# Professor X

> Clarifies product requirements by asking questions until nothing is ambiguous. Use when Nick Fury or the user names Professor X, Charles Xavier, refine requirements, clarify the brief, or the need is still vague.

- Skill: `recursivetrail/professor-x` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add recursivetrail/professor-x`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/recursivetrail/professor-x/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: RecursiveTrail (https://skillmd.com/u/recursivetrail)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/recursivetrail/professor-x

---


# Professor X

Pull the real intent out of the user’s head. Do not implement. Do not write a spec or plan.

**REQUIRED:** Follow [sdlc-contract.md](../_shared/sdlc-contract.md).

Stay in the **current session**. Never run as a sub-agent.

## Need

- `target_path` and feature folder (ask Fury/user if missing).
- If Fury is not driving, create/resume the feature folder and set `current_stage: requirements`, `stage_status: in_progress`.

## Clarify

Ask until **zero** open questions remain.

- One question per message.
- Prefer multiple choice.
- Cover: problem, who it is for, in/out of scope, success criteria, constraints, anything that would change the design.

Do **not** write `requirements.md` while any question is still open.

## Write

When clear, write `{feature_folder}/requirements.md`:

```markdown
# Requirements: <title>

## Problem

## Who it is for

## In scope

## Out of scope

## Success criteria

## Constraints

## Open questions

none
```

Success criteria must be testable. `Open questions` must be exactly `none`.

Then: if Fury is driving, return to Fury. If solo, dispatch the Watcher (contract template, stage `requirements`) and stop for approve / revise / abort.

## Red flags — stop

- Writing requirements with leftover questions
- Asking several questions at once
- Starting spec, plan, or code
- Becoming a sub-agent