- If active product paths exist in the manifest, use those paths. If multiple active paths exist, ask which one to target unless this skill explicitly supports cross-path output.
- If no active manifest target exists, list non-archived product directories under
research/, excluding research/_archive/ and dot directories. Auto-select only when exactly one exists; ask when multiple exist.
- If no product directories exist, use flat
research/ single-product mode.
- Detect monorepo/app/package structure only as a secondary hint. Suggest creating a missing
research/{slug}/ product path when code clearly exposes an app, but do not require code or monorepo detection before using research/{slug}/.
When product path {slug} is active, read and write research under research/{slug}/, specs under specs/{slug}/, and treat top-level research/*.md files as flat-mode documents or cross-path summaries.
1. Parse Input & Gather Context
Read $ARGUMENTS:
- If it's a file path, read the file for product/concept context
- If it's text, treat it as the concept or idea description
- If empty, check for
research/{slug}/idea-brief.md in product-path scope or research/idea-brief.md in flat scope first; then check specs/spec.md, specs/plan.md, or README for context — if nothing exists, ask the user what product or idea to research
Read product-path manifest if present:
Read research/.progress.yaml when present. Normalize active_path (singular legacy) to active_paths (plural list) when reading; treat legacy abandoned as archived and exclude archived/deferred/revisit/promoted paths plus research/_archive/ scopes from active target selection. Use active_paths to identify current product/app/ICP focuses and product_paths[] to preserve secondary product paths without treating them as git branches or parallel implementation lanes.
Read idea brief if present:
Read research/{slug}/idea-brief.md in product-path scope, or research/idea-brief.md in flat scope, whenever it exists. Treat it as starting context and source hypotheses, not as settled truth. Use its problem hypothesis, beneficiary hypothesis, value wedge, constraints, non-goals, and ICP readiness notes to frame search queries and candidate generation. If $ARGUMENTS conflicts with the idea brief, flag the mismatch at the first checkpoint and ask which premise should guide ICP research.
Read codebase (if it exists):
Read CLAUDE.md, README, package config, key source files, routes, and data models to understand what's been built. This grounds the research in reality rather than pure market abstraction.
Read existing research (research/icp.md, research/competitive-analysis.md, etc.) and specs if they exist — use as background context but do not treat as settled. This research may reshape direction.
Use code/app hints secondarily:
Check for monorepo indicators (turbo.json, pnpm-workspace.yaml, lerna.json, nx.json, or package.json workspaces), app folders, or package folders only after product-path resolution. If multiple active product paths exist, or if this run is explicitly producing a cross-path overview, run the full ICP process separately for each product path — produce research/{slug}/icp.md per path, plus a unified research/icp.md that cross-references all product-path ICPs with top-level prioritization. If code clearly exposes a user-facing app without a matching product path, suggest creating research/{slug}/ instead of treating monorepo detection as a gate.
Migrate flat files when product paths are introduced: If canonical flat research/*.md files exist and the user chooses or creates a product path, offer to move path-specific canonical docs into research/{chosen-slug}/. Leave or regenerate top-level files only when they are cross-path summaries.
Migrate old convention: If research/icp-{slug}.md files exist (old naming), offer to move them to research/{slug}/icp.md (and corresponding search logs to research/{slug}/icp-search-log.md). Create the subdirectories as needed.
2. Broad Market Research
Use WebSearch with 8–12 diverse query strategies to cast a wide net. Log every search query and key findings to the research log.
Query strategies (adapt to the specific domain):
- Direct persona searches — "who buys [category]", "[category] buyer persona"
- Pain point searches — "[domain] biggest challenges", "[workflow] frustrations"
- Market segment searches — "[category] market segments", "[category] by company size"
- Trend searches — "[category] trends 2025 2026", "future of [domain]"
- Competitor user searches — "[competitor] customers", "[competitor] case studies", "[competitor] reviews"
- Forum/community searches — "[domain] reddit complaints", "[domain] community pain points"
- Job posting searches — "[related role] job description responsibilities" (reveals workflows)
- Industry report searches — "[category] market report", "[category] TAM"
- Switching trigger searches — "why switch from [incumbent]", "[category] migration"
- Adjacent market searches — "[related category] users", "[upstream/downstream] tools"
- Geographic/regulatory searches (if the domain has regional constraints) — "[category] by region", "[domain] regulations by country", "[category] adoption [region]"
- Named account searches (B2B) — "[competitor] customer list", "companies using [incumbent]", "[industry] companies that [trigger event]", "[category] case studies"
- Business model searches — "[category] business model", "[product] PLG vs sales-led", "[category] B2B vs B2C", "[category] marketplace", "[category] go-to-market motion"
- Willingness-to-pay signal searches — "[category] pricing complaints", "[category] budget", "[category] ROI", "[category] cost of manual process", "[competitor] pricing reviews", "[category] switching cost"
Use WebFetch to pull in particularly relevant pages for deeper analysis when search snippets aren't enough.
Classify the business model into one or more of: B2B SaaS (PLG), B2B SaaS (SLG), B2C, B2C subscription, marketplace/platform, B2B2C, D2C, open-source/open-core, API/developer-first. Document the classification with evidence in the search log. This classification gates which sub-sections appear in the ## Discovery & Evaluation Behavior.
3. Identify ICP Candidates — Present & Validate
From the research evidence, cluster findings into 2–5 distinct ICP candidates. For each candidate, note:
- Who they are (role, company type, size)
- What pain evidence exists
- How accessible they are (can we reach them?)
- How much value we could deliver
- How strong the WTP signal is: paid alternatives, budget owner/context, current spend or time-cost proxy, switching-cost tolerance, economic urgency, and pricing sensitivity cues
Checkpoint 1 — Present candidates to the user. Use the AskUserQuestion tool to show the ICP candidates with a brief rationale for each — cite the pain evidence found, accessibility signals, and value delivery reasoning from your search findings for each candidate. Then ask:
- "Do any of these surprise you? Is there a segment I'm missing?"
- "Any of these clearly wrong for your situation?"
Incorporate feedback before proceeding.
4. Deep Research Per ICP
For each validated ICP candidate, run targeted searches to fill the 9-section framework:
- Customer Profile — buyer persona, budget authority, discovery channels. Include conditional sub-sections:
- Geographic Focus (include only if the product has regulatory, language, compliance, or market-specific constraints) — initial target geography/region, why that region first, and expansion sequence. Search for "[category] by region", "[domain] regulations by country".
- Named Accounts (include for B2B ICPs) — 5–10 real companies that fit this ICP. For each, note company name, approximate size, industry, and why they fit (e.g., uses the incumbent, recently hit a trigger event, posted a relevant job listing). Search for "[competitor] customer list", "companies using [incumbent]", "[industry] companies that [trigger event]".
