Feature Writer Skill
Guide users through feature definition via adaptive discussion and generate lightweight feature 1-pagers.
Philosophy
Features should be defined through conversation, not forms. Engage in an adaptive discussion that draws out the feature definition naturally. The 1-pager is synthesized from this discussion.
Adaptive Discussion Framework
CRITICAL: This MUST be a conversation, NOT a checklist
- Follow interesting threads - if the user mentions something important, dig deeper
- Ask follow-up questions based on their actual responses
- Clarify ambiguity before moving on
- Summarize your understanding periodically
- Never rigidly ask questions in order like a form
Core Areas to Explore
Through natural conversation, understand these areas:
Problem Space:
- "What problem are you trying to solve?"
- "Why is this a problem worth solving now?"
- "Can you give me an example of when this is painful?"
User Impact:
- "Who will use this feature?"
- "How will this improve their experience?"
- "What can they do after this feature that they can't do now?"
Solution Vision:
- "What's your high-level approach to solving this?"
- "What are the key capabilities this feature needs?"
- "Are there any constraints we need to work within?"
Handling Different User Styles
Verbose users (provide lots of detail upfront):
- Acknowledge the information
- Ask targeted clarifying questions
- Move to synthesis faster
Terse users (give minimal responses):
- Ask more specific, concrete questions
- Provide examples to prompt thinking
- Use "Can you say more about X?" prompts
Uncertain users (don't have all answers):
- Help them think through it
- Suggest common patterns or options
- Mark areas as "TBD" in the 1-pager if needed
1-Pager Template
After the discussion, synthesize a lightweight 1-pager:
# [Feature Name]
## Problem Statement
<2-3 sentences: What problem are we solving and why does it matter?>
## Proposed Solution
<High-level description of the approach. Focus on WHAT we're building, not HOW we'll implement it. 3-5 sentences.>
## Key Features
<Bullet list of the main capabilities this feature will provide>
- Feature capability 1
- Feature capability 2
- Feature capability 3
---
*Feature 1-pager generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code)*
Synthesis Guidelines
When creating the 1-pager from the discussion:
- Be concise - each section should be scannable
- Use the user's language - incorporate their terminology
- Fill gaps intelligently - make reasonable inferences or mark as "TBD"
- Stay outcome-focused - emphasize user value, not implementation details
- Keep features as capabilities - not implementation tasks
Review and Refinement Loop
After generating the 1-pager:
Display the complete 1-pager formatted in markdown
Ask for confirmation:
"Review this feature 1-pager. Should I create the issue with this content, or would you like to refine it?"
Handle responses:
- Affirmative ("looks good", "create it"): Proceed to issue creation
- Refinement request: Ask what to change, update the 1-pager
- Major changes: Return to discussion if needed
No iteration limit - refine until the user is satisfied
Integration with Issue Creator
Once the 1-pager is confirmed:
Prepare for issue creation:
- Feature name becomes issue title
- 1-pager becomes issue body
- Type is automatically set to "Feature"
Follow issue-creator patterns:
- Create issue with
gh issue create - Add to project 19 with
gh project item-add - Set Type = Feature
- Prompt user for Priority (P0-P3)
- Prompt user for Initiative (dynamic options)
- Prompt user for Status (dynamic options)
- Create issue with
Use heredoc for the body:
gh issue create --title "<feature-name>" --body "$(cat <<'EOF' <1-pager-content> EOF )"
Example Session
User: /create-feature User profile management
Claude: "Let's define this feature. What problem are you trying to solve with user profile management?"
User: "Users can't update their personal information after signing up. They have to contact support."
Claude: "That's frustrating. What kind of information do they typically want to update?"
User: "Name, email, profile picture. Sometimes notification preferences."
Claude: "Got it. Any constraints - like things they shouldn't be able to change?"
User: "Username and account type need to stay fixed."
Claude: "Makes sense. Let me put together a 1-pager based on our discussion."
(Generates 1-pager)
# User Profile Management
## Problem Statement
Users cannot update their personal information after initial signup, requiring them to contact support for simple changes. This creates friction and generates unnecessary support volume.
## Proposed Solution
Provide a self-service profile management interface where users can update their name, email, profile picture, and notification preferences. Username and account type remain read-only to maintain system integrity.
## Key Features
- Update name and display name
- Change email address (with verification)
- Upload and manage profile picture
- Configure notification preferences
- View but not edit username and account type
---
*Feature 1-pager generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code)*
Claude: "Review this feature 1-pager. Should I create the issue with this content, or would you like to refine it?"
User: "Add password reset to key features"
Claude: (Updates 1-pager and shows again)
User: "Looks good, create it"
Claude: (Proceeds to create issue via issue-creator patterns)
Error Handling
User Cancels Mid-Discussion
If user indicates they want to stop:
Understood. We can resume the feature definition anytime with /create-feature.
Can't Synthesize a Section
If discussion didn't cover something and you can't infer:
## [Section]
*TBD - needs further discussion*
Ask user to provide more details during review.
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
In Discussion:
- Asking all questions upfront like a form
- Accepting vague answers without follow-up
- Ignoring signals that user has more to say
- Moving too fast through areas
In 1-Pager:
- Problem statement that's just the feature name rephrased
- Proposed solution with implementation details (class names, APIs)
- Key features that are implementation tasks, not user capabilities
- Overly long or verbose sections
WRONG vs. CORRECT: Problem Statement
WRONG — feature name rephrased as problem:
Problem Statement
We need dark mode support for the application.
CORRECT — user-pain-driven with evidence:
Problem Statement
Users report eye strain when using the app in low-light environments, generating 15+ support tickets per month. 73% of comparable apps offer dark mode, and it's the #2 feature request in our latest user survey.
Pre-Delivery Checklist
Before presenting a feature 1-pager, verify:
- Problem statement describes user pain, not a feature name
- Problem statement includes evidence (tickets, data, quotes)
- Key features are user capabilities, not implementation tasks
- Proposed solution focuses on WHAT, not HOW (no class names, APIs)
- Each section is concise and scannable
- User's own terminology is used where possible
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