majiayu000 Dialogue: Structured Elicit
Gather structured information through framework-aware questioning.
When to Use
Use this skill when you need to:
- Gather process context before designing capability flows
- Elicit requirements or constraints from the user
- Clarify ambiguous information
- Get decisions on alternatives you've identified
Elicitation Patterns
Process Context Elicitation
When gathering context for process design, elicit information across six areas. Four are mandatory; two are contextual.
Mandatory Questions (must elicit before proceeding)
| Area | Purpose | Example Question |
|---|---|---|
| Phase | Determine SDLC phase | "Which phase does this process belong to?" |
| Purpose | Understand process goal | "What should this process accomplish?" |
| Inputs | Identify input documents/data | "What information flows into this process?" |
| Outputs | Identify deliverables | "What artifacts does this process produce?" |
Contextual Questions (elicit when relevant)
| Area | Purpose | When to Ask |
|---|---|---|
| Actors | Understand who's involved | When unclear who participates; multi-team processes |
| Constraints | Surface limitations | When regulatory, security, or technical constraints likely |
Minimum Coverage Requirement
Do not proceed to decomposition until all four mandatory areas have answers.
If the user cannot answer a mandatory question:
- Note the gap as an observation
- Propose a reasonable default with rationale
- Get explicit confirmation before proceeding
Example: "I don't have information about inputs yet. Based on similar Phase 3 processes, I'd expect requirements documents and stakeholder notes. Does that seem right?"
Coverage Checklist
Before proceeding from elicitation, verify:
[ ] Phase identified
[ ] Purpose stated
[ ] Inputs defined (or default confirmed)
[ ] Outputs defined (or default confirmed)
[ ] Elicited context logged as observation
Information Composition Elicitation
To estimate formal/tacit/emergent composition:
| Question | Indicates |
|---|---|
| "Is there documented procedure for this?" | High formal if yes |
| "Does this require expertise that's hard to document?" | High tacit if yes |
| "Does new understanding emerge during execution?" | High emergent if yes |
| "Could someone follow written instructions to do this?" | Low tacit if yes |
Pattern Selection Elicitation
When AI involvement is unclear:
| Question | Helps Determine |
|---|---|
| "Should a human always make this decision?" | Human-Only vs other |
| "Could AI do this entirely without human review?" | AI-Only suitability |
| "Is human judgement essential, or just review?" | Partnership vs AI-Led |
Using AskUserQuestion
Structure questions using the AskUserQuestion tool:
Use AskUserQuestion with:
- question: Clear, specific question
- header: Short label (max 12 chars)
- options: 2-4 distinct choices with descriptions
- multiSelect: true if multiple answers valid
Example: Phase Elicitation
question: "Which SDLC phase does this process belong to?"
header: "Phase"
options:
- label: "Initiation (Phase 1)"
description: "Project setup, feasibility, initial stakeholder engagement"
- label: "Planning (Phase 2)"
description: "Resource allocation, timeline, risk assessment"
- label: "Requirements (Phase 3)"
description: "Gathering and documenting what the system should do"
- label: "Design (Phase 4)"
description: "Architectural decisions, component design"
Example: Collaboration Pattern
question: "How should humans and AI collaborate on this step?"
header: "Pattern"
options:
- label: "Human-Only"
description: "Human does all work; AI not involved"
- label: "Human-Led"
description: "Human drives; AI assists and supports"
- label: "Partnership"
description: "Both essential; continuous collaboration"
- label: "AI-Led"
description: "AI drives; human reviews and approves"
Recording Elicitation Results
After eliciting information, use the dialogue-log-observation skill to record:
- Key requirements noted
- Constraints identified
- User preferences stated
This preserves the elicited context for future reference.
Escalation
If the user cannot answer or indicates uncertainty:
- Note the uncertainty as an observation
- Propose reasonable defaults with rationale
- Ask if defaults are acceptable
Phase 1 (Initiation) Specific Elicitation
Phase 1 has 75% tacit information composition. Standard elicitation patterns need adaptation.
Key Differences from Later Phases
| Aspect | Later Phases | Phase 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Information source | Documents, code, systems | Stakeholder minds |
| Capture urgency | Can revisit documents | Must capture now or lose |
| AI role | Can lead elicitation | Facilitates human articulation |
| Validation | Check against formal specs | Probe for unstated assumptions |
Phase 1 Elicitation Questions
Opportunity/Problem Framing
| Question | Why Important |
|---|---|
| "What triggered this initiative?" | Captures origin story before it's forgotten |
| "What problem are you solving?" | Distinguishes problem from solution |
| "Why now? What changed?" | Surfaces temporal context |
| "What would happen if we did nothing?" | Tests problem significance |
| "What other ways could this problem be framed?" | Explores alternatives |
Stakeholder Mapping
| Question | Why Important |
|---|---|
| "Who requested this?" | Identifies primary stakeholder |
| "Who must approve?" | Identifies decision authority |
| "Who will be affected but isn't at the table?" | Surfaces hidden stakeholders |
| "Who might resist? Why?" | Surfaces political dynamics |
| "Whose expertise is essential?" | Identifies knowledge holders |
Rationale Capture (Critical)
These questions preserve tacit knowledge:
| Question | Captures |
|---|---|
| "Why do you think that?" | Reasoning behind positions |
| "What alternatives did you consider?" | Negative knowledge |
| "What assumptions are we making?" | Embedded constraints |
| "What would change your mind?" | Decision criteria |
| "What have we tried before?" | Historical context |
Capture Window Awareness
Phase 1 insights are highly perishable. When a significant insight emerges:
- Log it immediately using dialogue-log-observation
- Confirm you captured it correctly with the human
- Note if there's more context you should probe for
Do not wait until the end of a conversation to capture Phase 1 observations.
Example: Phase 1 AskUserQuestion
question: "What problem is this initiative trying to solve?"
header: "Problem"
options:
- label: "Clear and documented"
description: "Problem statement exists; I can point you to it"
- label: "Clear but undocumented"
description: "We know the problem but haven't written it down"
- label: "Still being defined"
description: "We're not sure yet; exploring options"
- label: "Multiple competing framings"
description: "Different stakeholders see it differently"
If "Still being defined" or "Multiple competing framings", switch to Facilitator mode:
- Help structure the exploration
- Surface different perspectives
- Document alternative framings as they emerge
- Avoid premature convergence
Phase 1 Process Suggestions
When Phase 1 work is substantial, consider offering structured processes:
| User Need | Suggest Process | Default Mode |
|---|---|---|
| "I have an idea/opportunity" | PROC-1.1 Opportunity Identification | QUICK |
| "Need to align stakeholders" | PROC-1.2 Stakeholder Alignment | QUICK |
| "Problem isn't clear" | PROC-1.3 Problem Framing | QUICK |
| "Need to justify investment" | PROC-1.4 Business Case | QUICK |
Offer these lightly: "Would you like to work through this systematically? I can guide you through a structured process that typically takes about 15 minutes."
If complexity emerges during elicitation, suggest upgrading to FULL mode.
Part of the Dialogue Framework