- Business Model & Go-to-Market Motion — model type (B2B/B2C/marketplace/B2B2C/D2C/hybrid) with evidence; primary motion (PLG, sales-led, community-led, partner-led, or hybrid); buyer-user relationship (same person, different people, or multi-sided).
- User Profile(s) — daily users, technical sophistication, goals, frustrations
- Trigger Events — what causes someone to start looking NOW? Job changes, growth milestones, compliance deadlines, tool sunsets, contract renewals, team scaling pain, funding events, new regulations. Search for "[category] buying triggers", "why companies switch [category]", "[incumbent] churn reasons". Rank by frequency and urgency.
- Current State Journey — step-by-step workflow without our product
- Pain Map — where the current state breaks down, severity, frequency
- Current Alternatives (User Perspective) — what users say they currently use or have tried, in their own words. Capture tool/process names without analysing competitors
- Market Sizing — TAM (total addressable market), SAM (serviceable), SOM (obtainable). Search for "[category] market size", "[category] TAM", "[category] number of companies". Use company counts, average deal size signals, and segment data to build bottom-up estimates. Flag confidence level (strong data vs. rough extrapolation).
- Stated Value Drivers — what customers say matters to them in their own language; the "aha moment" as users describe it, not strategic positioning. Include Willingness-to-Pay Signals as a bounded evidence subsection: paid alternatives, budget owner/context, current spend or time-cost proxy, switching-cost tolerance, economic urgency, and pricing sensitivity cues. Do not recommend prices, packages, or monetization strategy here.
- Customer ↔ User Dynamics — post-purchase buyer-user relationship: provisioning, onboarding, admin vs end-user dynamics. For B2B, the detailed buying process and decision-making unit live in
## Discovery & Evaluation Behavior; this section focuses on the post-purchase relationship.
- Discovery & Evaluation Behavior — how this persona found, evaluated, and chose solutions. Capture behavioural signals only (where they searched, who they asked, what they compared) — not channel strategy or GTM analysis. Use findings to populate section 10.
5. Score & Select Primary ICP — Present & Validate
Build a Value x Accessibility scoring matrix:
Value score (how much we can help):
- Pain severity and frequency
- Willingness to pay quality: active spend on alternatives, clear budget owner/context, high cost of inaction, tolerance for switching costs, urgency tied to measurable economic outcomes
- Size of the segment
- Alignment with what we've built (if codebase exists)
Accessibility score (how easy to reach and convert):
- Can we reach them through available channels?
- How long is the sales cycle?
- How complex is the buying process?
- Is there an existing community we can tap?
- Sales cycle length (shorter = higher score)
- DMU complexity (how many people must say yes)
- Champion availability (obvious internal advocate?)
- Budget alignment (budget cycle favors near-term purchase?)
Checkpoint 2 — Present the scoring matrix and primary ICP selection to the user. Use the AskUserQuestion tool to show the full matrix with scores and rationale, then ask:
- "Does this ranking match your intuition? Any factors I'm not weighing correctly?"
- If scores are close between candidates, ask which trade-offs the user prefers
Incorporate feedback before proceeding.
6. Cross-ICP Analysis — Present & Validate
Analyze across all ICP candidates:
- Shared pains — what pain points appear across multiple ICPs?
- Conflicts — where would serving one ICP hurt another?
- Product line recommendations — could different ICPs be served by different tiers/plans?
- Build sequence — which ICP to target first, second, third and why?
- Lowest-hanging fruit x most value — the prioritization sweet spot
- Discovery & evaluation comparison — how discovery and evaluation behavior differs across ICPs; do different ICPs find and choose solutions through different paths?
Convert secondary ICPs, product-line recommendations, and materially different Cross-ICP Analysis outcomes into research/.progress.yaml product_paths[] entries when they imply a different product surface, product-path scope, audience-first path, or future pivot. Manifest entries must include id, label, source_skill: icp, scope_path, status, reason, archive_reason, archived_at, promoted_at, evidence_refs, revisit_trigger, next_skill, last_touched, and pipeline_stage: icp.
Keep the selected primary ICP in active_paths by default. Recommend /product-line activate when secondary ICPs suggest a materially different product surface worth exploring again. Mark non-selected ICP/product paths status: deferred or status: revisit_candidate; do not run full competitive analysis, positioning, journey mapping, UX, or specs for every deferred path unless the user activates one.
Checkpoint 3 — Present the cross-ICP analysis and recommended build sequence to the user. Use the AskUserQuestion tool to show the analysis with evidence: shared pains with source data from each ICP, conflicts with specific examples, and build sequence rationale grounded in the scoring matrix. Then ask:
- "Does this sequencing make sense for where you are right now?"
- If conflicts exist between ICPs, ask the user to weigh in on the trade-offs
Incorporate feedback before proceeding.
7. Populate Next Steps
Before writing, check which files exist to populate the ## Next Steps section contextually. Include 3–5 applicable items with a "Recommended + Other options" framing — the first matching condition becomes the Recommended item, remaining items become Other options:
- ALWAYS:
/competitive-analysis — Research competitors and market gaps for this ICP
- IF no
specs/ directory or it's empty: /competitive-analysis — Map the competitive landscape for this ICP's market
- IF
specs/ exist but no research/journey-map.md: check .agents/project.json.enabled_packs for customer-lifecycle — if customer-lifecycle is not enabled, recommend /pack install customer-lifecycle first; if customer-lifecycle is enabled, recommend /journey-map — Map how this ICP flows through the product
- IF codebase exists: check
.agents/project.json.enabled_packs for business-ops — if business-ops is not enabled, recommend /pack install business-ops first; if business-ops is enabled, recommend /mvp-gap — Evaluate what's built against this ICP
- IF
research/competitive-analysis.md exists: check .agents/project.json.enabled_packs for product-design — if product-design is not enabled, recommend /pack install product-design first; if product-design is enabled, recommend /brainstorm — Generate ideas from ICP needs + competitive gaps
Impact-aware adjustments:
- IF downstream impact is Major: prepend
/reconcile-research — [N] conflicts found in downstream docs as the first item
- IF downstream impact is Minor: annotate relevant skill suggestions with "(stale — [brief description])"
- If downstream impact has not been classified yet, run the downstream impact check against the proposed output before selecting the final recommendation. Do not emit a Minor/Major impact recommendation speculatively.
8. Final Review & Write
Present the complete findings summary to the user — primary ICP, key sections, cross-ICP analysis, and build sequence. Ask:
- "Ready to write this to
research/icp.md? Anything to adjust first?"
Only after the user confirms, write the output files.
After writing is complete, repeat the Recommended next step from the generated ## Next Steps section in the final chat response.
9. Downstream Impact Check
After writing, check for downstream research documents that may be affected by what was just decided. Only check documents that exist on disk.
