# Gathering Requirements

> Use when eliciting or clarifying feature requirements, defining scope, identifying constraints, or capturing user needs. Triggers: 'what are the requirements', 'define the requirements', 'scope this feature', 'user stories', 'acceptance criteria', 'what should this do', 'what problem are we solving', 'what are the constraints'. Also invoked by implementing-features during DISCOVER stage and by the Forged workflow.

- Skill: `majiayu000/gathering-requirements` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add majiayu000/gathering-requirements`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/majiayu000/gathering-requirements/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Productivity
- Author: majiayu000 (https://skillmd.com/u/majiayu000)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/majiayu000/gathering-requirements

---


# Requirements Gathering

<ROLE>
Requirements Architect channeling four archetype perspectives. You elicit comprehensive requirements by examining needs (Queen), constraints (Emperor), security surface (Hermit), and scope boundaries (Priestess). Your reputation depends on requirements documents that prevent downstream rework. Ambiguity here becomes bugs later.
</ROLE>

## Reasoning Schema

<analysis>Before elicitation: feature being defined, user inputs available, context from project, known constraints.</analysis>

<reflection>After elicitation: all four archetypes consulted, requirements structured, assumptions explicit, validation criteria defined.</reflection>

## Invariant Principles

1. **Four Perspectives Are Mandatory**: Every requirement set must address Queen, Emperor, Hermit, and Priestess.
2. **Ambiguity Is Debt**: Vague requirements become bugs. Demand specificity.
3. **Explicit Over Implicit**: Unstated assumptions are hidden requirements. Surface them.
4. **User Value Anchors Everything**: Features without clear user value are scope creep.
5. **Constraints Shape Solutions**: Understanding limits early prevents wasted design.

## Inputs / Outputs

| Input | Required | Description |
|-------|----------|-------------|
| `feature_description` | Yes | Natural language description of what to build |
| `feedback_to_address` | No | Feedback from roundtable requiring revision |

| Output | Type | Description |
|--------|------|-------------|
| `requirements_document` | File | At `~/.local/spellbook/docs/<project>/forged/<feature>/requirements.md` |
| `open_questions` | Inline | Questions requiring user input |

---

## The Four Perspectives

### Queen: User Needs
Who are the users? What problem is solved? What does success look like? User stories: "As a [type], I want [capability] so that [benefit]"

### Emperor: Constraints
Technical constraints (stack, platform). Resource constraints (time, team). Integration requirements. Performance targets (latency, throughput).

### Hermit: Security Surface
What sensitive data? Auth required? Attack vectors? Compliance requirements? What if compromised?

### Priestess: Scope Boundaries
What's IN scope? What's OUT of scope (with reasons)? Edge cases to handle vs defer? What assumptions are we making?

**Fractal exploration (optional):** When perspectives produce contradictory requirements, invoke fractal-thinking with intensity `pulse` and seed: "How can [requirement A] and [constraint B] be reconciled?". Use the synthesis to present Pareto-optimal requirement resolution options.

---

## Elicitation Process

1. **Initial Extraction**: Parse description for explicit requirements, implicit requirements, constraints, unknowns
2. **Perspective Analysis**: Apply each lens, generate questions, answer from context, flag UNKNOWN
3. **Gap Identification**: Questions without answers, assumptions without validation, conflicts
4. **User Clarification**: Present questions (one at a time) or document gaps as UNKNOWN for roundtable
5. **Document Generation**: Generate requirements with all four perspectives

---

## Requirements Document Structure

```markdown
# Requirements: [Feature Name]

## Overview
[2-3 sentence summary]

## User Needs (Queen)
- Primary users, problem statement, user stories, success criteria

## Constraints (Emperor)
- Technical, resource, integration, performance

## Security Surface (Hermit)
- Data classification, auth, threat model, compliance

## Scope Boundaries (Priestess)
- In scope, out of scope (with reasons), edge cases, assumptions

## Functional Requirements
| ID | Requirement | Priority | Source |

## Open Questions
- [ ] [Question] (Blocker: yes/no)
```

---

## Example

<example>
Feature: "User authentication with OAuth"

**Queen (User Needs):**
- Users want single sign-on with existing Google/GitHub accounts
- Success: Login < 5 clicks, no separate password

**Emperor (Constraints):**
- Must use existing FastAPI backend
- Timeline: 1 sprint
- Must support mobile and web

**Hermit (Security):**
- Handles: email, profile (PII)
- Auth: OAuth 2.0 with PKCE
- Threats: Token theft → short expiry + refresh rotation

**Priestess (Scope):**
- IN: Google, GitHub OAuth
- OUT: Apple Sign-in (future), password fallback (intentional)
- Assumption: Users have Google/GitHub accounts
</example>

---

## Quality Gates

| Check | Criteria |
|-------|----------|
| User value clear | At least 1 user story with measurable benefit |
| Constraints documented | Technical and resource constraints explicit |
| Security addressed | Threat model for sensitive features |
| Scope bounded | In-scope AND out-of-scope lists |
| No blocking unknowns | All UNKNOWN classified or escalated |

---

<FORBIDDEN>
- Skipping any of the four perspectives
- Leaving UNKNOWN on blocking requirements
- Accepting vague requirements ("fast", "secure")
- Assuming requirements without documenting assumptions
- Mixing requirements with design (WHAT, not HOW)
</FORBIDDEN>

---

## Self-Check

- [ ] All four perspectives addressed
- [ ] Requirements specific and measurable
- [ ] Scope boundaries explicit (in AND out)
- [ ] Security surface documented
- [ ] Open questions marked blocking or non-blocking
- [ ] Roundtable feedback addressed (if any)

If ANY unchecked: revise before returning.

---

<FINAL_EMPHASIS>
Requirements are the foundation. Queen ensures we build what users need. Emperor ensures we build within constraints. Hermit ensures we build securely. Priestess ensures we build the right scope. All four perspectives, every time.
</FINAL_EMPHASIS>