majiayu000 Dialogue: Problem Framing Assessment
Assess whether a problem is sufficiently well-framed to proceed with implementation. This is a foundational checkpoint that validates understanding before committing to a solution approach.
Framework Grounding
This skill operationalises:
- Naur (1985): Theory-building—the problem must be understood before solutions are meaningful
- Phase transitions: Quality of Phase 1→2 transition depends on problem clarity
- STS Theory: Shared understanding is prerequisite for effective collaboration
Why This Matters
Proceeding with unclear problem framing leads to:
- Wasted effort on wrong solutions
- Scope creep from undefined boundaries
- Unvalidated assumptions causing rework
- Stakeholder misalignment discovered late
The framework strongly encourages completing this assessment before Phase 2 work.
When to Use
Use this skill:
- Before starting implementation work on a new feature/task
- At Phase 1→2 transition points
- When revisiting scope after significant requirement changes
- As input to phase readiness assessment (
dialogue-assess-phase)
Problem Framing Checklist
The assessment covers 6 foundational elements:
| Element | Question | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
problem_stated |
Is the problem explicitly stated? | Can't solve what isn't named |
scope_bounded |
Are scope boundaries defined? | Prevents creep, enables estimation |
success_criteria |
Are success criteria measurable? | Defines "done", enables validation |
constraints_identified |
Are constraints documented? | Shapes solution space |
assumptions_explicit |
Are key assumptions stated? | Enables validation, reduces risk |
stakeholders_identified |
Are affected stakeholders identified? | Ensures appropriate input/review |
How to Assess Problem Framing
Option 1: Interactive Collection (Recommended)
Ask the user the following questions using AskUserQuestion. Frame this as a problem framing checkpoint.
For each element, ask:
- Is the problem explicitly stated? (yes/no)
- Are scope boundaries defined? (yes/no)
- Are success criteria measurable? (yes/no)
- Are constraints documented? (yes/no)
- Are key assumptions stated? (yes/no)
- Are affected stakeholders identified? (yes/no)
Then ask: 7. Overall confidence in problem framing (1-5) 8. Any gaps or concerns identified? (optional free text)
Option 2: Direct Script Invocation
If you already have the responses:
${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/dialogue-assess-framing/scripts/log-assess-framing.sh \
<assessor> \
<problem_stated> <scope_bounded> <success_criteria> \
<constraints_identified> <assumptions_explicit> <stakeholders_identified> \
<confidence> \
[phase] [task_ref] [gaps_identified]
Parameters
| Parameter | Values | Description |
|---|---|---|
assessor |
ai:claude or human:<id> |
Who performed the assessment |
problem_stated |
true or false |
Problem is explicitly stated |
scope_bounded |
true or false |
Scope boundaries are defined |
success_criteria |
true or false |
Success criteria are measurable |
constraints_identified |
true or false |
Constraints are documented |
assumptions_explicit |
true or false |
Key assumptions are stated |
stakeholders_identified |
true or false |
Affected stakeholders identified |
confidence |
1-5 |
Overall confidence in framing |
phase |
1-7 (optional) |
Current SDLC phase |
task_ref |
string (optional) | Task reference (e.g., "FW-023") |
gaps_identified |
string (optional) | Any gaps or concerns noted |
context |
string (optional) | Situational context |
tags |
string (optional) | Comma-separated categorisation tags |
Interpreting Results
Readiness Indicators
| True Count | Confidence | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 6/6 | 4-5 | Well-framed, proceed with confidence |
| 5-6/6 | 3-4 | Mostly framed, note gaps before proceeding |
| 3-4/6 | 2-3 | Gaps present, address before major work |
| 0-2/6 | 1-2 | Poorly framed, return to problem definition |
Critical Elements
Some elements are more critical than others:
- problem_stated: Foundational—if false, stop and define the problem
- success_criteria: Essential for knowing when you're done
- assumptions_explicit: High-risk if false—hidden assumptions cause rework
Recommended Actions by Score
| Confirmed | Confidence | Recommendation | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/6 | 4-5 | PROCEED | Proceed to implementation |
| 5-6/6 | 3-4 | PROCEED_WITH_CAUTION | Document gaps, proceed with caution |
| 4-6/6 | 2-3 | ADDRESS_GAPS | Address gaps before significant work |
| <4/6 | <2 | RETURN_TO_DEFINITION | Return to problem definition phase |
Note: Both confirmed count AND confidence must meet thresholds.
Example Interactive Flow
AI: Before we proceed with implementation, let me run a problem framing check.
This ensures we have a solid foundation.
[Uses AskUserQuestion with the 6 checklist items + confidence + gaps]
AI: Thanks! Let me log that assessment.
[Invokes log-assess-framing.sh with collected responses]
AI: Problem framing assessment logged as ASSESS-20260122-143000.
Score: 5/6 elements confirmed, confidence 4/5
Gap: Constraints not yet documented
Recommendation: Document known constraints before proceeding.
This is a minor gap—you can proceed with caution while addressing it.
Example Direct Invocation
${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/dialogue-assess-framing/scripts/log-assess-framing.sh \
"human:pidster" \
true true true false true true \
4 \
2 \
"FW-023" \
"Constraints around performance requirements not yet documented"
Output
The script returns the generated assessment ID (e.g., ASSESS-20260122-143000).
The assessment is stored in .dialogue/logs/assessments/ and creates:
- Assessment YAML file
- Context graph node (ARTIFACT with artifact_type: ASSESSMENT)
- CREATED edge from assessor to assessment
- ASSESSES edge to task (if task_ref provided)
Integration with Phase Readiness
This assessment is a key input to dialogue-assess-phase. When assessing phase readiness:
- If no problem framing assessment exists, the phase readiness skill will flag this
- Recent framing assessments (within current phase) are considered
- Low framing scores reduce overall phase readiness
Schema Reference
See Assessment Schema for the complete PROBLEM_FRAMING response schema and validation rules.