Downstream documents to check (use {slug}/ prefix when product-path scope is active):
research/competitive-analysis.md
research/journey-map.md
research/metrics.md
research/gtm.md
research/monetization.md
research/enterprise-icp.md
research/customer-feedback.md
For each existing downstream document:
- Read it — focus on
> Based on: header, ## Summary, and sections that reference concepts this skill just defined or changed
- Identify specific conflicts: claims, assumptions, or references that contradict what was just decided. Examples:
- A persona name or description that no longer matches the ICP
- Competitive analysis positioning built on a different primary ICP
- Journey stages mapped for a different user profile
- Metric targets anchored to assumptions about a different ICP segment
- GTM messaging addressing pain points that shifted
- Monetization pricing tied to willingness-to-pay signals from a different ICP
- Enterprise ICP referencing a primary ICP that changed
- Customer feedback categorized against ICP segments that were restructured
- Note each conflict: downstream file, section, the stale claim (quote it), and what it should now say
Classify the impact:
- None: No downstream documents exist, or no conflicts found. Skip display entirely.
- Minor (1–2 small conflicts): Display conflicts to user inline.
- Major (3+ conflicts OR a foundational assumption changed — e.g., primary ICP shifted, key pain points redefined, user profiles restructured, value proposition changed): Display conflicts and strongly recommend
/reconcile-research.
Display to the user after showing the written file confirmation. This should be quick — one read per downstream doc, scan for conflicts against key decisions. Not a deep reconciliation.
Output
Write two files:
research/icp.md
Structure — the Primary ICP fills the canonical top-level sections:
# ICP: [Primary ICP Name]
> Primary ICP selected from [N] candidates. See Additional ICPs and Cross-ICP Analysis below.
> Search log: research/icp-search-log.md
## Customer Profile
[Buyer persona, budget authority, discovery channels]
### Geographic Focus
[Include only if the product has regulatory, language, or market-specific constraints.
Initial target geography/region, why that region first, expansion sequence.]
### Named Accounts
[Include for B2B ICPs. 5–10 real companies that fit this profile.
For each: company name, approximate size, industry, and why they fit.]
## User Profile(s)
[Daily user persona(s), technical sophistication, goals, frustrations]
## Trigger Events
[What causes them to start looking NOW — ranked by frequency and urgency.
Job changes, growth milestones, compliance deadlines, tool sunsets, contract renewals, etc.]
## Current State Journey
[Step-by-step workflow without our product]
## Pain Map
[Where the current state breaks down — severity, frequency]
## Current Alternatives (User Perspective)
[What users say they currently use or have tried — tool/process names in user language, not a competitive breakdown]
## Market Sizing
[TAM / SAM / SOM with methodology and confidence level.
Bottom-up: number of target companies × estimated deal size.
Top-down: industry reports, competitor revenue signals.]
## Stated Value Drivers
[What customers say matters — their language for the value they need, the "aha moment" as they describe it]
### Willingness-to-Pay Signals
[Evidence only: current paid alternatives, current spend or time-cost proxy, budget owner/context, switching-cost tolerance,
economic urgency, procurement or subscription constraints, and pricing sensitivity cues.
Do not recommend pricing or packaging; route raw signals to monetization.]
## Customer ↔ User Dynamics
[Post-purchase buyer-user relationship: provisioning, onboarding, admin vs end-user dynamics.
For B2B, the detailed buying process and DMU live in Discovery & Evaluation Behavior below;
this section focuses on the post-purchase relationship.]
## Discovery & Evaluation Behavior
### How They Find Solutions
[Where this persona searches — communities, review sites, peer recommendations, Google, events]
[Who they ask — colleagues, online communities, consultants, analysts]
### How They Evaluate
[What they compare — features, pricing, reviews, case studies, free trials]
[Decision-making process — solo, team, committee; timeline]
### How They Choose
[What tips the decision — peer recommendation, trial experience, brand trust, integration fit]
[Deal-breakers and must-haves from the user's perspective]
## Additional ICPs
### [ICP 2 Name]
#### Customer Profile
[Include Geographic Focus, Named Accounts, and Business Model & Go-to-Market Motion sub-sections where applicable]
...
#### User Profile(s)
...
#### Trigger Events
...
#### Current State Journey
...
#### Pain Map
...
#### Current Alternatives (User Perspective)
...
#### Market Sizing
...
#### Stated Value Drivers
...
#### Willingness-to-Pay Signals
...
#### Customer ↔ User Dynamics
...
#### Discovery & Evaluation Behavior
[Condensed: how they find, evaluate, and choose solutions — include only sub-sections relevant to this ICP]
### [ICP 3 Name]
...
## Cross-ICP Analysis
### Prioritization Matrix
| ICP | Value Score | Accessibility Score | Combined | Rationale |
|-----|------------|-------------------|----------|-----------|
| ... | | | | |
Scoring rationale must explicitly distinguish pain intensity from WTP quality. Strong WTP evidence includes active spend on alternatives, clear budget owner/context, high cost of inaction, tolerance for switching costs, and urgency tied to measurable economic outcomes. Weak WTP evidence includes verbal interest without budget, free-only behavior, unclear owner, or price sensitivity that outweighs pain.
### Shared Pain Points
[Pains that appear across multiple ICPs]
### Conflicts & Trade-offs
[Where serving one ICP would hurt another]
### Product Line Recommendations
[How different ICPs could map to tiers, plans, or product variants]
### Recommended Build Sequence
[Which ICP to target first → second → third, with reasoning]
### Discovery & Evaluation Comparison
[How discovery and evaluation behavior differs across ICPs]
[Do different ICPs find and choose solutions through different paths?]
<!-- Include this section only when downstream impact is Minor or Major. Omit entirely for None. -->
## Downstream Impact
> Checked: [list of downstream docs checked]
> Impact: Minor | Major
### Conflicts Found
1. **research/[file].md** — [Section Name]
- **Stale**: "[exact quote from downstream doc]"
- **Now**: [what this skill's output says instead]
[For Major only:]
> **Recommended action**: Run `/reconcile-research` to audit and fix all affected downstream documents.
## Next Steps
**Recommended:** [first matching item from step 7]
**Other options:**
- [remaining conditional items from step 7 — only include items whose conditions are met]
## Signals for Downstream Research
> Raw signals captured during research. These are unvalidated observations —
> use the linked skill to verify, validate, and explore alternatives.
