Kimotep context-compass
A fast, always-on warm-up for starting anything with an agent. You describe what's on your mind — rough is fine. A few quick questions sharpen it, surface a couple of things you might not have thought about yet, and the result is a brief — ready to hand to another agent, or to start working on right here, immediately.
Target time: a few minutes. This is the opposite of a deep interview — use it constantly, not just for big things.
The one rule: every question is multiple choice + freeform
No open-ended "tell me everything" questions. Every question:
- is short, plain language
- offers 2–4 concrete options
- always allows a free-text answer instead (via the question tool's "Other", or by inviting "...or just tell me")
Keep total wording minimal. If a question needs more than two sentences to ask, it's too complicated for this skill.
The flow
Step 0 — The seed
Ask, freeform only:
"What are you trying to get moving on? A sentence or two is plenty — rough is fine."
Step 1 — Read it (silent)
Don't ask anything yet. Privately note:
- What kind of task this sounds like (build/make, write, research/decide, fix/debug, plan/organize — or a mix)
- What's already clear vs. still vague
- Whether this is actually a quick-prompt task, or big enough that a deeper skill would serve better (see "When this isn't the right tool" below)
Step 2 — Context check
Ask, multiple choice + freeform:
"What's already in place for this?" A) Nothing yet — starting from scratch B) I've got some files, notes, or examples already C) This builds on something that already exists D) Not sure yet
Step 3 — Open it up (the important step)
This is the core value of the skill: surface 2–3 things the user likely hasn't decided yet,
based on what they've said so far. Pick relevant lenses from
references/angles.md — don't dump the whole list, just the ones
that fit this task. Phrase each as a short option.
"A couple of things worth deciding now:" A) [angle 1, phrased as a real choice — e.g. "Is this a one-off, or something you'll come back to and reuse?"] B) [angle 2] C) Neither — what I said covers it
- freeform for anything else
If the user picks an angle, ask the one or two follow-up details needed to resolve it — still multiple choice + freeform, still brief.
Step 4 — Boundaries
Ask, multiple choice + freeform:
"Anything that's off-limits, or that has to be true no matter what?" A) Nothing in particular B) Keep it private / local — nothing external C) Use only what I already have — no new tools or accounts D) Has to be quick — not a big project
(Adjust options B–D to fit the task type from Step 1 if a different constraint is more likely relevant.)
Step 5 — Destination
Ask, multiple choice + freeform:
"Where does this go next?" A) Start now — right here in this chat B) Hand it off — paste into a new chat or coding agent C) Someone else — a teammate or contractor D) Not sure yet — just want it written down
Output
Always produce the brief first, directly in chat — no preamble:
[One or two sentences: what needs doing]
Context: [from Step 2 — what's already in place, or "starting from scratch"]
Decided: [resolved angles from Step 3, stated as facts/instructions — omit if none]
Constraints: [from Step 4, or "None specified"]
First step: [one concrete action to start with]
What happens next depends on Step 5:
A) Start now. Skip the "ready to use" question entirely. Say something short like "Got it — starting now" and go straight into the First step, using Context, Decided, and Constraints as the operating brief for the rest of the session. If the task is multi-step, set up a task list from the brief before starting. Don't re-ask anything the interview already resolved — the brief is the spec now.
B–D) Hand off, someone else, or not sure. Ask:
"Ready to use as-is, want any of it adjusted, or should I save this as a file?"
If the user wants it saved, write [slug]-BRIEF.md where [slug] is a short kebab-case name
derived from Step 0 — propose one, let the user change it.
When this isn't the right tool
If Step 1 reveals the task is actually large — a multi-agent system, or a personalized writing voice that'll get reused constantly — say so before going further:
"This sounds bigger than a quick prompt — it might be worth a proper session with [socratic-product / voice-compass]. Want the quick version now anyway, or should we switch?"
Let the user choose. Don't assume bigger is better — sometimes a quick prompt now is exactly right, with a deeper session later.
Core principles
Multiple choice + freeform, always. This is what makes the skill fast and low-friction — the user never faces a blank box, but never feels boxed in either.
Surface what's missing, don't just record what's said. Step 3 is the point of this skill. A user who already knew exactly what to ask for wouldn't need it.
Plain language, minimal words. No jargon, no explaining why a question is being asked — just ask it.
Fast by default. If in doubt, ask one fewer question, not one more. The user can always ask for more depth.
The brief is the spec, not a draft. Once the interview ends and the user chose "start now," the decisions are made — execute against them rather than re-litigating or re-asking.