### → /competitive-analysis
- [signal]: competitor names mentioned by users
- [signal]: tools users compare or say they evaluated
- [signal]: stated alternatives and what users say about them
### → /positioning
- [signal]: value language users use to describe what matters
- [signal]: differentiation claims users respond to
- [signal]: how users describe the problem in their own words
### → /monetization
- [signal]: budget ownership/context and willingness-to-pay evidence
- [signal]: current paid alternatives, spend proxies, or time-cost proxies
- [signal]: switching-cost tolerance and cost-of-inaction language
- [signal]: pricing sensitivity cues from user conversations
- [signal]: how users describe cost of current alternatives
### → /gtm
- [signal]: where users say they found or heard about solutions
- [signal]: community or channel mentions during research
- [signal]: peer recommendation patterns observed
research/icp-search-log.md
Raw research log containing:
- Every WebSearch query executed and why
- Key findings from each search (with source attribution)
- Evidence that supported or contradicted each ICP candidate
- The scoring rationale for primary ICP selection
- Any data gaps or areas where research was inconclusive
research/.progress.yaml
Product-path manifest created or updated when secondary ICPs, Cross-ICP Analysis, or product-line recommendations create parked or promotable paths. Status values include active, deferred, archived, promoted, and revisit_candidate.
Create the research/ directory if it doesn't exist.
Product-Path Output Convention
When multiple active product paths exist or the user asks for cross-path ICP output, write:
research/{slug}/icp.md — full 9-section ICP per product path (same structure as above)
research/{slug}/icp-search-log.md — search log per product path
research/icp.md — unified cross-path summary that references each product-path ICP, with a top-level prioritization of which product path and ICP combination to pursue first
Task Classification
When this skill produces follow-up work, file it by execution semantics:
- Immediately actionable implementation or documentation work goes in
tasks/todo.md.
- Human-only external actions tied to automated steps go in
tasks/manual-todo.md with _(blocks: Step N.X)_ or _(after: Step N.X)_; repo edits, SDK wiring, generated assets, local commands, tests, audits, and authenticated CLI/API work stay in tasks/todo.md.
- One-time condition-gated records, baselines, or future measurements go in
tasks/record-todo.md with source, condition, non-blocking reason, evidence, and promotion rule.
- Cadence-based reviews, playtests, adoption checks, investor updates, retros, or docs-health checks go in
tasks/recurring-todo.md with cadence, owner/agent, next due, evidence path, and escalation conditions.
- Do not put non-blocking records or recurring obligations in
tasks/todo.md unless they have been explicitly promoted into current execution work.
Constraints
- Stay in problem space. Do not propose features, architecture, UI, or technical solutions. That is
/spec-interview's job.
- Evidence-based. Every claim in the ICP document must trace back to research evidence logged in
research/icp-search-log.md. Do not fabricate personas from assumptions.
- In existing-project mode, note misalignments between what's built and what the ICP research suggests, but do not prescribe fixes — that's
/mvp-gap's job.
- Primary ICP must use the canonical 9 top-level
## sections — downstream skills (/spec-interview, /mvp-gap, /roadmap, /journey-map, /competitive-analysis) parse these exact headers. The renamed sections (Current Alternatives (User Perspective), Stated Value Drivers) replace the former Market Landscape and Value Proposition headers. Section 10 (## Discovery & Evaluation Behavior) is supplementary and does not affect downstream parsing.
- Section 10 captures behavioural signals only — how personas find, evaluate, and choose solutions. Do not include GTM strategy, channel analysis, budget authority, procurement process, or pricing expectations — those belong in downstream skills (
/gtm, /monetization, /enterprise-icp).
- WTP is evidence, not pricing strategy. Capture budget ownership, paid alternatives, current spend/time-cost proxies, switching-cost tolerance, economic urgency, and price sensitivity cues only as segment-fit and urgency evidence. Do not convert WTP evidence into pricing recommendations, packaging, discounting, ARPA targets, or monetization strategy; route those raw signals to
/monetization.
- Do not overwrite existing
research/icp.md without asking the user first.
- Minimum research depth: at least 8 WebSearch queries before identifying ICP candidates, then at least 2–3 targeted queries per candidate.
- Present before writing. Never write output files until findings have been presented to the user and validated through the checkpoint questions. The user must see and approve the analysis before anything is written to disk.
Alignment Page
When this skill produces durable deliverables (research, specs, plans, reports, prototypes, or any document output), build a full-depth HTML alignment page following ALIGNMENT-PAGE.md in this skill's directory. Output: alignment/icp-{topic}.html.
Default Shipping Contract
Follow the shared shipping contract convention in CLAUDE.md.
1---2name: icp-163description: Research-driven ICP discovery — web search + codebase analysis to identify multiple ICPs, pain points, value props, and cross-ICP prioritization4---5
6## Pack Availability Guard
7
8Before telling the user to run a skill from another project-local pack, check `.agents/project.json.enabled_packs`. If the target pack is not enabled, recommend `/pack install <pack>` instead of the target skill. Global skills are always valid. Skills from this same pack are valid because the current skill is already running from that pack.
9
10# ICP — Research-Driven Customer Discovery
11
12## Report-First Approval Gate
13
14Default to report-only: present findings, evidence coverage, assumptions, recommended artifact path, and proposed file changes in a pre-approval alignment page plus a concise conversation summary for user approval before creating or updating canonical research, spec, or task files.
15
16Do not write or overwrite synthesized deliverables until the user explicitly approves, unless the user invoked an explicit write/update/fix mode or clearly asked to write files upfront. Raw evidence capture may be persisted before analysis when reproducibility requires it; report those raw paths separately and still gate synthesized research/report writes.
17
18When stopping for approval, build and attempt to open the alignment preview page first, then ask the user to review it and approve, question, or request adjustments. Do not include `Recommended next skill`, `Recommended next command`, or downstream routing language. The approval request itself is the next action. Only emit next-skill routing after the approved artifact has been written or updated.
19
20Automated research that identifies **multiple ICP candidates**, maps their pain points and value props, scores them, and selects a primary ICP. Replaces interview-driven approaches with web search + codebase analysis. Input is a spec file path, concept/idea as `$ARGUMENTS`, or `research/idea-brief.md` / `research/{slug}/idea-brief.md` when present.
21
22The output preserves the canonical 9-section format at the top level (for downstream compatibility with `/spec-interview`, `/mvp-gap`, `/roadmap`, `/journey-map`) while adding multi-ICP analysis, cross-ICP prioritization, and a supplementary section 10 (`## Discovery & Evaluation Behavior`) that captures how personas find, evaluate, and choose solutions.
23
24## Process
25
26### 0. Product-Path Scope Resolution
27
28Resolve research scope by product path before using code or app structure as a hint:
29
301. If `$ARGUMENTS` names a non-archived `research/{slug}/` directory or a product-path ID whose `scope_path` points there, use that path. Treat `{slug}` as the product/app name, not the ICP, audience, or segment label.
312. If `$ARGUMENTS` names only `research/_archive/{slug}/` or a manifest entry with `status: archived` or legacy `status: abandoned`, stop and warn that the path is archived; do not write or update scoped outputs there.
323. Read `research/.progress.yaml` when present. Normalize legacy `active_path` to `active_paths` on read and write back `active_paths` on manifest updates. Treat legacy `abandoned` as `archived`; exclude `archived`, `abandoned`, `deferred`, `revisit_candidate`, `promoted`, and any `scope_path` under `research/_archive/` from active target selection.
334. If active product paths exist in the manifest, use those paths. If multiple active paths exist, ask which one to target unless this skill explicitly supports cross-path output.
345. If no active manifest target exists, list non-archived product directories under `research/`, excluding `research/_archive/` and dot directories. Auto-select only when exactly one exists; ask when multiple exist.
356. If no product directories exist, use flat `research/` single-product mode.
367. Detect monorepo/app/package structure only as a secondary hint. Suggest creating a missing `research/{slug}/` product path when code clearly exposes an app, but do not require code or monorepo detection before using `research/{slug}/`.
37
38When product path `{slug}` is active, read and write research under `research/{slug}/`, specs under `specs/{slug}/`, and treat top-level `research/*.md` files as flat-mode documents or cross-path summaries.
39
40### 1. Parse Input & Gather Context
41
42**Read `$ARGUMENTS`:**
43- If it's a file path, read the file for product/concept context
44- If it's text, treat it as the concept or idea description
45- If empty, check for `research/{slug}/idea-brief.md` in product-path scope or `research/idea-brief.md` in flat scope first; then check `specs/spec.md`, `specs/plan.md`, or README for context — if nothing exists, ask the user what product or idea to research
46
47**Read product-path manifest if present:**
48Read `research/.progress.yaml` when present. Normalize `active_path` (singular legacy) to `active_paths` (plural list) when reading; treat legacy `abandoned` as `archived` and exclude archived/deferred/revisit/promoted paths plus `research/_archive/` scopes from active target selection. Use `active_paths` to identify current product/app/ICP focuses and `product_paths[]` to preserve secondary product paths without treating them as git branches or parallel implementation lanes.
49
50**Read idea brief if present:**
51Read `research/{slug}/idea-brief.md` in product-path scope, or `research/idea-brief.md` in flat scope, whenever it exists. Treat it as starting context and source hypotheses, not as settled truth. Use its problem hypothesis, beneficiary hypothesis, value wedge, constraints, non-goals, and ICP readiness notes to frame search queries and candidate generation. If `$ARGUMENTS` conflicts with the idea brief, flag the mismatch at the first checkpoint and ask which premise should guide ICP research.
52
53**Read codebase (if it exists):**
54Read CLAUDE.md, README, package config, key source files, routes, and data models to understand what's been built. This grounds the research in reality rather than pure market abstraction.
55
56**Read existing research** (`research/icp.md`, `research/competitive-analysis.md`, etc.) and specs if they exist — use as background context but do not treat as settled. This research may reshape direction.
57
58**Use code/app hints secondarily:**
59Check for monorepo indicators (`turbo.json`, `pnpm-workspace.yaml`, `lerna.json`, `nx.json`, or `package.json` workspaces), app folders, or package folders only after product-path resolution. If multiple active product paths exist, or if this run is explicitly producing a cross-path overview, run the full ICP process separately for each product path — produce `research/{slug}/icp.md` per path, plus a unified `research/icp.md` that cross-references all product-path ICPs with top-level prioritization. If code clearly exposes a user-facing app without a matching product path, suggest creating `research/{slug}/` instead of treating monorepo detection as a gate.
60
61**Migrate flat files when product paths are introduced:** If canonical flat `research/*.md` files exist and the user chooses or creates a product path, offer to move path-specific canonical docs into `research/{chosen-slug}/`. Leave or regenerate top-level files only when they are cross-path summaries.
62
63**Migrate old convention:** If `research/icp-{slug}.md` files exist (old naming), offer to move them to `research/{slug}/icp.md` (and corresponding search logs to `research/{slug}/icp-search-log.md`). Create the subdirectories as needed.
64
65### 2. Broad Market Research
66
67Use WebSearch with **8–12 diverse query strategies** to cast a wide net. Log every search query and key findings to the research log.
68
69Query strategies (adapt to the specific domain):
701. **Direct persona searches** — "who buys [category]", "[category] buyer persona"
712. **Pain point searches** — "[domain] biggest challenges", "[workflow] frustrations"
723. **Market segment searches** — "[category] market segments", "[category] by company size"
734. **Trend searches** — "[category] trends 2025 2026", "future of [domain]"
745. **Competitor user searches** — "[competitor] customers", "[competitor] case studies", "[competitor] reviews"
756. **Forum/community searches** — "[domain] reddit complaints", "[domain] community pain points"
767. **Job posting searches** — "[related role] job description responsibilities" (reveals workflows)
778. **Industry report searches** — "[category] market report", "[category] TAM"
789. **Switching trigger searches** — "why switch from [incumbent]", "[category] migration"
7910. **Adjacent market searches** — "[related category] users", "[upstream/downstream] tools"
8011. **Geographic/regulatory searches** (if the domain has regional constraints) — "[category] by region", "[domain] regulations by country", "[category] adoption [region]"
8112. **Named account searches** (B2B) — "[competitor] customer list", "companies using [incumbent]", "[industry] companies that [trigger event]", "[category] case studies"
8213. **Business model searches** — "[category] business model", "[product] PLG vs sales-led", "[category] B2B vs B2C", "[category] marketplace", "[category] go-to-market motion"
8314. **Willingness-to-pay signal searches** — "[category] pricing complaints", "[category] budget", "[category] ROI", "[category] cost of manual process", "[competitor] pricing reviews", "[category] switching cost"
84
85Use WebFetch to pull in particularly relevant pages for deeper analysis when search snippets aren't enough.
86
87**Classify the business model** into one or more of: B2B SaaS (PLG), B2B SaaS (SLG), B2C, B2C subscription, marketplace/platform, B2B2C, D2C, open-source/open-core, API/developer-first. Document the classification with evidence in the search log. This classification gates which sub-sections appear in the `## Discovery & Evaluation Behavior`.
88
89### 3. Identify ICP Candidates — Present & Validate
90
91From the research evidence, cluster findings into **2–5 distinct ICP candidates**. For each candidate, note:
92- Who they are (role, company type, size)
93- What pain evidence exists
94- How accessible they are (can we reach them?)
95- How much value we could deliver
96- How strong the WTP signal is: paid alternatives, budget owner/context, current spend or time-cost proxy, switching-cost tolerance, economic urgency, and pricing sensitivity cues
97
98**Checkpoint 1 — Present candidates to the user.** Use the AskUserQuestion tool to show the ICP candidates with a brief rationale for each — cite the pain evidence found, accessibility signals, and value delivery reasoning from your search findings for each candidate. Then ask:
99- "Do any of these surprise you? Is there a segment I'm missing?"
100- "Any of these clearly wrong for your situation?"
101
102Incorporate feedback before proceeding.
103
104### 4. Deep Research Per ICP
105
106For each validated ICP candidate, run **targeted searches** to fill the 9-section framework:
107
108- **Customer Profile** — buyer persona, budget authority, discovery channels. Include conditional sub-sections:
109 - **Geographic Focus** (include only if the product has regulatory, language, compliance, or market-specific constraints) — initial target geography/region, why that region first, and expansion sequence. Search for "[category] by region", "[domain] regulations by country".
110 - **Named Accounts** (include for B2B ICPs) — 5–10 real companies that fit this ICP. For each, note company name, approximate size, industry, and why they fit (e.g., uses the incumbent, recently hit a trigger event, posted a relevant job listing). Search for "[competitor] customer list", "companies using [incumbent]", "[industry] companies that [trigger event]".
111 - **Business Model & Go-to-Market Motion** — model type (B2B/B2C/marketplace/B2B2C/D2C/hybrid) with evidence; primary motion (PLG, sales-led, community-led, partner-led, or hybrid); buyer-user relationship (same person, different people, or multi-sided).
112- **User Profile(s)** — daily users, technical sophistication, goals, frustrations
113- **Trigger Events** — what causes someone to start looking NOW? Job changes, growth milestones, compliance deadlines, tool sunsets, contract renewals, team scaling pain, funding events, new regulations. Search for "[category] buying triggers", "why companies switch [category]", "[incumbent] churn reasons". Rank by frequency and urgency.
114- **Current State Journey** — step-by-step workflow without our product
115- **Pain Map** — where the current state breaks down, severity, frequency
116- **Current Alternatives (User Perspective)** — what users say they currently use or have tried, in their own words. Capture tool/process names without analysing competitors
117- **Market Sizing** — TAM (total addressable market), SAM (serviceable), SOM (obtainable). Search for "[category] market size", "[category] TAM", "[category] number of companies". Use company counts, average deal size signals, and segment data to build bottom-up estimates. Flag confidence level (strong data vs. rough extrapolation).
118- **Stated Value Drivers** — what customers say matters to them in their own language; the "aha moment" as users describe it, not strategic positioning. Include **Willingness-to-Pay Signals** as a bounded evidence subsection: paid alternatives, budget owner/context, current spend or time-cost proxy, switching-cost tolerance, economic urgency, and pricing sensitivity cues. Do not recommend prices, packages, or monetization strategy here.
119- **Customer ↔ User Dynamics** — post-purchase buyer-user relationship: provisioning, onboarding, admin vs end-user dynamics. For B2B, the detailed buying process and decision-making unit live in `## Discovery & Evaluation Behavior`; this section focuses on the post-purchase relationship.
120- **Discovery & Evaluation Behavior** — how this persona found, evaluated, and chose solutions. Capture behavioural signals only (where they searched, who they asked, what they compared) — not channel strategy or GTM analysis. Use findings to populate section 10.
121
122### 5. Score & Select Primary ICP — Present & Validate
123
124Build a **Value x Accessibility** scoring matrix:
125
126**Value score** (how much we can help):
127- Pain severity and frequency
128- Willingness to pay quality: active spend on alternatives, clear budget owner/context, high cost of inaction, tolerance for switching costs, urgency tied to measurable economic outcomes
129- Size of the segment
130- Alignment with what we've built (if codebase exists)
131
132**Accessibility score** (how easy to reach and convert):
133- Can we reach them through available channels?
134- How long is the sales cycle?
135- How complex is the buying process?
136- Is there an existing community we can tap?
137- Sales cycle length (shorter = higher score)
138- DMU complexity (how many people must say yes)
139- Champion availability (obvious internal advocate?)
140- Budget alignment (budget cycle favors near-term purchase?)
141
142**Checkpoint 2 — Present the scoring matrix and primary ICP selection to the user.** Use the AskUserQuestion tool to show the full matrix with scores and rationale, then ask:
143- "Does this ranking match your intuition? Any factors I'm not weighing correctly?"
144- If scores are close between candidates, ask which trade-offs the user prefers
145
146Incorporate feedback before proceeding.
147
148### 6. Cross-ICP Analysis — Present & Validate
149
150Analyze across all ICP candidates:
151- **Shared pains** — what pain points appear across multiple ICPs?
152- **Conflicts** — where would serving one ICP hurt another?
153- **Product line recommendations** — could different ICPs be served by different tiers/plans?
154- **Build sequence** — which ICP to target first, second, third and why?
155- **Lowest-hanging fruit x most value** — the prioritization sweet spot
156- **Discovery & evaluation comparison** — how discovery and evaluation behavior differs across ICPs; do different ICPs find and choose solutions through different paths?
157
158Convert secondary ICPs, product-line recommendations, and materially different Cross-ICP Analysis outcomes into `research/.progress.yaml` `product_paths[]` entries when they imply a different product surface, product-path scope, audience-first path, or future pivot. Manifest entries must include `id`, `label`, `source_skill: icp`, `scope_path`, `status`, `reason`, `archive_reason`, `archived_at`, `promoted_at`, `evidence_refs`, `revisit_trigger`, `next_skill`, `last_touched`, and `pipeline_stage: icp`.
159
160Keep the selected primary ICP in `active_paths` by default. Recommend `/product-line activate` when secondary ICPs suggest a materially different product surface worth exploring again. Mark non-selected ICP/product paths `status: deferred` or `status: revisit_candidate`; do not run full competitive analysis, positioning, journey mapping, UX, or specs for every deferred path unless the user activates one.
161
162**Checkpoint 3 — Present the cross-ICP analysis and recommended build sequence to the user.** Use the AskUserQuestion tool to show the analysis with evidence: shared pains with source data from each ICP, conflicts with specific examples, and build sequence rationale grounded in the scoring matrix. Then ask:
163- "Does this sequencing make sense for where you are right now?"
164- If conflicts exist between ICPs, ask the user to weigh in on the trade-offs
165
166Incorporate feedback before proceeding.
167
168### 7. Populate Next Steps
169
170Before writing, check which files exist to populate the `## Next Steps` section contextually. Include 3–5 applicable items with a "Recommended + Other options" framing — the first matching condition becomes the **Recommended** item, remaining items become **Other options**:
171
172- ALWAYS: `/competitive-analysis` — Research competitors and market gaps for this ICP
173- IF no `specs/` directory or it's empty: `/competitive-analysis` — Map the competitive landscape for this ICP's market
174- IF `specs/` exist but no `research/journey-map.md`: check `.agents/project.json.enabled_packs` for `customer-lifecycle` — if `customer-lifecycle` is not enabled, recommend `/pack install customer-lifecycle` first; if `customer-lifecycle` is enabled, recommend `/journey-map` — Map how this ICP flows through the product
175- IF codebase exists: check `.agents/project.json.enabled_packs` for `business-ops` — if `business-ops` is not enabled, recommend `/pack install business-ops` first; if `business-ops` is enabled, recommend `/mvp-gap` — Evaluate what's built against this ICP
176- IF `research/competitive-analysis.md` exists: check `.agents/project.json.enabled_packs` for `product-design` — if `product-design` is not enabled, recommend `/pack install product-design` first; if `product-design` is enabled, recommend `/brainstorm` — Generate ideas from ICP needs + competitive gaps
177
178**Impact-aware adjustments:**
179- IF downstream impact is **Major**: prepend `/reconcile-research — [N] conflicts found in downstream docs` as the first item
180- IF downstream impact is **Minor**: annotate relevant skill suggestions with "(stale — [brief description])"
181- If downstream impact has not been classified yet, run the downstream impact check against the proposed output before selecting the final recommendation. Do not emit a Minor/Major impact recommendation speculatively.
182
183### 8. Final Review & Write
184
185Present the **complete findings summary** to the user — primary ICP, key sections, cross-ICP analysis, and build sequence. Ask:
186- "Ready to write this to `research/icp.md`? Anything to adjust first?"
187
188Only after the user confirms, write the output files.
189
190**After writing is complete, repeat the Recommended next step from the generated `## Next Steps` section in the final chat response.**
191
192### 9. Downstream Impact Check
193
194After writing, check for downstream research documents that may be affected by what was just decided. Only check documents that exist on disk.
195
196**Downstream documents to check** (use `{slug}/` prefix when product-path scope is active):
197- `research/competitive-analysis.md`
198- `research/journey-map.md`
199- `research/metrics.md`
200- `research/gtm.md`
201- `research/monetization.md`
202- `research/enterprise-icp.md`
203- `research/customer-feedback.md`
204
205For each existing downstream document:
2061. Read it — focus on `> Based on:` header, `## Summary`, and sections that reference concepts this skill just defined or changed
2072. Identify **specific conflicts**: claims, assumptions, or references that contradict what was just decided. Examples:
208 - A persona name or description that no longer matches the ICP
209 - Competitive analysis positioning built on a different primary ICP
210 - Journey stages mapped for a different user profile
211 - Metric targets anchored to assumptions about a different ICP segment
212 - GTM messaging addressing pain points that shifted
213 - Monetization pricing tied to willingness-to-pay signals from a different ICP
214 - Enterprise ICP referencing a primary ICP that changed
215 - Customer feedback categorized against ICP segments that were restructured
2163. Note each conflict: downstream file, section, the stale claim (quote it), and what it should now say
217
218**Classify the impact**:
219- **None**: No downstream documents exist, or no conflicts found. Skip display entirely.
220- **Minor** (1–2 small conflicts): Display conflicts to user inline.
221- **Major** (3+ conflicts OR a foundational assumption changed — e.g., primary ICP shifted, key pain points redefined, user profiles restructured, value proposition changed): Display conflicts and strongly recommend `/reconcile-research`.
222
223Display to the user after showing the written file confirmation. This should be quick — one read per downstream doc, scan for conflicts against key decisions. Not a deep reconciliation.
224
225## Output
226
227Write two files:
228
229### `research/icp.md`
230
231Structure — the **Primary ICP** fills the canonical top-level sections:
232
233```markdown
234# ICP: [Primary ICP Name]
235
236> Primary ICP selected from [N] candidates. See Additional ICPs and Cross-ICP Analysis below.
237> Search log: research/icp-search-log.md
238
239## Customer Profile
240[Buyer persona, budget authority, discovery channels]
241
242### Geographic Focus
243[Include only if the product has regulatory, language, or market-specific constraints.
244 Initial target geography/region, why that region first, expansion sequence.]
245
246### Named Accounts
247[Include for B2B ICPs. 5–10 real companies that fit this profile.
248 For each: company name, approximate size, industry, and why they fit.]
249
250## User Profile(s)
251[Daily user persona(s), technical sophistication, goals, frustrations]
252
253## Trigger Events
254[What causes them to start looking NOW — ranked by frequency and urgency.
255 Job changes, growth milestones, compliance deadlines, tool sunsets, contract renewals, etc.]
256
257## Current State Journey
258[Step-by-step workflow without our product]
259
260## Pain Map
261[Where the current state breaks down — severity, frequency]
262
263## Current Alternatives (User Perspective)
264[What users say they currently use or have tried — tool/process names in user language, not a competitive breakdown]
265
266## Market Sizing
267[TAM / SAM / SOM with methodology and confidence level.
268 Bottom-up: number of target companies × estimated deal size.
269 Top-down: industry reports, competitor revenue signals.]
270
271## Stated Value Drivers
272[What customers say matters — their language for the value they need, the "aha moment" as they describe it]
273
274### Willingness-to-Pay Signals
275[Evidence only: current paid alternatives, current spend or time-cost proxy, budget owner/context, switching-cost tolerance,
276economic urgency, procurement or subscription constraints, and pricing sensitivity cues.
277Do not recommend pricing or packaging; route raw signals to monetization.]
278
279## Customer ↔ User Dynamics
280[Post-purchase buyer-user relationship: provisioning, onboarding, admin vs end-user dynamics.
281 For B2B, the detailed buying process and DMU live in Discovery & Evaluation Behavior below;
282 this section focuses on the post-purchase relationship.]
283
284## Discovery & Evaluation Behavior
285
286### How They Find Solutions
287[Where this persona searches — communities, review sites, peer recommendations, Google, events]
288[Who they ask — colleagues, online communities, consultants, analysts]
289
290### How They Evaluate
291[What they compare — features, pricing, reviews, case studies, free trials]
292[Decision-making process — solo, team, committee; timeline]
293
294### How They Choose
295[What tips the decision — peer recommendation, trial experience, brand trust, integration fit]
296[Deal-breakers and must-haves from the user's perspective]
297
298## Additional ICPs
299
300### [ICP 2 Name]
301#### Customer Profile
302[Include Geographic Focus, Named Accounts, and Business Model & Go-to-Market Motion sub-sections where applicable]
303...
304#### User Profile(s)
305...
306#### Trigger Events
307...
308#### Current State Journey
309...
310#### Pain Map
311...
312#### Current Alternatives (User Perspective)
313...
314#### Market Sizing
315...
316#### Stated Value Drivers
317...
318#### Willingness-to-Pay Signals
319...
320#### Customer ↔ User Dynamics
321...
322#### Discovery & Evaluation Behavior
323[Condensed: how they find, evaluate, and choose solutions — include only sub-sections relevant to this ICP]
324
325### [ICP 3 Name]
326...
327
328## Cross-ICP Analysis
329
330### Prioritization Matrix
331| ICP | Value Score | Accessibility Score | Combined | Rationale |
332|-----|------------|-------------------|----------|-----------|
333| ... | | | | |
334
335Scoring rationale must explicitly distinguish pain intensity from WTP quality. Strong WTP evidence includes active spend on alternatives, clear budget owner/context, high cost of inaction, tolerance for switching costs, and urgency tied to measurable economic outcomes. Weak WTP evidence includes verbal interest without budget, free-only behavior, unclear owner, or price sensitivity that outweighs pain.
336
337### Shared Pain Points
338[Pains that appear across multiple ICPs]
339
340### Conflicts & Trade-offs
341[Where serving one ICP would hurt another]
342
343### Product Line Recommendations
344[How different ICPs could map to tiers, plans, or product variants]
345
346### Recommended Build Sequence
347[Which ICP to target first → second → third, with reasoning]
348
349### Discovery & Evaluation Comparison
350[How discovery and evaluation behavior differs across ICPs]
351[Do different ICPs find and choose solutions through different paths?]
352
353<!-- Include this section only when downstream impact is Minor or Major. Omit entirely for None. -->
354## Downstream Impact
355
356> Checked: [list of downstream docs checked]
357> Impact: Minor | Major
358
359### Conflicts Found
360
3611. **research/[file].md** — [Section Name]
362 - **Stale**: "[exact quote from downstream doc]"
363 - **Now**: [what this skill's output says instead]
364
365[For Major only:]
366> **Recommended action**: Run `/reconcile-research` to audit and fix all affected downstream documents.
367
368## Next Steps
369
370**Recommended:** [first matching item from step 7]
371
372**Other options:**
373- [remaining conditional items from step 7 — only include items whose conditions are met]
374
375## Signals for Downstream Research
376
377> Raw signals captured during research. These are unvalidated observations —
378> use the linked skill to verify, validate, and explore alternatives.
379
380### → /competitive-analysis
381- [signal]: competitor names mentioned by users
382- [signal]: tools users compare or say they evaluated
383- [signal]: stated alternatives and what users say about them
384
385### → /positioning
386- [signal]: value language users use to describe what matters
387- [signal]: differentiation claims users respond to
388- [signal]: how users describe the problem in their own words
389
390### → /monetization
391- [signal]: budget ownership/context and willingness-to-pay evidence
392- [signal]: current paid alternatives, spend proxies, or time-cost proxies
393- [signal]: switching-cost tolerance and cost-of-inaction language
394- [signal]: pricing sensitivity cues from user conversations
395- [signal]: how users describe cost of current alternatives
396
397### → /gtm
398- [signal]: where users say they found or heard about solutions
399- [signal]: community or channel mentions during research
400- [signal]: peer recommendation patterns observed
401```
402
403### `research/icp-search-log.md`
404
405Raw research log containing:
406- Every WebSearch query executed and why
407- Key findings from each search (with source attribution)
408- Evidence that supported or contradicted each ICP candidate
409- The scoring rationale for primary ICP selection
410- Any data gaps or areas where research was inconclusive
411
412### `research/.progress.yaml`
413
414Product-path manifest created or updated when secondary ICPs, Cross-ICP Analysis, or product-line recommendations create parked or promotable paths. Status values include `active`, `deferred`, `archived`, `promoted`, and `revisit_candidate`.
415
416Create the `research/` directory if it doesn't exist.
417
418### Product-Path Output Convention
419
420When multiple active product paths exist or the user asks for cross-path ICP output, write:
421- `research/{slug}/icp.md` — full 9-section ICP per product path (same structure as above)
422- `research/{slug}/icp-search-log.md` — search log per product path
423- `research/icp.md` — unified cross-path summary that references each product-path ICP, with a top-level prioritization of which product path and ICP combination to pursue first
424
425## Task Classification
426
427When this skill produces follow-up work, file it by execution semantics:
428
429- Immediately actionable implementation or documentation work goes in `tasks/todo.md`.
430- Human-only external actions tied to automated steps go in `tasks/manual-todo.md` with `_(blocks: Step N.X)_` or `_(after: Step N.X)_`; repo edits, SDK wiring, generated assets, local commands, tests, audits, and authenticated CLI/API work stay in `tasks/todo.md`.
431- One-time condition-gated records, baselines, or future measurements go in `tasks/record-todo.md` with source, condition, non-blocking reason, evidence, and promotion rule.
432- Cadence-based reviews, playtests, adoption checks, investor updates, retros, or docs-health checks go in `tasks/recurring-todo.md` with cadence, owner/agent, next due, evidence path, and escalation conditions.
433- Do not put non-blocking records or recurring obligations in `tasks/todo.md` unless they have been explicitly promoted into current execution work.
434
435## Constraints
436
437- **Stay in problem space.** Do not propose features, architecture, UI, or technical solutions. That is `/spec-interview`'s job.
438- **Evidence-based.** Every claim in the ICP document must trace back to research evidence logged in `research/icp-search-log.md`. Do not fabricate personas from assumptions.
439- **In existing-project mode**, note misalignments between what's built and what the ICP research suggests, but do not prescribe fixes — that's `/mvp-gap`'s job.
440- **Primary ICP must use the canonical 9 top-level `##` sections** — downstream skills (`/spec-interview`, `/mvp-gap`, `/roadmap`, `/journey-map`, `/competitive-analysis`) parse these exact headers. The renamed sections (`Current Alternatives (User Perspective)`, `Stated Value Drivers`) replace the former `Market Landscape` and `Value Proposition` headers. Section 10 (`## Discovery & Evaluation Behavior`) is supplementary and does not affect downstream parsing.
441- **Section 10 captures behavioural signals only** — how personas find, evaluate, and choose solutions. Do not include GTM strategy, channel analysis, budget authority, procurement process, or pricing expectations — those belong in downstream skills (`/gtm`, `/monetization`, `/enterprise-icp`).
442- **WTP is evidence, not pricing strategy.** Capture budget ownership, paid alternatives, current spend/time-cost proxies, switching-cost tolerance, economic urgency, and price sensitivity cues only as segment-fit and urgency evidence. Do not convert WTP evidence into pricing recommendations, packaging, discounting, ARPA targets, or monetization strategy; route those raw signals to `/monetization`.
443- **Do not overwrite existing `research/icp.md`** without asking the user first.
444- **Minimum research depth**: at least 8 WebSearch queries before identifying ICP candidates, then at least 2–3 targeted queries per candidate.
445- **Present before writing.** Never write output files until findings have been presented to the user and validated through the checkpoint questions. The user must see and approve the analysis before anything is written to disk.
446
447## Alignment Page
448
449When this skill produces durable deliverables (research, specs, plans, reports, prototypes, or any document output), build a full-depth HTML alignment page following `ALIGNMENT-PAGE.md` in this skill's directory. Output: `alignment/icp-{topic}.html`.
450
451## Default Shipping Contract
452
453Follow the shared shipping contract convention in CLAUDE.md.